Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

How Super Rugby Aotearoa's new golden point rule could backfire

(Photos by Getty Images)

It’s been three long months but Super Rugby finally returns to TV screens this weekend and it sounds like fans will also be rushing along to stadiums to witness the first sports played in front of a live audience since the world was put into lockdown due to coronavirus.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Super Rugby Aotearoa competition will see New Zealand’s five franchises butt heads over 10 weeks in what’s effectively a supersized finals series.

Since three rounds of knockout matches were introduced to Super Rugby in 2016, New Zealand have contributed four of the eight finalists every year. This season’s NZ-only competition, brought on due to the global pandemic, trims away the fat and allows fans to really get their money’s worth – there are no dud games, no dead rubbers, no matches that a rugby loving audience won’t be licking their teeth at.

Video Spacer

Kirstie Stanway and Israel Dagg talk to rugby players from around New Zealand as they gear up for week one of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Video Spacer

Kirstie Stanway and Israel Dagg talk to rugby players from around New Zealand as they gear up for week one of Super Rugby Aotearoa.

There are also precautions in place so that there are fewer draws – but who knows whether the new golden point changes will even be required.

The new law means that an extra 10 minutes will be played at the end of the regular 80 if two sides are square on points. However, in the 24-and-a-half-years of Super Rugby’s history, we’ve witnessed just seven draws between the New Zealand sides – fewer than one in every three seasons.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBRV6hUgM-2/

On the rare chance that we do see two teams come out level after 80 minutes of action in Super Rugby Aotearoa, is the new golden point method actually the fairest way to determine a winner?

In the NRL, an extra 10 minutes is played at the end of any drawn match to try and separate the competing teams, which is effectively the same rule that the Aotearoa competition will adopt – but there are a few key differences between league and union that arguably make the golden point rule ill-suited for the fifteen man code.

ADVERTISEMENT

In league, the team that receives the kick-off is normally able to gobble up some easy metres from the first five phases before punting the ball down the field. In contrast, the team that receives the first kick-off in union has no such luxury.

If we do see the golden point rule in action during Super Rugby, the first kick-off receiver is going to have a torrid time making sure they’re able to send the ball back without putting themselves under too much immediate pressure.

The other major difference between the two codes which compounds the kick-off problem is that penalties are considerably more plentiful in union. In 2020, NRL teams are conceding between 3.3 and 7.8 penalties a game. In the seven rounds of Super Rugby that were played prior to the shutdown, however, teams were conceding between 7.3 and 11.3 penalties per match.

While most league matches decided during golden point time come down to an exciting drop goal attempt that lands on target, you can bet your bottom dollar that Super Rugby sides will try and earn penalties to give themselves a considerably easier means to muster up some points.

ADVERTISEMENT

In league, it’s far more difficult to force penalties – you only have the ball for six phases and it’s fairly straightforward for a defending team to not step out of line during those six plays of the ball. It’s a completely different story in union and the first kick-off receiver during that 10-minute period of golden time is going to find themselves under the pump.

RugbyX drew criticism during its inaugural tournament for the unfair tie-breaker rule that saw the team that started with possession for the sudden-death portion of the match-winning every single contest. Let’s hope Super Rugby Aotearoa doesn’t head down the same path.

There’s nothing more exciting than watching a period of sudden death where both sides have a fair shot of stealing victory but there’s nothing worse than tuning in to the dying stages of a contest, knowing who’s likely to take out victory simply due to the unfair initial set-up.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarrior 52 minutes ago
Records show All Blacks' greatest rugby adversary is now Ireland

Foster was literally whinging about the TMO in the Ireland series in the presser AFTER the RWC final. NZs whinging about the final itself was apparently picked up by Voyager 2 which was near the asteroid belt. What about the whingefest and crybabies after O'Mahony's legendary sledge (during the match) on Sam Cane?


I often hear talk about NZ players being poisoned or similar nonsense during the 1995 final. NZ boast that they are 'superstars' and 'humble heroes' on their own website. You gave England the same treatment in 2002-2003, calling them arrogant just because they beat you. They told the rest of us then what you were like, we should have listened. I would give as much credence to a NZ supporter disliking us, as I would to Krusty the clown saying the same thing. Let's just say your judgement may not be the best.


Regarding 2016, as the referee had basically let NZ away with cheating their way to victory via filthy dangerous play and fouling he was hardly going to pull Sexton up when clearly trying to stop a grounding. NZ always leave the boot or arm in to hurt a try scorer but that seems to be invisible to you entitles lot.


BTW NZ have literally being whinging and crying about Ireland since Soldier field. You are just very bad losers. We will be delighted to be shot of you on Friday. I hope we do so with a win, so that you rethink your philosophy of mocking opponents and spectators you've just beaten.


After the match last Saturday the internet was full of Kiwi supporters basically abusing English folk. Where is your national honour? Where is your national integrity?

8 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline? Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?
Search