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WRU boss blasts ELVs

Monday 21st April 2008

Keep it simple: The WRU, as well as Warren Gatland, are happy with the laws as they are

Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) boss Roger Lewis has hit out at the ELVs and believes that it would be dangerous to introduce them on a world scale next season.

This stance has won the support of former Wales and British and Irish Lions legend Ieuan Evans, who feels the changes are making the game too much like rugby league.

The International Rugby Board chiefs will discuss the laws in May before a vote on them is made in November. If the vote is in favour of the laws we could see them implemented the world over in time for next season.

"It is not in the best interests of the game that these laws are introduced en masse at the start of next season," WRU boss Roger Lewis told Scrum V.

"The WRU have considered the many and varied issues surrounding the proposed new laws very seriously indeed.

"We have established an internal group led by Gerald Davies and David Pickering who together have gathered the views and opinions from all quarters of the game in Wales including those of our national coach Warren Gatland.

"The WRU is firmly of the view that it is not in the best interests of the game that these laws are introduced en masse at the start of next season.

"Moreover, some members of our group have been surprised by the apparent commercial reasons behind why these critically important issues have been driven through so relentlessly

"The WRU sincerely hopes that good sense will prevail and that the integrity of the game is upheld."

Meanwhile Evans seems to think the ELVs are a knee-jerk reaction to a kicking-based World Cup last year.

"I can imagine Australia's sticky fingers being all over this. The laws look like rugby league by stealth," Evans said.

"We need to interpret the laws we've currently got consistently. Let's do that first and foremost.

"The ELVs seem to be a knee-jerk reaction to the World Cup where there was a lot of kicking.

"On the other hand South Africa won the tournament and they were the best-balanced side and played some of the best rugby as well as kicking a lot.

"Wales kicked more than they've ever done in the Six Nations yet scored some of the most breathtaking tries and were deservedly champions.

"Apparently the ELVs are intended to increase ball-in-play time, but the ball-in-play time in Wales' games in one half alone was around 33 minutes.

"How much ball-in-play time do you need? It seems a knee-jerk reaction.

"One or two of the proposals aren't bad - I can understand the one about standing five metres back from a scrum - but generally I don't like the constant meddling with the laws.

"It's an imperfect game and that's where its beauty lies."