Round 1 of the Super 14 has come and gone with a fair amount of blood, sweat and tears- and that’s just from the Reds v Tahs game! The promises of expansive play and running rugby were trumpeted in the pre-season by everyone from head honcho John O’Neill down to the respective coaches and captains of the Australian teams.
After watching replays of most of the games, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of penalty goals scored in the first round. A quick analysis shows that out of the 7 games there were a total of 361 points scored which is made up of:
- 30 tries
- 26 conversions
- 2 drop goals (both in the Reds/Tahs game – I could have said drop kicks but no one would be sure who they are)
- a staggering 51 penalty goals, which accounts for 42% of the total points scored for the round, and works out at an average of approx. 7/game.
This could be attributed to any of the following:
- The pace of the game is so high that teams have to slow the game down by wasting time and having the shot at goal
- Hope that the teams goalkicker is better than the defensive line and win by scoring less tries but more penalty goals
- Players not used to the new interpretation and the referee gives a penalty for them at the tackle/ruck area or scrum within kicking range
- Teams wish they had a kicking ‘machine’ like Morne Steyn
Admittedly playing in the summer months can cause problems with handling with high humidity levels leaving the ball sweaty, or in the case of the Shorks v Chiefs game, a cake of soap after a thunderstorm parked itself over the stadium.
Hopefully for Round 2 teams take the good old Aussie advice of ‘avagoyamug!’ and more tries are scored so that O’Neill and co at Rugby HQ don’t worry that the great game of Rugby is out rated on Friday night on TV by ‘Better homes and gardens’.
Now sit back and watch this compilation of penalty goals from Round 1 of Super 14 2010.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dUcYGjYa-8[/youtube]
