I've just watched the Saints v Leeds game and it was a decent game.

However, Saints scored four tries from either the dummy half falling over the line, or a one pass play from dummy half, hardly expansive rugby.
Watch again and see how many of the play the balls were actually touched with the foot.


I've argued for years about the cleaning up of the play the ball.Tonight was a prime example of why it is needed, and it's not a dig at Saints, but if we want expansive rugby and real ball playing hookers and half backs it needs sorting.

I thought they played some pretty exciting Rugby. It was better to watch than the dross we put out last night anyway.

Don't tell Saddened that.

I actually noticed it myself. some saints players didnt even make an attempt at times.
I do think it is important that everything is policed consistently.
Ever since the refs went full time, we havnt seen any consistency from them.
I think its a big problem for RL.
SOunds like they have their issues in Oz too.

You cant say saints didnt play good rugby though.

Not wanting this to sound 'anti-saints' for the sake of it, but I did think the very quick ptb's on display meant there was far less skill required in breaking the leeds line.

Looking at some of the attacking play by huddersfield this season for example, I've seen far more impressive ball handling and off ball running and creative attacking play - that's the sort of play I want to watch and we will only ever have a chance of beating the aussies if we encourage the hudds style of attack rather than the quick ptb style.

THe game tonight might have had that 'breathless excitment' value when watching it live but when you watch it from a slightly more detatched point of view you can see the creativity required to break down the defence was pretty low.

I didn't say that.
What I have been arguing for ages is that the call for a fast play the ball has to be looked at. There has to be some balance i.e. the ball has to be played with the foot. The defence has to be considered. It's not an anti Saints thing it's Rugby League rule.

If you don't have to play the ball with the foot then you may as well go to the tick rugby rule of tap and pass.

I posted on the Leeds board right after the game that Leeds lost because of their lack of control around the ruck, and on the back of it the Saints quick play of the ball was to much for Leeds to handle.

There's no doubting that a quick play of the ball allows the attacking team to just continually scoot from dummyhalf, it obviously doesn't encourage expansive rugby. But it don't half make Roby look a better player.

Leeds discipline was awful

Come on! Wigan moaning about the ruck! Have you seen the mess of the play the ball by wigan and hudds?

I wouldn't call our tries dummy half fallling over the line at all. You have to get to the try line through hard work and the hard yards which saints did better than leeds tonight.

Also, these "falling over the line" will have been worked on in training. Tony p just didn't happen to be there when he "fell over the line".

Teams play to there strengths and dummy running is a strength of saints. The short ball from dummy half to the big bloke on the line is something saints have done since the millward days, why shouldn't we use it when it works?

We just hammered the champions.

You got hammerd by bottom of the league.

get over it

Saints 10 Wigan 18

Get over that

So did we.

We beat you both. Within a week of each other, easily.

Your point is?

but we beat quins

...................this sort of childish banter could go on all night.

I do agree with that.
and again, I think consistency with some of these rules is the most important thing.
At the same time, holding down has been a problem lately too. so if we can stop teams holding down longer than necasary, flops etc.. and keep an eye on the play of the ball.
And also sort this rule where the ref shouts held when another attacking player puts his weight into the tackle. I think that is a crap rule.

I think touch judges should have more to look at, and if they are not up to it, which they probably arnt with some of the forward passes etc.. that they miss, then maybe the English game needs to take a serious look at using 2 refs

You Started It!

Seriously though Saints executed their gameplan perfectly, dominate the field position and get within Leeds 10 meter line then go for the killer play. Cunningham will be missed next year, I said the same about Long but Eastmond is now covering his role, i dont think there is anyone you can sign quite like KC

I think the balance has been pretty good this year, they are allowing a number of defenders into the tackle without calling held too early, but making players get off cleanly and fairly quickly by penalising 'hands in' and messing around more often. So we're getting set defences more often than not, but good dummy running and attacking play is also rewarded for moving the defences around without letting them lie on to the extent that was allowed last year and slowing the game down too much.

If you win the collision, you earn a quick play the ball. Simple.

Can you still do a quick tap to yourself if there is no dummy half ?

I used to love that rule, sadly no. Jason Robinson used it loads to his advantage.

Not a tap, you have to play it backwards, but you can then turn around and drop on it.

Totally agree.

Without rules what would the game end up as?

It's very simple, if the players don't ptb correctly there should be an immediate penalty.

Within a fortnight there would be very few incorrect ptb's.

how much of the following do we actually see enforced?

[i10. The play-the-ball shall operate as follows.

(a) The tackled player shall be immediately released and shall not be touched until the ball is in play.

(b) The tackled player shall without delay regain his feet where he was tackled, lift the ball clear of the ground, face his opponent’s goal line and drop or place the ball on the ground in front of his foremost foot.

(c) One opponent may take up the position immediately opposite the tackled player.

(d) The tackled player may not play the ball before the players effecting the tackle have had time to clear the ruck.

(e) When the ball touches the ground it must be heeled (i.e. backwards) by the tackled player. The ball must not be kicked or heeled by the player
marking him.

The ball is in play when it has been played backward.[/i

they not old rules Geoff? Says you can drop the ball in order to play it and only 1 marker?