And SnS abilitys like shield rush work like an charge, with an passive that knock down an enemy on hit, not just stagger it.
Either whirling blade or leaping strike change it to “counterattack”, you counterattack an foe attack with 150% weapon damage and break the enemy weapon for 2.5sec (cant use its weapon over the duration).
The fact that leaping strike doesn’t have grit is a joke. If nothing else, please fix this.
Bump.
Just lived through another day of Shield Rush glitching out in every way I described.
Shield rush is a skill that I really like, but it has several problems.
Before advancing the skill takes a step back, which takes away its rush potential
Travels a very small distance
It is interrupted by obstacles (allies and enemies) and by allies.
It has a very small hitbox.
Bump.
Another amazing day of dying mid-air with Leaping Strike and having my Shield Rush not deal damage.
Actually I found a new one today. Shield Rush “missed” Alluvium Marl somehow, placed me the full distance behind him but still dealt damage and buffed me.
I agree! Do something AGS
It’s disheartening to see that we had better sword and shield animation in the technical test than we do in the actual game lol.
Whirling Blade, for instance, had a much better looking animation that I think they just reused for the current sword and shield basic attack finisher.
Reverse Stab had an opening attack and looked much better overall, and the basic attack chain of the sword didn’t root you in place for an absurd amount of time
All I can say is, WHY AGS??? 
I started playing New World for the first time in a while and got thrown off by the twirling animation of whirling blade. Doesn’t match sword and board at all, it’s like they copied a rapier animation or something.
A good start would be giving us the old whirling blade animation, it felt better and impactful.
Bump.
Another day of rooting myself twice to do a shield rush and have it not effect the person I hit.
Bump.
Sweet Baal, look those fancy animations.
Why can’t we have nice things.
get a bow or musket full dex, dont play other builds, its useless…
I’ll die on this hill with a sword in one hand, a shield in the other and a raging,throbbing erection.
let me shine your sword 
Bump.
Another week of people casually side-stepping my abilities.
Bump.
Today my leaping strike passed around a monster filling 80% of a doorway and placed me at maximum distance outside the building. Somehow.
I 1000% agree with everything here. Shield rush is disgustingly bad. You can put walk it lol. Like… what.
Why does it even have the wind up? It’s stupid.
Whirling blade? Just give us a different skill entirely.
Maybe instead of shield bash we could get shield throw like some captain America thing. Idk.
Bump!
AGS please buff whirling blade and reverse stab
Bump.
Not letting this die until acknowledged.
Also today I’ve had my Shield Rush tread its way through a pack of at least 8 mobs to place me at the other side, no damage dealt and no fortify for me.