English clubs take action to make rugby better on eye

AFTER concerns were debated during the Six Nations Championship over the lack of tries scored in the event, English rugby has taken the lead by starting talks to find a way of improving the entertainment value of rugby south of the Border.

Premier Rugby and the Rugby Football Union have held a "seminal" meeting in a determined bid to improve the quality of top-flight club rugby being played in England.

The Guinness Premiership has enjoyed increased viewing figures and its best attendances with an average crowd of 13,608, higher than in France and closer than ever to the Super 14. But that is in spite of the rugby being played and not because of it.

The average number of tries being scored has dropped by 38 per cent – from nearly four per match last season to under three – with games being dull, kicking dominated affairs.

At international level, England have suffered similarly. Martin Johnson's men scored just six tries in the Six Nations compared to 16 in 2009. Scotland scored only three tries in five games.

It has emerged that both the clubs and the RFU agreed immediate changes were necessary to promote attacking rugby and persuade those fans to keep coming back. Starting from the weekend just past, referees were instructed to be stricter on teams illegally slowing the ball down in the tackle area.

Mark McCafferty, chief executive of the clubs' umbrella body Premier Rugby, said: "There was a determination that we couldn't let things go on as they were.

"We met with the RFU on 24 February and the number one item on our agenda was the quality of rugby being played. It was a significant concern. There was a consensus around that action was needed. Hopefully it was quite a seminal moment in saying 'For the good of the game, we can't have the premier club competition churning out rugby that was, quite rightly, receiving a poor commentary in the opening months of the season'.

"We will look at it in the end of season review and we are planning a game conference in July to look at what we have learned from it and what should be carried into next season, 2010-11."

Saracens, the most dogged and conservative of Premiership teams, ran in seven tries in their 58-15 victory over Newcastle on Sunday after a revitalising break to Brighton. They had only scored 16 in their previous 16 matches.

There are other variables which must be taken into account for any improvements, most notably the weather and the drying pitches.

But the RFU's elite rugby director Rob Andrew is confident the interpretation changes will improve the game going forward.

"Last week we had a very positive meeting with all directors of rugby and had a working session with all our referees to ensure that space is created at the breakdown and that tacklers release the tackled player and roll away immediately within the existing laws," said Andrew.

"That means that if teams come wanting to play they should be able to find more space to do so. And to the credit of the clubs that message seems to have reached the players and last weekend's games started to show some of that in action."

McCafferty does not fear England's recent disappointing performances will have a negative impact on Premiership attendances – and the figures back it up.

Despite the recession, England's troubles and the quality of rugby on show, the Premiership has taken giant strides forward this season buoyed by staggering crowds. Saracens have attracted in excess of 40,000 to Wembley on three occasions while 76,000 flocked to Twickenham for Harlequins v Wasps.