Did the points scoring system dud the Brumbies?

The point has been made about the Brumbies-Red match is that yes they four tries to one, and lost the match. But Matt Giteau only converted one of them, missing some reasonably easy conversions in the process.

Pass It On Tweet 2

As the points scoring stands now, a converted try is work more than TWO penalties. This is a fair difference.

"For more great comments from Spiro Zavos go to www.theroar.com.au"

Rugby is a game that places an emphasis on a number of skills applied correctly under pressure. It is a game of technique: in the lineouts, scrums, rucks and mauls, passing – and kicking.

There is a great deal of skill and ticker involved in kicking vital penalties.

And a lot of drama when the game is in the balance, as with Kurtley Beale’s kick at Blomfontein last season to give the Wallabies their first victory at altitude against the Springboks for over 30 years.

There is also the fact that teams need to be punished for preventing their opponents from playing a skilful game. The Brumbies were penalised nine times inside their own half against the Reds. Most of the penalties were for slowing down the Reds‘ ball.

The penalties, most of them converted by Quade Cooper, were a just punishment for a side that played cynically and stupidly.

Rugby union people have to understand that their game is a different game from rugby league.

League is a game that has evolved in such a way that flow is the most important aspect of play. The way flow is maintained is by taking the contest out of the game.

The scrums are not a contest. The play-the-ball is not a contest. If two players are in a tackle, there can be no stripping or contest for the ball.

The only real contest for the ball now is when cross kicks into the in-goal area are made.

It is interesting that this type of contest is becoming a favourite part of the game. There are also a number of former greats who want the scrum contest brought back (unlikely in my opinion) and the striking for play-the-ball and stripping also brought back.

These would be good things for rugby league, I believe.

None of this should be read as commentary about the merits or otherwise of the two rugby games. Both are splendid games played well.

The point is that rugby, and the IRB principles of the game has this as the first principle, is a game about contesting possession for the ball.

Rugby league is more of a man-on-man game, a contest between the players.

The points system in rugby tends to reflect this difference. Teams are rewarded for scoring tries. But teams are also penalised for preventing a contest for the ball, whether it be from off-side play, infringements in the rucks and mauls, foul play, or incorrect play in scrums and lineouts.

If the Brumbies had understood this essential principle of rugby (they do have a coach, though, who is steeped in rugby league) they would probably have won their match against the Reds quite comfortably.