Rule interpretations being adjusted, flanker says

Dillon Hunt speaks during the Highlanders Annual Awards at Toitu Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin...
Dillon Hunt speaks during the Highlanders Annual Awards at Toitu Otago Settlers Museum in Dunedin on Monday. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Remember all that drama at the start of the Super Rugby competition over new rules — sorry, interpretations?

Notice how that has all quietly gone away.

Well, perhaps it had just happened like the powers that be said it would.

All the players became used to the new rulings, the penalty count went down and the game began to flow.

But than again, perhaps not.

Highlanders flanker Dillon Hunt said the rules were probably being interpreted slightly differently now than they were at the start of the season.

"I think there is a change in the way the refs are refereeing the game.

"The first couple of rounds was a bit of a feeling-out process and there was a lot of penalties given away.

"I think now they are trying to balance that out," Hunt said.

"Possibly make it a bit more difficult to get your hands on the ball and get a turnover.

"In the definition of the law you literally have to be on the ball and pulling upwards.

"But you see now, you have
to be doing a bit more than that."

He said it was still a good contest and players were getting turnovers so it was a good balance now.

The flanker was topping the tackling count for all players from the five New Zealand teams and was happy to win the defender of the year award at the team awards on Monday night.

"Defence has always been a big part of my game and I like to keep it that way.

"Whether it is tackling or jackling I always want to be there.

"As a team we make a lot of tackles between us and I expected to be up there if we were doing our job."

He felt his game had benefited from regular game time and also having the mental and physical break from the game during the lockdown period.

The former surveying student said he would be driving back to Auckland at the end of the season to turn out for North Harbour in the Mitre 10 Cup.

He had yet to sign for the Highlanders next year.

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