ELVs...good or bad?

Question

After watching the last two weekends of the Super 14, I'm tending to agree with Brian Habana that the ELVs are killing the essence of rugby and make it feel and look more like league. I'm getting to see less line-outs, scrums, and back-line plays and as a result it seems like sooner-or-later, there will be very little differences between specialist positions...your views please.

Answer 1

Come on people this is Rugby Union not league.  Next thing you know they'll be playing with only 13 guys on the pitch.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Answer 2

it kills the essence of rugby but still, it  much more is entertaining to watch rugby and way more tries are scored since the ELV was applied. habana just says that because he will not be flying around the park anymore.

Answer 3

good

Answer 4

Other players are saying that it will take time to get to grips and know how to play the ELVs.

Obviously no point tapping and going if the defence is already set - that is just like league, but teams will adapt. The game will not change that much. By the time the tri-nations rocks around, players and refs will have a better understanding and there will be less hysteria.

Answer 5

I like them ... they encourage teams to attack.

What I find interesting is the way different teams adjust to the ELV .  I thought the Hurricanes ( particularly ) , Chiefs , and Blues ( occassionally ) played haphazardly in their first games. The first two were a lot more "traditionally structured" in their approach this week. I didn't see the Blues game , but man , what a score.

General media comment over here ( NZ ) is that the South African teams just haven't cottoned-on to the ELV as quickly as Australia and New Zealand. I haven't seen any play yet but maybe if Habana saw some of the space that the some other teams are  creating  he would be rubbing his hands with glee.

Hardcase really ...... Before the ELV were played I used the fact that the IRB Player Of The Year only got the ball once in his hands in the World Cup Final , as a justification for them.

Now I find the man doesn't like them.

I think in the backs the need for "specialist positional skills" is going to be greater. They may change a bit. The ball moving skills (vision and execution ) of a 2 5/8 will become a more important factor to consider in the skill-mix of a player

Eg:  In the greater space Nonu's lack of off-loading nouse was blatently exposed. On the wing and popping up now and then he is devastating , but from structured play the oppositon seem to find it easy to cut off his support and with the ball appearing to be easier for the tackling team to get at now .... he is not a midfielder.

The first few weeks of the Super 12/14 have allways seen some pretty scratchy play from teams. It 's bit early to make a definitve judgement on ELV yet , but on the handful of games I've seen I like the way it's developing ...... need another 3-4 weeks to really see.

Answer 6

ELVs is good.We have changed our rugby downunder for the benifit of the europeans.Its the coverage overseas that pays for most of the super14 sponsorship.We have speed up the game with less lineouts and scrums purely for entertainment purposes.European viewers are getting value for money,more interchanges and tries so you can see more players on the field in a match.emphasis on both attack and defence