AN OPEN LETTER TO THE IRB: THE GREAT RUGBY RIP-OFF

Dear International Rugby Board

This letter is written on behalf of rugby fans who want to see our great game get even
better.
A simple aspect of the game that could be easily improved for spectators is the way
timekeeping is managed during matches.
In most other sports, milliseconds count. In the majority of rugby matches, the ball is
either out of play or not actively in play for more than half of the allotted 80-minute game
time.
A basic question for the IRB is whether spectators are getting value for money when
they don't get to see the ball being contested for up to half of each match?
A general malaise currently exists in the officiating of game time. Recently, during a fournations match, more than two minutes elapsed while the TMO decided upon a try! Why
wasn't the clock stopped?
In the recent Australia v New Zealand match (18 October, 2014), the ball was not
actively in play for more than 37 minutes (see below table). Time associated with tries
and penalty conversions amounted to almost half of these 37 minutes. Note that this was
a relatively free-flowing match.
Allowing time to elapse while the ball is out of play results in perverse outcomes, such
as allowing leading teams to chew up valuable seconds of game time to prevent the
opposition from staging a comeback. Common tactics include kicking for touch, kicking
for goal, playing for a scrum, and delaying the scrum setting/re-setting process.
Stopping the clock during the following common match events will encourage attacking
rugby, make the game more attractive for spectators and draw crowds back:
1) Following a try or penalty kick for goal. The clock should be stopped immediately
following a try or the award of a penalty. The clock should re-start when the kicker
commences his run-up for the conversion. Following the kick for goal, the clock should
stop again until the ball is kicked-off by the opposing team. More than 18 minutes more
rugby could have been played in the October Australia v NZ match had this occurred.
2) Before and during the scrum setting and re-setting process. Typically, over a
minute elapses from the moment a scrum-initiating event occurs (for example, a knockon or a penalty) to the time a scrum is set. The solution is for the clock to stop
immediately following a scrum-initiating event until the scrum is set. Similarly, the clock
should stop for scrum collapses until the scrum is re-set. More than eight minutes more
rugby could have been played in the Australia v NZ match had this occurred.
3) When the ball is kicked or taken out of play. As with other sports where time is of
the essence, the clock should be stopped as soon as the ball is out of bounds. The clock
should restart when the lineout is set. Nearly six minutes more game could have been
played in the Australia v NZ match had this occurred.

A simple, reliable way of achieving the above would be to give responsibility for clock
management to a dedicated timekeeper or to the officiator/s who currently count (fairly
aimlessly) the number of phases a team has possession of the ball. Given the technical
nature of the game, the centre referee has too much to worry about already!
In considering this proposal, the Board could examine other sports that manage
stoppages well. Milliseconds count in these sports, as they should in rugby.
For example, in Australian Rules Football, the duration of each 20-minute quarter often
far exceeds 20 minutes due to the clock stopping when the ball is out of play. The game
has stolen fans away from rugby and regularly attracts packed houses.
Undoubtedly, such changes would increase the total duration of each game. However,
spectators would embrace this change provided they get to see a full, action-packed 80
minutes of contested rugby, and know their team's chances won't be cruelled by the
cynical tactics of teams to run down the clock with scrums, line outs and penalty kicks.
For the good of the game, the IRB is implored to make this simple change, preferably
before next years rugby showcase event the World Cup!
Let's make our great game even better!
Moments where the clock could have been stopped during the Australia v NZ
match, 18 October 2014
What
happened
Ball in touch
Penalty
Ball in touch
Ball in touch
Knock-on
Penalty
Ball in touch
Ball in touch
Penalty
Ball in touch
Try awarded
Ball converted
Try awarded
Ball converted
Knock-on
Penalty
Ball in touch
Ball in touch
Penalty
Ball in touch
Ball in touch

Start
time
00:27
01:30
01:56
03:39
04:59
06:15
06:52
08:12
09:17
09:54
11:43
13:35
14.33
15:45
17:21
18:39
19:05
20:31
21:56
22:31
23:02

What resulted
Lineout set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Lineout set
Scrum set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Lineout set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Scrum set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Lineout set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Lineout set

End
time
00:42
01:54
02:11
03:58
05:58
06:50
07:16
08:50
09:52
10:10
13:32
14:03
15.39
16:03
18:36
19:03
19:18
20:45
22:29
22:46
23:13

Duration
15 seconds
24 seconds
15 seconds
19 seconds
59 seconds
35 seconds
24 seconds
38 seconds
35 seconds
16 seconds
1 min 49 seconds
28 seconds
1 min 6 seconds
18 seconds
1 min 15 seconds
24 seconds
13 seconds
14 seconds
33 seconds
15 seconds
11 seconds

Penalty
Ball in touch
Knock-on
Ball in touch
Penalty
Ball converted
Knock-on
Try awarded
Ball converted
Try awarded
Knock-on
Try awarded
Ball converted
Forward pass
Ball in touch
Penalty
Penalty
Ball converted
Ball in touch
Knock-on
Penalty
Ball converted
Penalty
Ball out
Penalty
Ball out
Penalty
Ball out
Knock-on
Ball out
Try
Ball converted
Penalty
Ball out
Penalty
Ball out
Penalty
Ball converted
Penalty
Ball in touch
TOTAL

27:58
28:22
29:03
30:22
30:58
32:25
33:08
34:42
36:05
38:21
40:09
42:26
43:57
45:22
46:54
48:46
51:52
53:01
54:50
55:41
56:43
58:01
58:35
58:55
59:33
59:54
60:28
60:54
63:00
66:24
68:25
69:44
70:49
71:14
72:03
72:35
74:44
76:07
77:25
78:39

Ball kicked to touch

Lineout set
Scrum set
Lineout set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Scrum set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Kicker starts conversion
Scrum set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Scrum set
Lineout set
Scrum set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Lineout set
Scrum set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Kick for touch
Lineout set
Kick for touch
Lineout set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Scrum set
Lineout set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set
Kicker starts conversion
Ball kicked off
Ball kicked to touch
Lineout set

28:21
28:33
30:03
30:45
32.20
32:54
33:37
36:01
36:30
40:04
40:47
43:55
44:23
46:38
47:10
49:49
52:59
53:45
55:20
56:33
57:59
58:31
58:53
?
59:53
60:10
60:52
61:18
63:40
66:35
69:41
70:20
71:13
71:34
72:34
72:53
76:05
76:30
77:43
78:45

23 seconds
11 seconds
1 minute
23 seconds
1 min 22 seconds
29 seconds
29 seconds
1 min 19 seconds
25 seconds
1 min 43 seconds
38 seconds
1 min 29 seconds
26 seconds
1 min 16 seconds
16 seconds
1 min 3 seconds
1 min 7 seconds
44 seconds
30 seconds
52 seconds
1 min 16 seconds
30 seconds
18 seconds
? (not sighted)
20 seconds
16 seconds
24 seconds
24 seconds
40 seconds
11 seconds
1 min 16 seconds
36 seconds
24 seconds
20 seconds
31 seconds
18 seconds
1 min 21 seconds
23 seconds
18 seconds
6 seconds
2243 seconds (37
minutes)