The NFL changed its uprights to the slingshot shaped ones fifty years ago. Are the rugby codes in need of an update? The authors discussed that a ball grounded against the posts is a try in union, no try in league and usually don’t care why. The new shape of goalposts is safer, reduces collisions at the line, prevents players from using them to their advantage without changing the distance needed to be kicked. The history of how these came to be is also an important consideration. Rugby folks should be looking at the dynamics and form of goalposts. Rugby’s goalposts have been that way for a long time, so the question is raised; would it serve a purpose? They have attempted to change the strategy of coaches in Australia assigning different values to the goal after try and penalty kick. It is crucial to establish what would need achieved by any sort of changes and the final piece of the puzzle is that it has remained unchanged for more than half a century.

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