The effect the zero tackle restart appears to be having down under is still to reward good skill but not to reward poor skill - result better skill required, therefore skilling up not dumbing down.

Additionally and perhaps more importantly it's encouraging a variety of last tackle plays getting away from the stereotypical high kick for the winger to outjump a defender. They also appear to have slightly different interpretations as to what is required for a defender to diffuse the bomb another welcome rebalancing IMO.

Lots of little but crucial differences between the NRL and SL and one that caught out St Helens in their WCS match V the Roosters. I think it's crazy that we now have seemingly three standards covering the professional sport - International, NRL and SL.

I'd be interested to hear the views of those who watch both as to which comp's take on the rules is raising skill levels. Sorry to say IMO it's not ours.

I watched the Panthers/Roosters game this morning and Jamie Soward gave a masterclass in last tackle plays, trapping the Roosters in goal five times in the last ten minutes to deny them the ball and defend a four point lead.

Entertainingly the Panthers also got a differential penalty at a scrum and were told they couldn't kick for goal and Peter Wallace - who's been playing in the NRL for over a decade - said to the ref "differwhat? Never heard of it. Why can't we goal?", so some things are the same in both competitions...

Whilst not trying to say the kicking in SL is a match for the NRL. You also can't ignore that they do have bigger in-goals to work with over there. Compare the in-goals between the NRL GF and the ones at Old Trafford that they can only just squeeze on before the slope. Headingley itself must have some of the shortest in-goals in either competition.

Yep, the in goals are tiny at Headingley and at many other SL grounds. And Wheldon Road must be about 10m short as a pitch anyway.