Well Jerry no you are not allowed to forward pass but there was plenty of that happening last night on both sides.
I can't say I saw one blatant forward pass last night. Some pretty close but that's the nature of the professional game; it's a game of cm's
. You must remember the rule is the ball must leave the hands backwards which means if the player is running forward the ball will also be going forward and continue going forward even if it is passed sidewards.
I think the problem is that the refs are in different position now than before and that makes it hard for them to pick a forward pass. The side line judges inform the ref if he sees it or there is time.
Did you see the ref have now got sponsorship from OPSM
. True. Absolutely true. And 'about bloody time' goes up the chorus
.
The scrums are a joke now. They feed the ball in behind the front line. No need for a hooker anymore.
Yeah, as a schoolboy front row forward (League and Union) it's sad to see. They use to be a great contest for the ball, I use to absolutely love 'em. But being tall and having developed a knack, I could pack down and come in over the top of my opposite number and 1 in 3 times I would bow his back. Well they could push against me and my straight back from that moment. I've seen my opposite number with both feet off the ground and 100 stone on my side pushing against 100 stone on his side - how I didn't break someone back I've got no idea (and ditto to me because I had my back bowed a few times as well - but never feet off the ground bowed
. And that's before any 'collapse of the scrum' awkwardness.
And that's why the rule is the half 'puts the ball in' - no striking for the ball (although it does happen about once a season), pushing the other side off the ball (although it does happen about once a season), and no packing the scrum to intimidate the other side.
