Rugby penalty shootouts

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/team/results/11850.php

I was thinking about the match report which I've linked above and considering the unsatisfactory nature of the result.Surely there's a better way to decide a match than this?I know there was a penalty shoot out in the HC in 2009 which was also a farce so I've thought of another way.

My penalty shootout would be 3 v 3 and the attacking team gets a free kick at half way.They then have one chance to score and if a player is tackled that counts as a miss,kicking would be fine but as soon as a defender legally touches the ball that's a miss.It's based on the ice hockey penalty shot but I think it would be interesting as you would have some very strange match ups depending on who was picked in each group of 3.This is obviously unlikely to happen and far from the most pressing problem the game faces but I thought it was worth a look.

It happens so infrequently so it's fine.

2009 was a great spectacle. Martyn Williams should have upped his trainining

To me the games are played and the result is the result, win, lose or draw. In the playoffs, which is different, I want to see matches played until there is a winner, not settled by a cute gimmick. No penalty shootouts. Just finish it on the pitch.

Agree with that good doctor

Sudden death extra time for me.

LondonTiger wrote:Sudden death extra time for me.

I think if you asked teams before games that's what they'd go for. Ask them after a dubious penalty was awarded and they might disagree

But proabably the best (or 'Silver goal' equivalent). Team on top after 10 min sections.

doctor_grey wrote:To me the games are played and the result is the result, win, lose or draw.  In the playoffs, which is different,  I want to see matches played until there is a winner, not settled by a cute gimmick.  No penalty shootouts.  Just finish it on the pitch.  

True Doc. Only two world cup finals have already been decided on gimmicky dropped goals...

Out of interest, these are the rules for penalty shootouts in the Aviva Premiership, which have been publicised today in case there is a draw tomorrow:

A coin toss will determine at which end the competition will be at and another coin toss will determine
which team goes first or second.
Each team will nominate three kickers on the pitch at the end of extra time, designated kicker 1, kicker 2
and kicker 3.

Each kicker will take two kicks apiece in the following order:
* Kicker 1 from each team will take a kick from in front of the posts on the 22m line.
* Kicker 2 from each team will take a kick 15m in from the right touch line on the 22m line.
* Kicker 3 from each team will take a kick 15m in from the left touch line on the 22m line.
* Kicker 1 from each team will take a kick from in front of the posts on the 40m line.
* Kicker 2 from each team will take a kick 15m in from the right touch line on the 40m line.
* Kicker 3 from each team will take a kick 15m in from the left touch line on the 40m line.

If still tied there will be a "sudden death competition" from in front of the posts on the 40m line.

Taylorman wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:To me the games are played and the result is the result, win, lose or draw.  In the playoffs, which is different,  I want to see matches played until there is a winner, not settled by a cute gimmick.  No penalty shootouts.  Just finish it on the pitch.  

True Doc. Only two world cup finals have already been decided on gimmicky dropped goals...

I wouldn't agree that a dropped goal, scored during playing time, is a gimmick.   Rather, I would say it's a legitimate method of scoring, allowed for by the laws of the game.  

For some, it becomes a "gimmick" when their team loses to it.

As for penalty shoot outs.... I'm with the doc on this one.  I say: Keep playing until somebody scores... even if it is a drop goal.

I think it's an OK method of deciding games. Most of the points are scored by penalty kicks anyway, so what's the issue with using them to decide the winner?

The Fourth Lion wrote:

Taylorman wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:To me the games are played and the result is the result, win, lose or draw.  In the playoffs, which is different,  I want to see matches played until there is a winner, not settled by a cute gimmick.  No penalty shootouts.  Just finish it on the pitch.  

True Doc. Only two world cup finals have already been decided on gimmicky dropped goals...

I wouldn't agree that a dropped goal, scored during playing time, is a gimmick.   Rather, I would say it's a legitimate method of scoring, allowed for by the laws of the game.  

For some, it becomes a "gimmick" when their team loses to it.

As for penalty shoot outs.... I'm with the doc on this one.  I say: Keep playing until somebody scores... even if it is a drop goal.

Lion, Taylor was having a bit of fun with me on his comment about the drop kicks.  And a pretty good shot, methinks.  But I think the only way to play Rugby is to play the game. Penalty kicks seems to me that we play one game where our players go hammer and tongs, then decide it playing another type of game.  Nutty, if you ask me. I do agree we should play 10 minute periods at the start before going to sudden death.