I’m getting asked a lot of questions about the ELVS (Experimental Law Variations) this season, and how they are changing rugby from a player’s perspective.
So here goes: I’ll be honest, I don’t think the ELVs in their current form have changed an awful lot and I think too much is being made of them.
Speaking for Harlequins, we haven't really focused on adapting in specific ways and we've just got on with our normal game. The most obvious difference in terms of playing is the lack of driving mauls given they can now be pulled down by the defending side.
As a scrum-half, I naturally don't get involved in many mauls! But from one point of view I'm glad because it takes away that Leicester style of sticking the ball “up the jumper” and driving 20 metres.
But I’ve also been able to make breaks off the back of mauls in the past, so it takes away opportunities from me in that way.
The other main one is the lack of kicking for touch from your own 22. That's clearly changed the way teams kick tactically and I think it's good to encourage teams to run the ball more.
Teams aren't just booting it 60 metres for touch although there is a bit more needless kicking down the middle. But sides like London Irish are trying to run the ball back more - so it does bring in the full-backs and the wingers and encourages attacking rugby.
It seems like there will be more tries scored this year so in that way it’s more entertaining. But I think it possibly took a few teams a while to realise that the game isn't that much different.
As for Quins' most recent outing, we were gutted to lose against Wasps at Adams Park but from a personal point of view I was pleased with my try.
A couple of times I'd had a look and seen there was a bit of a gap - the Wasps defence seemed quite focused on Jordan Turner-Hall and De Wet Barry down the middle, so I thought I'd just give it a crack.
I saw a little gap, went through it and got a nice bounce from the chip-kick and went over. I'd say it was the best try of my career so far - certainly in terms of playing at the top level, in the Premiership, that's the one I am most pleased with.
We've got Worcester at home this Saturday and that is a must-win game for us. If we want to be up there in the top four and challenging for the Premiership then these are games where we have to pick up maximum points. See you next week.
