After watching England’s win against Wales, I think there needs to be a change to rugby’s laws to keep kids watching according to former England Rugby union international Matt Dawson.
There were five offloads in that game.
As much as I am a purist and there will be parts that I enjoy, my kids are not watching the game. They are thinking it is just a load of bodies on the floor.
They are not seeing amazing passes or great tries – things they could imagine recreating in the garden afterwards.
Far too often now, rugby is turgid. We have got to make sure we have a product across the world that everyone wants to watch.
We have to ensure it does not matter what rugby is being played, you know you are going to be entertained. At the moment, it is determined by the time of year and the tournament you are watching.
I think there will be a significant change to the breakdown or tackle laws. All teams are so well-drilled in the way they defend and ‘jackal’ – standing over the ball after a tackle to win a turnover.
With their fitness levels they can continually do it ruck after ruck. It is getting to a tipping point where there is no space.
Maybe the laws could change so you only allow certain players to jackal or you are only allowed to send two people into a ruck defensively.
The main issue is that whenever new laws come in, you can guarantee that coaches and players work out how to bend them. You need to be ahead of that.
Wasps’ Jack Willis has become renowned for his jackalling in the Premiership
It is like the law that says you must stay on your feet at the breakdown. Jack Willis or Tom Curry can do the splits so they can stay in that position and steal the ball, but they are still leaning on the opposition.
Technically, they may be right but it does not lend itself to the game being free-flowing. I would like it to favour the attacking side more.
What is frustrating players at the moment is they could make a fantastic break and show brilliant skill but because they are isolated, the chances are the opposition are going to win the ball.
Watching France beat Italy later on Saturday, a couple of their tries were from brilliant offloads. That should be an intrinsic part of the game.
England flanker Sam Underhill said after the match that if people did not like scrums and line-outs, they should watch rugby league.
When you are a forward and you are playing the game, there is a huge amount of skill around the set-piece.
I still want to see a competitive scrum and I do not mind if it is not changed but they need to stop the clock every time the referee blows the whistle for a scrum.
Otherwise some scrums go on for four or five minutes. We have got to have officials who want to create a more fast and furious game.