The “Western Mail” via “Wales on Line” this week hailed the experimental 6-point try in the Premiership as a “success” of “incredible” proportions – absolute codswallop !

“Wales On-line” apparently considers it “incredible” that 177 more tries were scored in 2015-16 than two seasons ago in the 2013-14 campaign.

Actually, over the 132 games played, it works out at just under 1.3 tries per game.

What they did not say is that the try trend was already on the way up between 2013-14 and 2014-15.

In fact, only 137 more tries were scored in 2015-16 than there were in 2014-15 – an increase of just over 1 try per game.

Neither comparison merits the adjective “incredible” !

And the trend may just have had something to do with there being no relegation as well so there were no tightly-fought relegation battles in 2015-16.

As they’d say in the Dulais Valley and other points north, “I think they’re taking the Pythagoras.”

Worse still, what about the effect the law-change had on the quality of rugby on view ?

In my opinion, many games became one long drudgery of slowly rolling maul after slow maul and the FACT that the League’s top three scorers were rear of the maul back-row forwards underlines it.

In fact it was all rather boring – pit-horses working underground probably had more variety to their day.

And what of the backs ? As soon as a penalty was awarded anywhere near the halfway, numbers 9 or 10 through to 15 might as well have sat on a deck-chair and read a good book.

They’d have finished a couple of chapters too before the forwards were ready to release the ball.

It is not what Welsh rugby is about.

And as for spectators the only thing that increased was the boredom level. Sacrificing variety in the game was not worth it.

No, it was far from being a success. “Wales On-line” would be better served taking the Duke of Wellington’s view on statistics and remember that many people offer them up to “prove” their unfounded theories.

Get rid of this un-Welsh Law now !

WATCHMAN