Accidental infringements such as knock ons, going into touch etc give a scrum.

Deliberate infringments such as high tackle or offside are penalties.

Passing backwards is part of the bedrock of our great game. Its almost impossible to use technology to judge it yet all forward passes are deliberate. You cannot accidentally pass forward.

On that basis, should forward passes not result in a penalty these days as an extra deterent for those that appear to do it constantly (everyone does it from time to time)?

I don't expect anyone called Sinfield, McGuire or Tomkins to agree with this

I don't agree with the logic. High tackles are not all deliberate. Neither are forward passed. People don't intend to do them, they just happen.

There is a deliberate forward pass rule, isn't there? I've never seen one given though

No. Not all forward passes are deliberate, in the same way not all knock-ons are accidental. The rule is fine.

There is a deliberate knock on rule, to stop players just swatting the ball away. Not seen it penalised too often though.

Just trying to think of ways that forward passing could be reduced.

Happens far too often. Leeds are the prime culprits although I don't blame them, they play fast and pass flat most if the time and its an exceptionally fine line between flat and forward. The momentum thing has always annoyed me, its simply an excuse for missing forward passes.

I just think that there has to be a way if judging it better. Out if all the rule infringements its a core rule and when broken, more often than not leads directly to a try. Hence a harsher punishment for it might help.

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Any evidence to support that sweeping statement?

I've seen a penalty given for a deliberate forward pass (as in about 6ms forward) here in oz in NSW Cup.

Leeds have been penalized for a forward pass at HQ. it was Gansen or Bentham.

It's if the guy you are passing to is already infront of you, basically because he is offside.

Exactly.

I also think that there's a rule in place to stop you running at the defensive line, throwing the ball up and over the tacklers and catching it on the other side before it bounces.

Reduce forward passes? Simple, penalise the flat pass, I thought the rule of rugby was that passes had to go backwards.