Can we fix players bunched up like this please. When the opposition is in my 22 I don’t put players in the ruck becayse I’m not going to turn it over and so I have more players in the defensive line but this happens:
i thought so too at first but nah, does it everytime. I guess that’s why AI chooses scrum so often, cause even the computer wants to skip cinematics !
Just want to pick up on the fact that in a scrum, firstly the team that puts the ball in always seem to win every time.
Also the no.9 always picks and goes, they will never off load the ball so the line is pretty much redundant.
I’ve never yet seen a scrum collapse, or a maul for that matter.
Also when the attacking team are inside the 5 metre line why does the scrum half pass the ball all the way back to the edge of the 22 to a player stood there? They then get tackled and an awful lot of ground is lost.
Indeed as someone else has pointed out the AI really do need to incorporate a kicking game into their play. I don’t just mean the box kick they do at the ruck either.
I’m talking grubbers, cross kicks, long kicks, chips, up and unders, high kicks. Those are just a few that if implemented in the game would give a much wider variety of attacking options for teams
The rucks need some work also. I’ve quite often just seen the player whose been tackled to the ground lay there and his team mates will just stand there over him allowing the opponents the opportunity to steal the ball.
I won’t go on too much as these are all issues that everyone is bringing up. It’s just a reminder for the team that’s all to hopefully have a look at
Also, I have mentioned this before somewhere, will you be adding player names rather than player positions to teams when in game? I know the Premiership, Pro D2 (mostly), and some international players are already in game. It would be nice to see the Top 14, URC, Super Rugby, MLR etc get the same added.
Also maybe different textures for pitches. Some teams play on natural grass, others play on artificial surfaces. That would bring some immersion into the game.
Maybe look at adding to the creation kit and allowing us to edit official teams etc. There are some awesome creators out there who have created some awesome kits, players, stadiums, logos etc which we could add into the game. The opportunity is endless if we have access to this like in your other sports titles such as Cricket 24 and Tie Break.
I know a few of those are cosmetic but opening up the community creations to allow us to edit teams and stadia would free you guys up to look at the gameplay issues and bugs. Just an idea.
Overall though I am really happy that the game is heading in the right direction. Some good patches this last few weeks have really brought the game on a lot better.
Many thanks and most appreciated by myself and a lot of others no doubt. 
The grass textures on the console build of the game (PS5 in my case) seem to have been massively downgraded somewhere along the way. They’re now just flat and quite an eyesore to be honest. Are there any plans to fix this?
Yes, I’ve noticed that one too. Maybe somewhere along the line someone who had a build with poor grass textures was working on another issue (maybe AI gameplay) and had their build compiled with a newer build and the grass carried over?
I hope they have it somewhere on the list to get fixed. I bet they have several different builds floating around no matter how much they try to have everyone working on the latest one.
Anyhow, hope it’s fixed soon.
Played a few games, one against AI and 2 online since the new patch.
I would still like the AI to kick more, cross field kicks etc. People have mentioned momentum before, and think it should be considered. Even in the opponents half, if a team loses ground on two tackles they generally look to kick to change it up. Overall, still to easy for me to be interested in playing AI.
Online:
I guess there was no changes here but a lot of the same issues on offloads persist. You can spam offloads and it is relatively impossible for the opponent to defend it. I would love to see some effort on the online in a patch, specifically the defending. Players constantly phase through players and the automatic tackling which happens against the AI, doestn happen online, which is probably the wrong way around.
Overall, I would like to see some focus on the above and attacking/defending patterns. We are miles away from running loops and backline moves, but even the spacing (as outlined by other users here) and the running lines would make a huge difference. Similarly, and I know its small, but some sweat and dirt on jerseys would make a huge difference from an immersion perspective.
I also do this, I suggested reordering the buttons and linking X (PS5) to 7 person line out as a safeguard.
