Phil Clarke reveals the huge problem with the Six Again rule

There has been a lot of talk about the six again rule in recent weeks.

It was introduced when Super League returned from a break due to lockdown in 2020 as the competition emulated the NRL.

The rule is designed to speed up the game and certainly does that but there is an argument to be made that the rule can be exploited and benefit the team who gives one away.

Phil Clarke noted an example during the Hull derby when Hull KR lied onto a Hull FC defender at the start of a set to allow their defence to set so that they could restrict Hull’s yardage.

As it happened he said: “That should be a penalty or a six again.”

But when the six again was called he said: “There is no penalty though is there? It’s the start of a tackle count and they have held him down and controlled it. It doesn’t help them.

“A kick to touch for 30-40 metres might have helped.”

Bill Arthur then added: “It is a talked about issue, a particular one the Six Again.”

That is the particular issue with the rule that teams almost choose to give away a six again to set their defences and it is no benefit to the attack when a penalty in the past would have done.

Recently Clarke accused St Helens of using the rule to “effectively cheat” after they defeated Huddersfield Giants.