The revamped six again rule has seen scoring skyrocket in the NRL this year with at least 40 points scored in each round so far.
Referees have been given even more power to give teams a fresh set of six tackles for ruck or offside infringements anywhere from the defending team’s 20-metre line all the way to the try line.
As a result, we are seeing the pace of the game picking up with the game being stopped less for penalties.
The upshot of this is that defenders are becoming more and more fatigued as they have to cover more ground without a break in play.
That increased fatigue has handed a massive advantage to attacking teams, who often take full advantage to run the score up.
Much of the controversy around the new rule also sits with referees, given the nature of ruck penalties, the set-restart decision has a limited scope for video review, allowing officials to have a massive say on the flow of the game.
Cameron Munster has revealed he no longer watches the NRL due to frustration around the speed of play due to the six-again rule
Jahrome Hughes also believes a certain types of players are being phased out of the game due to the rule changes
While higher scoring would usually result in better entertainment and a satisfied fan, NRL superstar Cameron Munster revealed the new rules have made him turn off when not playing.
‘I think the rules were perfect two years ago, or a year ago, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,’ the Maroons captain said on his 167 podcast.
‘It’s obviously a product the NRL want… I used to watch it all the time but now it’s just in the background, I don’t even watch it.
‘I don’t want to see finals this year go to blowout games. But it’s the product they want, they want to play touch footy, so all the best to them.’
167 podcast co-host Jahrome Hughes echoed Munster’s sentiments saying, ‘I’m seeing stuff and I go, why is that a six again? And then I see something and why’s that not? So I get too technical in my head.
‘For me as a player, personally I can’t really watch rugby, I’ve never been a massive watcher anyway but now its just, I make it too technical in my head and I start picking things out I shouldn’t be and i can’t really enjoy it.’
Hughes also went on to say that he felt like certain types of players are being phased out of the game, adding, ‘It’s sad, like the big, I guess like our old teammate like Nelson [Asofa-Solomona], those types of players are getting washed out of the game because it’s too quick now.’
Asofa-Solomona actually walked away from rugby at the end of last season to pursue a boxing career.
Josh Morris also feels the game has been ruined by the six-again rule making the ref the focal point of the sport
Former referee, turned politician Tim Mander also took aim at the current state of the game, deeming it ‘difficult to accept’
And they aren’t the only ones who feel the six again rule is having a negative impact on the game.
Two-time NRL Grand Final runner up Josh Morris has blasted the league for having ‘too many blowouts.’
‘I don’t want to be negative but I’ve got to say it, the blowouts because of the six to go rule, it’s killing my weekend buzz watching football.
‘It has made the referee the central figure on the field and that should not be the case.
‘When you have the likes of Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes saying they can’t stand watching the game and they just keep it in the background.’
‘It’s bordering on touch football, I know you are trying to eradicate the wrestle, but you need wrestle,’ fellow host Andrew Webster echoed.
Former referee, turned politician, Tim Mander has also said the current state of six-again rule has made the game ‘difficult to accept.’