Patch April 1 , on xbox-s
The rucks went back to making more sense when turnovers happen. Many of pushover rucks at the steal, have been changed to passive steal (this is very good) but still some 1 vs 2 pushovers, (this should all be changed to passive steal. You can now steal more on isolation (this is very good). Bring back the Bind, bind, bind, pushover without having to press steal, once the ruck forms this used to be in the tutorial, now it in the tutorial, but the animation in the tutorial does not actual show the push over happen. Ruck are back to improving but still a way to go. We need penalties at the Ruck for the game to feel like a Rugby simulation. Hands in ruck, holding on, coming in from the side if you arrive to late, illegal crocodile rolls (some ideas). Some ways to implement the penalties in the ruck. Then I will post again the ideal way the 3 buttons should be implemented.
If you tackle and a ruck forms before a steal, you should be able to bind, and use Y to counter ruck push over for trailing defensive support, or out bind the offensive team, for a 1 vs 1 clear out, 2 vs 1 , clear out, or 2 vs 2 clear out depending on who has joined the ruck or 3 vs 2 clear out or 3 vs 3 clear out.
If you try to x(steal) instead of Y pushover/clear-out then you could get away with a hand in ruck passive possession or get called for a hand in the ruck.
This is the best way to put this ruck system together and when each type of animation should trigger. The system is complete, they just have to put it together better. The three-button system for rucking can work and the animation for them are there. They just have to make it work better.
There is not a difference in difficulty, with the same two teams had the same scores lines on easy or on hardest. Actually, almost felt like the game played more realistic on easy, it felt a little slower (not sure though) less frantic, yet the scorelines and the rucking felt better on easy, not sure why.
The AI has to be more aggressive on rucks steals, with a possible hand in the ruck penalties, we should be able to hold on with a risk of penalty, in the game there was not reason for me to try and hold on, because the AI was never to good at ruck steals in any case. Although I do play conservative and try to run were I have supporting rucking players, but most of the time a only bind 1-2 on offense, and 0-2 on defense given the situation. With the rare all in, which a few patches ago would cause a 3 man counter ruck, but now it seems removed(add it back in please).
The fend should be timed not a hold down and it will happen, it is still to overpowering or easy to do. And it doesn’t matter who is doing it, there seems to be a lack of individual player skill sets. It seems any player can have successful fend and any time. A timed fend would be better suited.
I do feel the AI has improved in the April 1 patch, more passing and offloads and fends. Now have to add better AI sidesteps, barges, dummies, and kicking game, like in the Big Ant league games. Having said that I was never in fear of losing any game. (And that takes lots of the fun out of it)
Scrums have to have a better risk / reward system, if you play them well increase your meters on the field, if you play them bad get pushed back, or penalized for collapsing the scrum( this is in the game) but the reward part is not, the only reward is possession it should go beyond that if you play the scrums to perfection. This will make the scrums more worthwhile and fun to play, the AI never gets penalized in the scrums. Again, its a good system, just not fully implemented.
Looking forward to more updates, But it does feel at times it is 2 steps forward 1 step back. Hopefully it can start being 3 steps forward and maybe only 1 step back. Thanks again Big Ant for continuing to improve the game. It has all the pieces to make a great rugby game, just got to piece it all together.
Penalties from Rucks are SOOOO crucial in order to feel like a real rugby simulation…. Hold on from opponent, hands in the rucks…. Actual steals are pretty rare IRL.
That and kicking from opponent when stuck in its own 22….
I dont know what people are smoking, because even though the AI is passing and offloading more (all be it without purpose), they are still not able to score anymore than they did before, which is sad because EA 6 or so had great AI scoring.
Just tested AI vs AI on 10min half, with a 7-7 score line and both tries were from invincibility, so really it was 0-0. They still have no purpose on attack, dont use kicks, still take scrums on penalty, still dont make replacements, there is clearly no improvement.
Im not saying BA added improvements to recent patches and its having no effect, Im saying that people are delusional at this point.
Time to take another long break until AI gets a major, purposeful, update
Would like to know others people’s thought / feedback on local multiplayer. You just can’t win a ruck. Had 5 games and who ever has the ball will retain the ball 99% of the time. There is zero skill to it and does not work. 3 on 1 and player with 1 still wins the ball every time.
