Does rugby need to embrace fighting like ice hockey?

Former England international Courtney Lawes believes that rugby could do with loosening up regarding players scrapping.

One only needs to watch the first moments of the 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Australia to realise the game has changed its attitude towards a scrap in the modern era.

FIGHTING AND RUGBY GO TOGETHER

In that infamous encounter in Dublin, punches were thrown almost as soon as the ball was in play. Australia No 8 Willie Ofahengaue and Philip Matthews the Ireland skipper got their hits in early.

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The sport was then still ostensibly amateur and the attitude towards fighting was very different.

In the modern era of the TMO a player dare not risk even an attempt to punch an opponent and if you land a blow you will be going for an early shower.

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South African rugby has countless legends of the sport who were also known for being their team’s enforcer and some even have songs written about thrashing other players.

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The card system is a fairly recent addition to the game and previously referees would only send a player off for the worst foul play imaginable.

Rugby has done a lot to try to clean up the game over accusations that the sport was borderline gladiatorial or even a blood sport.

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Blood still slows and rugby remains a collision sport but Lawes feels that rugby could do with taking a leaf out of ice hockey’s book.

Ice hockey has embraced a scrap and even enshrined protections for the practice into its rules.

LET THEM SCRAP

Lawes feels that the fans should be able to enjoy a scrap or two over the course of the 80 minutes but wouldn’t advocate for letting players slug it out.

“I think a lot of the things fans like to see we are now trying to get rid of. Handbags for example, and having scraps on the pitch,” Lawes said on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast.

“We don’t want to be throwing punches and battering each other, but there’s not a fan in the world that doesn’t like a team getting in the mixer and having a scrap.

“The fans get into it. We had it against Munster last season. I wasn’t playing, so I was in the crowd, and we had a big scrap, and you should have seen everyone getting on their feet.

“For the next 10 minutes, people are flying into each other. That’s the kind of stuff people love.

“At the minute, we’ve got refs, who have got too many rules to follow as it is, and then they are essentially mummying the players on the pitch and threatening… detention, if you misbehave,” he added.

“If you look at ice hockey, they’re not getting rid of the fights because they know that’s what fans want to see.”

“I’m not saying we want to see fights on the pitch, and I’m not saying that’s going to make the game better, but it’s one area we’re actually taking away our product, we’re taking away some excitement.”

Lawes believes that rugby is missing a trick by ignoring what people love about the sport.

“There is a lot you could do with rugby. It is such a good sport.

“The fact that you can have fans in the stadium that can mix and drink, and it could be an incredible product,” he said.