Rugby is booming in this country, so do not think of moving it to a summer sport

There were other thoughts in the west-country air on Sunday evening, notably

whether the benign backdrop ought to become a more regular thing. The notion

of switching to summer rugby has been knocking around for years. For good

reason it has never come to pass.

Those who support the concept point to what they consider to be unshakeable

positive tenets: that the southern and northern hemisphere seasons would

align, and that the rugby would be of an altogether better quality as it

would be played on hard, fast surfaces.

In fact, the seasons would align only in that the age-old, winter-based

northern hemisphere season would be junked.

And all so that the southern lot, who are ailing financially, who have never

been able to match the commercial clout of Europe, who have fiddled and

fretted with the make-up of the Super Rugby format, who are struggling to

attract crowds and sponsors in Australia, can get the north to fall into

step to make their lives easier. Well, it should be a resounding rejection

of all that.

There are many reasons to stick broadly with what we have got. Rugby is a

winter sport and many of us like the contrasting conditions that are thrown

up in the course of a season.

Factor in, too, that rugby would have to compete for attention with a host of

blue-riband sporting events such as Wimbledon, the Open and Test cricket if

it were to be played through the summer.

But here is a thing. There is a halfway house proposal that is on the table at

the moment that has the backing of Premier Rugby as well as the

International Rugby Players’ Association.

And that is to start in October rather than September, so that club rugby

would continue through June, with the international tours taking place in

July. The close season would then run through August and September.

Essentially, it is a shift of a month.

The aim is to free up the calendar so that June tours would not interfere with

the ever-expanding Super Rugby. Provincial matches in Lions tours would have

more meaning.

Players would also have more clearly-defined slots in which to play club then

international rugby. Landmark events such as the Six Nations, the November

series and the Rugby Championship would be unaffected.

Rugby has to be careful with tampering with things. If there were to be

change, how long before there would be a clamour for a Super Rugby against

European champions play-off to be shoehorned in somewhere? The shuffling of

dates has to have proper merit. Playing on hard surfaces alone is not reason

enough. But the proposal is worth debate.

LET MAN IN THE MIDDLE DECIDE

Television match officials are a fine body of men. But why on earth do we have

to see so much of them?

Too many decisions are being referred. Too much time is being taken up with

endless replays on marginal matters.

Referee Andrew Small was perfectly positioned to witness Exeter’s first try

against Harlequins on Sunday, a metre away as scrum-half Dave Lewis dummied

and went over. Simple try. And yet we had two minutes of big-screen

deliberation.

Fans are fed up with it, players are fed up too. It is time to restore trust

in the on-field referee. If he makes the occasional blunder, so be it. It is

a price well worth paying. Curb the use of the TMO.

RAISE A GLASS TO END OF AN ERA

The Boys of ’03 are reaching their end. Jonny Wilkinson is heading intro

retirement, so too, it would appear, is Mike Tindall. Neither wants fuss or

fanfare.

And that says a lot about that them. Selfless, ego free, stubborn, team driven

and tough as old boots. An era is coming to a close and raising a glass

would only be right and proper.

Article source: http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jan/23/usa-rugby-coach-las-vegas-olympics-sevens

Rugby is booming in this country, so do not think of moving it to a summer sport