Just wondering would be possible for a second referee just to mix it up slightly ? Or maybe 3 or 4
I don’t think we need create a referee although would be nice but maybe a choice of referee would just he’ll with immersion
What about some simple gameplay options for a more strat approach ?
AI wise, i dont get why it’s stil not some pre set set plays AI play when in possession ? I dont know like if it’s mid zone AI plays randomly 3 to 6 foward plays before launching a combination with back among 5-6 different combinations possible?if it’s in its own 22 it’s 1-2 forward play and thenbox kick or a territory kick by designated kicker. Because currently it’s really messy and you dont get what AI tries to do, it doesnt make much sense rugby wise.
Agreed and it should be a timing thing as well. If the offensive team plays the ball quick , maybe he gets away with a 3 or 2 vs 1, but if there is any delay the counter ruck should happen, causing the pushover animation. Unless the offensive player get called for not releasing.
Its a good system with good animation, just not fully implemented , how it should be. Needs , ruck penalties, ruck penalties, ruck penalties.
Hi Big Ant,
Thanks for the latest update, its good to have some really competitive matches! My most recent one I almost lost but managed to hold up a try in the final play!
Just a note, the rucks seem very random and turnivers not frequent enough. I had the AI win a 3vs1 against me which doesnt make sense especially with Julian and Ardie Savea in there
Other notes include:
Again, game seems to be going in the right direction again after the kost recent update, keep it up!
When playing online. Off loads success rates is too high, makes scoring tries too easy from 1st phase play. Handoffs issue was noted already. On defense, not responsive enough to put pressure on guy attacking, but maybe if offloads and handoffs issue is fixed, then should be more competitive. Our online community is currently playing without handoffs and offloading all the time, makes it so much better to play. But scoring tries is still way too easy.
If we can’t update the squads today after the update, I will give up until we can
Hi everyone
I had some extra credit on Takealot, so I went ahead and bought the game, here is what I experienced.
The main menu and accompanied music is well designed and implemented, a lot of tournaments, but half of which I will probably never play, the Bangladesh League, really? What about the Rugby World Cup, The Rugby Championship, NPC, Currie Cup, EPCR, Challenge Cup? Perhaps adding a trophy cabinet would motivate a player to play those tournaments I have never even heard of? I can create a tournament, but only in league form with knockouts at the end, but no group stages, so trying to create the world cup in the correct format is not possible.
The cutscenes of the players running onto the field are nice, but then you get greeted by the commentators who sound like they were just woken up from a deep sleep and forced into a chair to say a few words, and they stay like this throughout the whole match. Why is it so hard to get the commentary right in a friggin rugby game? Even the few words they’re forced to say, they get wrong, as mentioned numerous times, you get roasted for successfully kicking the ball out after a penalty. Where are the national anthems and the traditional pacific island challenges?
For me, the speed by which a prop can cover half of the field is so unrealistic, even a winger cannot possibly run 50 meters in 3 seconds, it looks like they’re flying, and all the motions of the players look unnatural, there is no flow to their movements. The lineouts are stupid, I cannot get a kick away because I have no time before I get charged down, sidestepping is useless, scrums are useless as there will always be a penalty given to the opposing team because I won the scrum.
What on earth am I supposed to do at a ruck? There is no structure, nothing to indicate whether I will be stealing, or keeping the ball.
Passing is unresponsive I have to press pass twice to make sure I get the ball away.
The crowd is boring when it comes to cheering for a line break or a try. The chants and colours in the crowd are well done.
I have never seen a referee hold a whistle like that.
If my player gets tackled over the try line it’s automatically “Help Up”, what the hell?
So many players not yet in the game with only there number shown where their name should be.
That’s all I can think of for now.
Thank you
@JNT_BA will we being seeing more cards for consistently infringing? Or will we be seeing more high tackles as atm I barely see or get any high tackles in the game. Almost making the trophy/achivment void for the sin bin
Are you not seeing high tackles? I was getting wrecked with them this week.
