The breakdown: Nations Championship doesn't fix rugby's problems

The first few games of the new Nations Championship offered many memorable moments. We saw South Africa easily push over Wales’s scrum, and England’s Manny Feyi-Waboso showed he could become a big star in next year’s Rugby World Cup. New Zealand also reminded everyone how dangerous they can be when they play their natural attacking style.

Coaches like Rassie Erasmus of South Africa and Dave Rennie, the new coach for New Zealand, had successful starts. Rennie has won all three of his matches so far. Fans looking for more top international rugby can look forward to the upcoming series between South Africa and New Zealand, which will be even more exciting now.

Many people watching from home seemed to enjoy the new Nations Championship format. All the games were available to watch for free, and the action was exciting from start to finish. International rugby, at its best, can be a thrilling sport. It offers excitement that other sports sometimes cannot match.

Scotland played well against South Africa, and France's player Matthieu Jalibert also impressed. England had good moments, and Ireland narrowly beat Australia. Wales won against Fiji, and Japan surprised Italy. While some teams like Fiji and Argentina might have gone backwards, there was something for most rugby fans to enjoy.

There were even some funny moments, like the crowd booing the wrong player. Overall, South Africa played very well against England, with players like Cheslin Kolbe and Damian Willemse showing their skills.

However, there has been one big problem that keeps appearing. Rugby seems to have a unique talent for creating issues, no matter the new competitions or individual skills. Ideally, the Nations Championship would start a new era with fair refereeing, fewer interruptions from the video referee (TMO), and clear rules. But in reality, the same old problems still exist.

For example, in the New Zealand versus Ireland game, Luke Jacobson of New Zealand committed a very serious foul in a ruck, but only received a yellow card instead of a red one. Also, players like Quinn Tupaea were not punished with cards for deliberately knocking the ball forward, even though players in other games were sent off for similar or less serious offenses.

These issues might be overlooked if the differences in top rugby games were not so small and the rules were clearer. Another example was Argentina's disallowed try against England. From many angles, it looked like a try, and the referee was close enough to see it too.

But as the TMO review took longer and more replays were shown, more questions came up. In the end, it was difficult to decide if it was a try or a penalty, which could have resulted in a draw.

By the time a decision was made, the game had lasted over two hours, which is a very long time for an 80-minute match. The excitement of the play was lost due to the detailed and slow review process, which seems overly complicated by the rule book.

To improve the game, here are some ideas: TMOs should only focus on head injuries and serious foul play, leaving other decisions to the on-field referee. Less serious fouls like accidental knock-ons should not result in yellow cards. Only captains should be allowed to speak to referees. Players who make dangerous head contact should get a 20-minute penalty to avoid confusion over red and yellow cards.

The organizers also need to encourage teams to play a more open and attacking style, rather than just kicking for territory and driving from lineouts. With so many sports competing for attention, the bare minimum effort is no longer enough.

It is still unclear how the tournament will proceed, especially since the only two unbeaten teams are from the same hemisphere and cannot play each other in the final. Ticket sales might also be affected if teams are out of contention early. Traveling for teams, as England's Ben Earl mentioned, is also very difficult logistically. But, as the saying goes, it's a long way to the top if you want to keep playing.