Brumbies may fall foul of new rolling maul edict in their Super Rugby finals tie with the Stormers

THE Brumbies’ chances of beating the Stormers ​in their qualifying final dented by World Rugby telling referees to crack down on rolling mauls.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 05: Jordan Smiler of the Brumbies and Adam Coleman of the Force watch on as the maul forms around them during the round 17 Super Rugby match between the Western Force and the Brumbies at nib Stadium on June 5, 2015 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

THE Brumbies’ chances of toppling the Stormers ​in their qualifying final ​in Cape Town ​have been dented by a curiously timed missive from World Rugby for referees to crack down on rolling mauls.

World Rugby, formerly the IRB, issued a “clarification” and “instruction” note to referees yesterday listing laws they want to see more heavily policed in the lead-up to the Rugby World Cup.

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The specific areas are laws dealing with head-high tackles, taking players out in the air, feeding the ball straight into the scrum and the rolling maul.

The proliferation of the rolling maul has emerged as a particularly pressing issue in rugby this season, with international coaches including Steve Hansen expressing concern about ​a huge spike in the number of tries from rolling maul​s​ this year, and the ​often ​questionable legality of the tactic.

Referees have been instructed to be vigilant in a World Cup year.

A significant number of rolling maul tries in 2015 have seen a wide array of illegalities: from players joining the maul ahead of the ball to the ball-carrier detaching and re-joining the maul, to the ball-carrier take the ball from a lineout without first being bound to the maul.

SANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray took some of blame by admitting he’d allowed too much “latitude” on mauling with his officials earlier in the season, which was seized upon by coaches.

And no team turned the rolling maul into a go-to weapon more than the Brumbies.

David Pocock has eight tries to his name this term from successful mauls.

The ACT side has scored the most tries from rolling mauls of any team this season, with 11. As the designated tail-gunner, David Pocock has scored the most for his team with eight tries — including two hat-tricks.

In recent weeks, FoxSports stats show it has been just about the Brumbies’ only weapon — six of their last eight tries have been rolling mauled.

But World Rugby’s directive has informed referees they must immediately enforce laws around the rolling maul, specifically players joining ahead of the ball carrier, and the ball-carrier being bound before taking the ball.

With all referees dutifully keen to impress assessors, it will ensure the weekend is awash with penalties arising from the rolling maul, and probably scrum feeds as well.

​Attention​ is more than warranted on the maul — a majority of the Brumbies’ last eight tries have included one or more illegality — ​​and Super Rugby teams who don’t rely heavily on the rolling maul, like the Waratahs and Kiwi teams, will ​likely welcome the news.

​But the timing of the World Rugby edict will undoubtedly irk Stephen Larkham.

The missive is the work of the World Rugby Laws Representation Group (LRG), which identified ​the ​areas of concern at a meeting back in April.

It has taken nearly two months for ​a public pronouncement to be made, however​. ​​ Domestic finals series in the UK and France were ​​completed in that gap​ but​ the Super Rugby finals will be impacted.

“It was felt that law changes were not necessary in these areas but that referees needed to apply the current law more effectively in some cases,” ​ ​LRG chairman John Jeffrey said

The prospect of stop-start clashes in the first Super Rugby finals is high​ b​ut Waratahs back-up halfback Brendan McKibbin said players would adapt.

“There are always little common themes that pop up ... and the rolling maul and feeding straight they like to run with. They will probably crack down it, but you get one free kick for not feeding it straight, you’re not going to do it again,” ​McKibbin ​said.

“It could be (top-start) but if it gets done once, or from your opposition, you’re not going to do it again because you don’t want to be giving free kicks, free ball to the opposition on the attacking or defensive scrum.”

Originally published as Brumbies may fall foul of new rolling maul edict in their Super Rugby finals tie with the Stormers