joker97: What exactly are the changes at the breakdown?

Hasn't been outlined to the public yet, I think they are still "teaching" the refs at this point. 

One thing I want to see changed is how much lee-way refs give halfbacks after the "use it" call. I think I've seen one half back pinged in the past 6 months or so of Rugby. Not more than twice during the RWC. 

I am glad to see them cracking down on neck rolling, to be honest, it's not something I noticed a lot in games, but when you watch it on replay, it's a wonder to me more people aren't in wheelchairs!

joker97: I'd still like to see them address the tackle. It seems that if your name is mccaw or pocock you are entitled to the ball. If your name doesn't match those then a penalty is awarded against you.

That's a very odd thing to say, considering there are often 100+ tackles in a game. 

What exactly is wrong with the tackle as it stands now in your opinion?

joker97: Tackle, release, stand on two feet, grab the ball.

Sometimes the grabber of ball gets the penalty, sometimes the grabber of ball concedes a penalty, even if done completely legally.

Do you have some specific evidence to present that supports that statement? What is the reason for the penalty?

joker97: These 50-50 decisions also happen around scrums. Scrum collapses .... 50-50 who gets the penalty. Some ref would give it to the dominant team in the scrum, which i think is correct, sometimes 50-50.

I don't see that getting fixed any-time soon. The reality is you can only be on one side of the scrum at a time, things will get missed. There are a LOT of moving parts in a scrum. Sometimes it's not about what got caught "first" as what was "most obvious"

Pulu signs with the Blues! That seems good for the Blues, but odd for Pulu, though he is obviously 3rd fiddle at the Chiefs now. 

I haven't been impressed with Hall @ the Blues, so seems, neither has Umaga

Well that was reasonable by the Crusaders. I thought Andy Ellis should have been in the bin for that attempted punch. Izzy Dagg looked more like himself tonight, 2 tries, nice work. Looks like a man on a mission to get his Jersey back. Kieran Ried looked explosive and Jordan Tafua looks like a contender for an AB 6 Jersey.

Terrible news for the Blues and for Rene Ranger. 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11624188

ACL Injury. 

In other news.. Liam Messam, yet another yellow card.