The Gloucester outhalf Ross Byrne believes international head coaches could convert second-rows into wings for the next men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027 to capitalise on the crackdown on escort defenders.
Last October World Rugby instructed referees to scrutinise and punish defending teams obstructing opponents chasing high contestable kicks, a move that has had a profound tactical impact on the elite game.
The former Leinster number 10 said it is a “backward step” and a “negative” development that will fundamentally change the sport long term.
“Unfortunately I think it’s changed how everybody plays,” Byrne said. “Everybody knows the stats: because of the new rules whoever kicks the ball is most likely to get it back. If those are the stats, which the top teams generally tend to follow, why would you not kick the ball?
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“If I was a head coach of a country right now and the World Cup’s in two years, you’re going: ‘OK, is there anyone who’s 19, 20, a second-row or back-row who’s a really good athlete? Can we make him into a winger in two years? Go chase some kicks?’ Genuinely, why would you not do that?”
Byrne added that current refereeing of the ruck makes kicking even more attractive, and that rugby union consequently risks becoming one-dimensional in terms of players’ size.
“The way the ball carrier can no longer roll or move [at the ruck] – it’s made it harder to hold on to the ball, I would argue,” Byrne said. “That’s even more reason to kick. I think pretty much everybody’s gone that way.
“I also think it is moving away from having a team full of an array of talent: [currently] you’ve got some players who are unbelievably good footballers – kickers, passers, who read the game. Whereas now [under the new laws], we just need a couple of kickers and a load of good athletes to chase the ball. Do we need those small, silky backs any more? I don’t think so. Why would we?”
The 30-year-old, who has 22 Ireland caps, also criticised the stop-start nature of the club season due to international windows. “It does annoy me that we have two massive international blocks,” he said. “You don’t see the Premier League stopping for four weeks [in November], and it certainly doesn’t stop for six weeks, like during the Six Nations.”
After five consecutive Prem losses to start the campaign Gloucester have won their last two matches, against Harlequins in the league and Castres in the Champions Cup last Saturday. This Saturday they visit Munster, a significant fixture for a player who spent a decade at Leinster before moving to Kingsholm in the summer.
“I can’t wait,” he said. “The atmosphere will be next-level. It’ll be a tough game, it’ll mean a lot to Munster, but for us to go there will be an unbelievable challenge. I think it’ll show us where we are as a group.” — Guardian
