Hull KR boss Tony Smith on ‘horrible’ six again rule following St Helens defeat
Hull KR coach Tony Smith has spoken out in opposition to rugby league’s six again law, describing it as a “horrible rule” that most coaches dislike.
The controversial Six Again rule was introduced into the NRL in 2020 during the pandemic and then brought into Super League in an attempt to speed up the game, allowing teams to receive a six again for ruck infringements rather than a penalty.
St Helens’ 42-8 victory over Rovers on Friday night featured a large number of six again decisions that went against both teams.
The champions maintained their unbeaten run in 2022, and look again to be the team to beat in the competition.
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Tony Smith: ‘It’s a horrible rule’
“It’s a horrible rule,” Smith said. “We’re now seeing the real extent of it. When it first came in we were all saying ‘isn’t it great we don’t have penalties’.
“But every coach will tell you if they’re honest enough that they’d rather a slow play the ball and more tackles and six agains, than a fast play the ball and away you go and you’re on the backfoot and you get rammed back up the rest of the field.
“Without instructing players to do it, it’s one of those rules that’s blown up in our face.
“When it was a full penalty, you used to get filthy when someone held somebody down for too long and you gave away a penalty and that marched them up the field.
“Now, they’re willy-nilly aren’t they? Anytime you get the opposition under pressure you just go for a slow play the ball.”
Good learning for Robins despite defeat
Smith admitted his team were disappointing against Saints, who ran in eight tries.
“We were way off what we’re capable of, but I’m not going to bash my boys too much,” he added.
“It’s good learning for us. If we want to get up there and contend, we have to handle some of that and then do some of that.”
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