Hammett: Rucking part of the game

New Zealand hooker Mark Hammett fears the International Rugby Board’s new directive aimed at reducing rucking in the game could be exploited by teams looking to deliberately slow the ball down at the breakdown.

England, seen as the All Blacks’ chief rivals for the World Cup, are one of the most effective teams in the world at spoiling opposition possession, but have often stood accused of pushing the boundaries of the law.

By slowing down the recycling of the ball at the breakdown, the defending team has crucial extra time to reorganise while ruining any offensive momentum.

New Zealand are working on clearing out opposing bodies with arms and shoulders, but Hammett admitted he would still like to have the option of rucking offending players out of the way.

“Rucking has got it’s place, but you have to be sensible,” he said.

“It can be a bit frustrating. There used to be a way of freeing up the ball, but if, as a player, you know you can lie there, put a hand on the ball and know you are not going to get stood on, you are more likely to do that, aren’t you?

“But in this World Cup referees have policed it fairly strongly and we rely on them doing that.”

Hammett recognised the use of rucking had reduced in recent years as the game developed into a more dynamic sport, with fewer forwards piling into the breakdown, but is keen for rugby to remain a hard and physical sport.

“Rucking has probably gone out of the game in the last couple of years,” he said.

“There was a time you couldn’t come out of a game without ruck marks all over you, but these days it’s not quite as common.

“In terms of mums and dads watching it and little kids wanting to play it, it is important they see it has a hard game, but a clean game.”