World Rugby has announced three changes to the law in a bid to speed up the game and increase entertainment, it said on Thursday, along with a series of tests including 20-minute sanctions for red cards and a shot clock for scrums and lineouts. sides.
The governing body made the changes relating to preventing shots in open play, the options available when taking free kicks and the removal of a player’s “crocodile roll”.
These “fan-focused” law changes aim to promote ball flow and diversity of attacking options, whilst supporting player welfare.
“I would like to thank my colleagues around the world for embracing the spirit of this comprehensive review of rugby’s entertainment factor,” said World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont.
When shooting in open play, it will no longer be possible to bring a player into play when an opposing player picks up the ball and runs five meters, or passes the ball, which should reduce the number of shots in the game.
It will also no longer be possible to pick a scrum from a free kick. Free kicks should be tapped or kicked to encourage more ball flow.
This decision has already generated huge criticism across the rugby spectrum, with many on social media suggesting that weaker scrummaging teams will simply opt to concede a free kick rather than engage in a dead ball battle that they know is likely they will lose.
However, repeated free kick infringements are expected to result in a penalty and potentially additional punishments such as a yellow card.
The action of rolling/twisting/pulling a player standing in the tackle area (the “crocodile roll”) will, however, be prohibited, sanctioned with a penalty.
The changes to the law come into force from July 1st.
World Rugby also announced a set of legal judgments, including the ability to replace a red-carded player after 20 minutes and the introduction of a shot clock for scrum setup and lineout.
The 20-minute red card has long been favored in Australia and New Zealand, with both national unions applying the law to their domestic Super Rugby competitions, first during the COVID-19 pandemic and later as part of a unified Super Rugby Pacific.
It has also been applied to the Rugby Championship in recent years.
Other tests will include a law that the ball must be played after the maul has been stopped once, not the current one twice, and for the ability to score the ball within the 22 from the restart.
They will also play a trial game at a lineout if the ball is not thrown directly, but only if the lineout is not contested, and another law that aims to protect the scrum half at the base of the scrum, ruck and maul.
The nine cannot be played while the ball is still close to a tackle, ruck or maul, and the offside line in the scrum for the unplaced scrum half will be the middle of the tunnel.
These closed judging will apply to the Pacific Nations Cup and U20 World Championship and Trophy tournaments, whilst other competitions may opt for closed judging through consultation with World Rugby.
A wider review of these tests will then be presented to the World Rugby board in November, where a decision will be made on whether they will be applied globally.
“Personally, I believe the amendments to the law and the set of closed trials will add to the entertainment factor,” Beaumont said. “As with all tests, we will thoroughly analyze its effectiveness and obtain feedback from across the game.”
