Do you think that a drop goal/ penalty conversion in rugby should be reduced to 2 points?

Question

I don't think that two penalties should be worth more than a try..

Answer 1

Why change the rules if they don't need changing!

Big Ste, drop goals ARE worth 3 points.....

Answer 2

we just have to follow the rules because it was carried down from generation

Answer 3

this ruling is very poor for e.g three pens would win the game by nine and penalties are easily given away now

Answer 4

Actually, the drop goal should be INcreased to four points,  in fact what it was worth for many years, prior to the 1950's.    When the defending team has shut down the try scoring possibilities, change strategy, and get the ball back to your drop-shot sniper, and watch the game turn around.   Once the tight-as-a-drum defense has gone somewhat awry watching drop-goals sail over their heads THEN start looking for a hole

in their ranks and go in for the try.   Note the record breaking

effort of five 'drops' (count them: 5) scored in a single game in the 1999 World Cup by South Africa.   A penalty is a punishment for a major infraction: you can place the ball, nicely propped up and take your kick (about 40 sec. is time allowed, or, say, within 1 min).

Much the same for the conversion, which is a bonus for having scored a try, further facilitated by try being scored as near to the posts as possible: take your time, prop up the ball.

The expertise and snap judgement required for consistent drop-goal scoring, is definitely on a higher plane, and therefore merits greater recognition (points).

Answer 5

I agree, too many penalties are ruining the game. That said drop goals should be worth 3 points as it is part of constant play. tries should be worth 7points as this will encourage more forward play and that `line out` should be scrapped and be replaced by the league `tap` instead.

Answer 6

Yes. Two points for a conversion, two points for a penalty and one point for a drop goal. It would create a game where teams tried to score tries to beat each other. This after all is the purpose of the game. But then wonder boy Johnny WILKINSON WILL BE REDUNDANT FOR ALL HE CAN DO IS KICK!

Answer 7

oh yes!

I think a drop goal adds that little extra to an already exciting game!

Answer 8

No. This is because penalties are a way of punishing the opposition for offences (because penalties are only for delibrate offences, scrums are accidental). It is a way of teaching you to pay fair. Also drop goals make rugby that bit more exciting and risky, so i would keep it at 3 points. I would also, to compy with the arguments about conversions and penalties being the same, make a conversion worth 3 points.

Answer 9

No. As others have said, this would just encourage people to break the rules. While it would open up the game and maybe encourage more running rugby, I don't think letting teams get off lightly for blatent cheating is the answer.

Answer 10

I think the conversion shoul be taken out of the game and a try be raised to 7 points instead of 5. Penalties and drop goals should be left at 3 points as it still requires 3 penalties or drop goals to overcome a try. The removal of the conversion would remove the importance of a good goal kicker at out half and encourage a good passer and an out half that can kick the corners. This would lead to more tries as almost every phase of play goes through the out half. Leinster lost their first choice out half to injury last season and despite scoring more tries they nearly lost because they only recived 5 points for each try as their 2nd choice kicker made only 1 kick of 6. RULE OUT THE CONVERSION AND MAKE A TRY WORTH 7 POINTS

Answer 11

Absolutely not, I believe that if opposition are stupid enough to give away a penalty then they should be worth more than just a conversion for a try.

Answer 12

No. Reducing the cost of a penalty would massively increase the incentive to cheat and thus create more penalties and reduce the number of tries. This is important in rugby because its much easier to get away with infringements that ruin the game than in some other sports (because the referees have so many players to keep track of, its easy to be unsighted and because the level of physical contact). Most penalties are for infringements that ruin the game.

There is maybe a case for reducing the points for a drop goal, but they aren't that common in practice and they reward posession and territory in very close games where tries may be rare. It would also be hard to predict the effect on play at top levels. Knowing that the fly half has the option to kick a drop goal can create doubt in a defenders mind and that in turn can create opportunities for a skilled player to exploit.

Thom

Answer 13

Going backwards instead of forward here.

A Penalty should be worth more than a drop goal but less than a try and a conversion less than a drop goal.

But thats my own thoughts

Answer 14

All kicks should be worth a single point, then they would just be useful as a tie breaker & not as a way to win games.

Answer 15

Yes, goals should be two points and tries should be four.

Answer 16

This is an interesting question.

Most of the previous answers are hugely in favour of reducing a penalty to 2 points.

The basis of this arguement is that by diminishing the value of a penalty more attacking play and ultimately tries would ensue.

I'm not entirely convinced that this would occur, I think many of the previous respondents are looking at penalties as a reward for negative attacking play( i.e taking the easy option of 3 points) however what if you look at penalties as a deterrent for negative defensive play ( i.e illeagaly stopping attacks to avoid conceding 7 points). This obviously now changes the whole arguement.

However making this point does not not solve the problem of too many games being decided by kicking contests.

Therefore something else must be done, but what?

To be honest I do not know, and until someone comes up with a viable solution the current situation of 3 points for a penalty must be mantained, reducing it to two could having suprisingly negative consequences to the game.

The issue of the drop-goal is an entirely different issue. Some people see drop-goals as a integral part of the game others see them as a waste of good possesion, personally I enjoy them and think they should be left at 3 points, but if this was reduced to 2 it would simply reduce the number of drop-goals and not have any further ramifications for the game.