Sir Anthony O'Reilly laments the lack of running rugby.

Sir Anthony O'Reilly in a fine article in Independent Online South Africa (© 2007 Independent Online. All rights strictly reserved) laments the lack or running rugby in the World Cup Final.

This is an excerpt from the article: ".................But there are other aspects that rugby should put in to place to solve this problem of penalty kicks winning matches, and games being dominated by kicking. To kick the ball away is now an accepted trend, surely an absurdity in the sport.As O'Reilly says: "William Webb Ellis was lauded not for picking the ball up, placing it on the ground, stopping the whole game and taking 60 seconds to kick it through a set of posts. Nor was he acclaimed for dropping a series of goals."He picked the ball up and ran with it.

We need to remember that fundamental point. Therefore, it seems to me, the points scoring needs to be changed. "The game today is a victim of the need for success at the expense of beauty and poetry within the sport. The World Cup final said it all. It was a slugathon. To have a final with no tries clearly points to the need to increase the value of a try. "You should be given six points if you score a try, while the value of the penalty goal and drop goal should be reduced to two points. People are playing for penalties now........................."

The Stellenbosch Laws are designed to address some of the problems and to free up the game. These evolved from trials with students at Stellenbosch University South Africa. SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby - which governs the Super 14) at the behest of the International Rugby Board (IRB) may agree to the use of the experimental law variations (ELVs). So far this year there have been trials in South Africa, Scotland, Australia and the New Zealand .
Major changes proposed include the following:

• Downgrading most penalty offences to free-kicks .
• Allowing handling in the ruck.
• Backs must be 5m behind rear foot at scrum.
• Removing corner flags.
• Permitting defending teams to collapse rolling maul .
• Ball cannot be passed back into 22 and kicked out on the full.

Since the advent of professionalism there is a greater emphasis on defence often under the influence of Rugby League coaches. The crash bang approach is spoiling the game as a spectacle. Amateur Rugby Union Internationals were usually more open and exciting. It is now time for change.