“Next minute it’s a 12 on eight”
The maul is winning Test matches again, and New Zealand are tired of defending it. All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan has asked World Rugby to think about a law change, and his proposal fits in one sentence.
“It would be if you start with six or seven people, you stay with six or seven people,” Ryan told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Nations Championship trip to Cardiff.
His grievance comes straight from last weekend. The All Blacks beat Scotland 43-21, but three first-half tries came off the maul. Peter Lakai finished one for New Zealand in the 20th minute. Scotland scored the other two, in the eighth and 38th minutes, by piling extra bodies into the drive after the first engagement. With two yellow cards back-to-back, Ryan said, his pack was left “defending a maul with six people. Then they add their backs in and next minute it’s a 12 on eight.”
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A law application that tilted the contest
The core law has not moved. What changed on June 1 was how it is refereed: officials now crack down on defenders caught on the wrong side, ban pulling and dragging, and order them to peel off and retreat. Lineout drives have been the big winners.
Ryan is not convinced the line is clear. “I’m not sure it’s really that clear what’s required and what’s not for the boys, the when to get in, when to get out of the maul,” he said. He also questioned how much time attacking sides now get before the “use it” call. Still, he owned the part that sits with his own team: “We have got to sort out our penalty count so we’re not in there.”
Scrum fixed, Wales next
There was praise for referee Andrew Brace, who Ryan said ignored clips sent to him during the week and “reffed what was in front of him.” The All Blacks scrum, heavily criticised during the 3-1 series loss to the Springboks, held up far better.
Wales are next. Ryan called them “incredibly physical,” good at slowing ball and dangerous at scrum time under Steve Tandy.
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