Quote ="bonaire"The problem with applying spirit of the game is that we could end up like football with players rolling all over the pitch in agony to stop the game and give the team a rest especially if defending only to get up again and start playing as though nothing happened.'"
Good point. There been a few examples of players holding their necks and “simulating” a crusher tackle and going down with a head injury when defending the line. Sometimes gains a rest for their team-mates plus the deliberate “6 again” early in the count is another example of manipulation of the rules to let a team set their defensive line.
Wire seem particularly adept at these “dark arts” but most teams will do it eventually if it’s not stopped (like the PTB into a prone player from a couple of seasons ago for a penalty...,.)