Should rugby have a limited penalty count like they do in basketball?

Question

How many games have you seen where the ref is blowing his whistle more than the ball is passed? Should we have a limit of say 15 penalties per team and if you go over that one player from the offending team is automatically yellow carded.

I reckon that would make for a way more open and free-flowing game. Nothing irritates me more than seeing a flowing game just to have someone from the other team put his hands in the ruck, knock down the ball, grind everything to a halt, and just be penalised for it. It's so annoying!

Answer 1

I'm not a fan of having a limit on the number of penalties. Referees just need to be tougher on persistant infringing - and if that means getting the yellow card out earlier - so be it.

Answer 2

Mien Gott.  First of all there are thirty players on field against the few basketballers.  Then the arena is far, far bigger.  And the game time is greater.  No time-outs are allowed in rugby to bore the pants off everybody.

Rugby now has too many rules.  We should be striving to simplify them, not adding to them.  Referees should be urged to smartly deal with repeat offenders and offences.  Why give a warning?  That will speed things up and help discard the cheats.

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Answer 3

I like it. There are so many times when a particular penalty is not a yellow card, but it's the millionth penalty of the day. Basically 'team fouls.'

Answer 4

The penalty is used as a warning to players that somethings won't be taken and then if penalties don't work sin bin (yellow card) is the next option so if you limit the amount of penalties per team the game will start to erode because players will not do exciting thing because they might get penalised

Answer 5

I Suppose The Next Thing You'll Want Is That They Change The Shape Of The Ball Mate!

You Can't Go Messing With A Sport Like Rugby, Be It Union Or League There Are Enough New Regulations In The Game Without Limited Penalties. If You Introduce A Rule From A Totally Different Ball Game All Together It Will Only Slow Down What Is A Fast Paced And Exciting Spectacle Unnecessarily!

Answer 6

Sounds good in theory - but who would get sent off? Seems a little tough if that was the players first offence of the game.

Perhaps - rather than a team limit, make it an individual limit, penalising the repeat offenders - or even just enforce the sin bin now with repeat offenders......

Also - Why bother with a TMO? With the big screens around these days - can't the ref on the field decide???

How many officials does it take to ref a game? Answer - if the rules are simple and technology is helping - just 1. Look at how useless the NRL linesmen are......

That's my rant - over to you........

Answer 7

i think its a great idea although i think the number should be lower to 5 penalties then yellow

im tired of seeing players cheating to win

Answer 8

Great idea !

I have often thought that they should introduce a "technical penalty" and have a shot from in front of the posts after 5 team technicals.

The soccer influenced card system is a joke !

If a ref cards three guys for the same type of offence in one game it suggests that the card system is not reducing the offence  . . . pointless.

Much harder to slow the game down when you know that if you bend the rules the other team will kick you off the paddock.

The card system does not force teams to react positively to try and win the game. Who wants to walk off the pitch thinking "well we didn't really win, the other team lost." ?