Richie Murphy says Ulster Rugby is 'getting slow' but needs no radical overhaul

Richie Murphy accepts the game is “getting slow” and wants more ball-in-play, but says rugby does not require a complete transformation; teams should adapt to current laws.

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy warned that rugby is "getting slow" and games are taking too long, but he does not believe the sport needs a radical overhaul to remain entertaining. His remarks followed Munster captain Tadhg Beirne's recent criticism that the game has become too focused on set pieces and kicking after law changes. Context World Rugby adjusted laws last year to restrict 'escort' runners, aiming to make it easier for chasing players to contest kicks and to encourage more one-on-one aerial contests and broken-field attacking play. Critics such as Beirne have argued the changes have led to more kicking and stoppages, with a perceived shift away from expansive, continuous play. Murphy's view Murphy acknowledged the pace and duration of matches are concerns: "The game is getting slow and the length of time it is taking to finish games is too long." He stopped short of calling for sweeping change: "We need to try and keep the ball in play a bit more. We need to try and make sure the game is exciting for the fans, but does it need a complete transformation? I don't think so." He added teams must operate within the laws and build plans around what referees are enforcing. Suggestions Teams should build their plans around the current laws, focus on keeping the ball in play where possible, and prepare to contest kicks and exploit the broken-field opportunities the law tweaks were intended to create.