New rules make the game more effective - Marikkar

By Harry Jayachandra

Sluggish rugby at the last Rugby World Cup between England and France prompted the IRB to launch the new laws sooner than expected.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is set to try quite few rules at the next Super 14 tournament. This tournament features state from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Arguably the most controversial rule is that players can now put their hands into the ruck. The Sunday Times caught up former Sri Lankan winger and Sevens coach Inthisham Marikkar to get his views on the new rule and how Sri Lanka can climb the ladder in both the sevens and 15 a side format.

Marikkar said: “Initially I had a lot of misgivings about this rule. The IRB says it wants to see more open rugby. And after talking to a few people in the know as it were, I believe that this might be good for the game. Coaches will be compelled to instil in their players not to go to ground unless they are forced. This is because if a player hits the deck he has to get the ball out fast or more likely risk having the ball taken away by his opponent. Though the possibility of injuries are there, keep in mind that other opposing players have to come in through the gate. They cannot come in from the side or from an offside position. Thus the IRB may achieve its objective because players will not go to ground as easily as they do now.”

Marikkar added: “However, if the IRB wishes to see more open rugby they should also cut down the number of points given for a penalty. This year’s World Cup was a classic advertisement for the most popular game in the world namely soccer. Also they should consider reducing the number of teams to 16 because there were far too many mismatches especially in the group stages.”

Inthisham Marikkar

When asked on how Sri Lanka can progress, Marikkar said: “First let me say that when it comes to organizing we are second to none. Especially at the sevens level we can progress. But take the Singer Sevens for example. At the inception you had teams even from Australia competing and that is the kind of competition we need. I was recently invited to Malaysia to witness the Cobra Ten’s and the standard of rugby was amazing. They had four teams from New Zealand and three from South Africa including the Natal Sharks. New Zealand’s Canterbury had sent their Development Squad but with all the back room staff including their NPC coach and his assistant. The Cobra team had some players from the host nation in addition four Kiwis and three each from South Africa and Fiji. If we could have teams like that competing, it would certainly help us.”

He said in conclusion: “Even though sevens is an open game, we need to have some big boys to win the scrums and regain the ball from the kick off. Our backs have the skills and speed but obviously they need the ball to display their talent. Possession is everything in sevens rugby. As far as the fifteen a side format is concerned, we have to beat teams like Hong Kong and Arabian Gulf who have lots of foreigners playing for them. It is difficult for me to see how we can progress unless we get down some players and keep them in Sri Lanka for three years which as you know is one of the eligibility laws set by the IRB for a player to represent that respective country..”