James Lowe believes the clampdown on escorting that has led to more aerial contests is "good for the game".
Towards the end of last year, officials were instructed to reinforce existing obstruction laws around the kick-chase and rugby fans are now seeing more one-on-one battles for the high ball.
It has taken backfield players some time to adjust but Ireland wing Lowe, who will win his 38th cap against Scotland today, says it's working out better than he initially expected.
"I think it's an interesting one with how the game is going and access in the air," he said.
"At the start, I didn’t think it was going to end well. I thought there would be more mid-air accidents.
"I don’t think that’s happened. I think the contests in the air have been good.
"It’s been good for the game. And the reason that people aren’t being taken out in the air is probably because as people are chasing, they’re not having to adjust. There aren’t people checking them."
The New Zealand native, who joined Leinster from Chiefs in 2017, has personal experience of how that affects a chaser.
Lowe was sent off and banned for taking former Ireland and Munster wing Andrew Conway out in the air in a Pro14 clash in 2018 (below).
"When I took Andrew Conway out in the air, it was because I was trying to make my way through and I think it was actually Murr [Conor Murray] who checked me, and then I didn't get my feet right and that’s why the accident happens.
"So I think it’s good. I think it sucks because there’s more pressure on an outside back now but no, I think it’s good. It’s been decent for the game. Nothing bad has happened from it."
In last weekend's win over England, Lowe took one catch with two hands over his head, as did England full-back Freddie Steward, the duo hopefully killing off the trope that any rugby player who does this picked it up from their Gaelic football days.
"That’s probably how we’re going to have to go with it, especially players coming up defensively," said the 32-year-old,
"Even I went up with just one hand, trying to hit it back before it lands in the cradle.
"That’s probably how the game is going to go. I think you’re going to see more overhead takes and being able to distance yourself with legs and still being able to catch it.
"Hugo [Keenan] is obviously exceptional at it, Freddie Steward is exceptional at it.
"I find as a left winger, you’re under more pressure because there are more right-footed kickers and it’s easy to my side of the field.
"As a tactic, probably a good way to put wings under pressure. [You have] 10s and 9s in the backfield sometimes. It’s just the way the game is going."
Lowe missed almost two months out of action with a calf issue after the November internationals but, like Dan Sheehan, has made an impressive return, first on a run-out with Leinster and then in the opening win of the Guinness Six Nations.
He looked like he'd never been away and had five direct try assists.
"S**t, it is what it is," he said before joking about his good pal Keenan's failure to pass more.
"I was fortunate enough to get a few carries. Boys were throwing me the ball in space.
"I was p****d off at Hugo at the end, I thought he was allergic to passing me the ball, man!
"And then when he was, the space was gone. I talked to him after and gave him enough stick so hopefully that doesn’t happen again.
"I just have a smile most of the time. I used to get bullied for running around with my tongue out as a kid. Like, that’s not something I’m trying to do on purpose."
Ireland, under interim head coach Simon Easterby, are targetting an unprecedented third Six Nations title in a row but Lowe dismissed suggestions of pressure.
He said: "I think there’s enough pressure going around without having to put more on myself. My wife gave birth a couple of weeks ago, that's more pressure. I just run around, you know.
"What I do, I've been doing it for years. It's very instinctive and I think that's how I play as well.
"Rugby is what I do and it's what I feel I'm good at, I don't need to put any more pressure on myself that's already put on."
Lowe (above) lines out today for the sixth time against Scotland and while he's never been on the losing side, a shaky defensive display in the 27-24 win in 2021 cost him his place in the team.
"Oh yeah, I wasn't that flash in that game, yeah, thanks, and then I got dropped for the first time after that," he said with a smile.
"We've come a long way since then but look, we've had great memories at Murrayfield, we still managed to win that game, we won ugly.
"Then two years ago, in '23, it felt like the wheels were coming off in terms of all of our players going down and obviously Garry [Ringrose] got knocked out, which was a horrific one.
"I think Churchy [Cian Healy] was playing hooker, Josh [van der Flier] was throwing the ball in, a lot of things went wrong but we were still able to come out on the right side of the scoreboard.
"It says a lot about us as a team and the characters we have, being able to step up.
"Look, we're excited for the opportunity because it's an exciting Scotland team that we're playing against, it always is.
"We're looking forward to the occasion."
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