The World's Most Complicated Sport

I've blogged before about my experiences as a rugby teacher.

That's actually a bit of a stretch since, as a rookie music teacher at a private school, I and the rest of the staff had to take rugby on a Saturday afternoon. Very much the blind leading the blind. As I said at https://usedtobecroquetman.blogspot.com/2020/06/why-are-arsenal-so-toothless-football.html "Each autumn, the whole staff would gather just before the start of term to be addressed by the head of PE, who told us the latest changes to rugby's offside laws". I never understood the old laws, let alone the new ones. Even today, watching rugby is an impenetrable experience for me. I invite any lover of sport to explain the myriad laws on rucks, mauls and scrums (also previously blogged).,

Not just offside laws, as I discovered yesterday that the perennial changes continue to this present day. These are the new laws this season.

50-22

If a player kicks the ball from their own half and it bounces into touch within the opposition's 22, then the attacking team will receive a lineout.

Goalline drop-out

In the in-goal area, if the ball is held up, or there is an attacking knock-on, or a kick from the attacking team is grounded by the defending side, then play restarts with a goalline drop-out.

Pre-bound pods of players

Outlawing the practice of pods of three or more players being pre-bound before receiving the ball. The one-player latch is still permitted but he must now stay on his feet and enter through the gate.

Sanctioning the lower limb clearout

Penalising players who target/drop their weight on to the lower limbs of a jackaler.

Pods? Latch? Gate? Jackaler?

See what I mean?