Rugby laws "in a total mess"

Monday 4 January 2010
Published By: Ben Welch
Guinness Premiership > Saracens

A lack of clarity in the rules of rugby is likely to start putting the paying public off the game, it has been suggested.

Writing for the Times, Stephen Jones backed the comments made by Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter this weekend, with Jones arguing that "the laws are in a total mess".

Venter could face a fine after launching a verbal attack on referee David Rose following the 22-15 defeat to Leicester.

But it was the more general criticism of the IRB for failing to give officials clear direction that drew Jones's support, with inconsistency at the breakdown making it impossible to play flowing rugby.

"Some trendies will claim that the fault lies not with refereeing and the morass of different interpretations, but with conservative coaches," he said. "Utter rubbish."

And he suggested that fans are only still turning out because of the "lack of rancour" in the stands, rather than any great entertainment on offer - since this is being stifled by the rulebook confusion.