Rugby’s Groundhog Day: in 30 years not as much has changed as we think

The Rugby Championship has highlighted failings union must try to address, and time-wasting would be a good place to start

TIME-WASTING: Mathieu Raynal explains his decision to Australia's Nic White and Bernard Foley. Pic: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

THE printed messages could hardly be clearer. “Help make the game more exciting for players and spectators alike,” booms the editorial. “Simplify the rules to reduce number of stoppages” and “Improve consistency of refereeing standards” are two of many specific proposals from leading players. “Clamp down on crooked feeds by scrum-halves,” urges someone else.

Welcome to the rugby union equivalent of Groundhog Day. Over the weekend, rummaging around in a cupboard, I stumbled across a copy of the Rugby Who’s Who from 30-odd years ago. Brilliantly curated by my good friend and press box colleague Alex Spink, the old-school player opinions he collated should be as contemporary as ancient Greek. Instead, sizeable chunks of it read as if they were dictated yesterday.