Four law trials aimed at speeding up rugby, reducing time-wasting and “enhancing the fan experience” will be introduced on a global trial across all competitions that start from the start of next year.
World Rugby’s Council approved the changes on Thursday, which will apply to competitions next year, including the British and Irish Lions’ tour of Australia.
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It means many players will be operating under different laws week-to-week for a period next year as they move from club to international matches, unless a league, via their union, requests dispensation from World Rugby to adopt the changes mid-season, which they can do.
The four changes are:
A 60-second conversion time limit to align with penalties and improve game pace. This will be managed by a shot clock where possible.A 30-second setup for lineouts will match time for scrums to reduce downtime, to be managed on-field by the match officials.A play-on rule to be in place at uncontested lineouts when the throw is not straight.Scrum-halves to be protected from tackles during scrums, rucks, and mauls.
Proposals for a trial to call a mark inside the 22-metre line at kick off and restarts and for single stop mauls did not receive the required 75 per cent support so will not proceed.
A decision was deferred on whether to adopt the 20-minute red card, with the experiment starting only in this November’s internationals.
A revised Television Match Official (TMO) protocol trial was also approved, giving the TMO additional power to identify clear and obvious infringements in the final attacking passage of play before scoring (knock-on, forward pass and in touch) and within the final two phases specifically (offside, maul obstruction and tackle complete).
This is the process currently being trialed in the Autumn Internationals.
“During respective closed trials in the World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy, WXV, Pacific Nations Cup, Rugby Championship and Autumn Nations Series, the laws, had a positive impact on the style, flow and entertainment value of the sport, decreasing stoppages, increasing ball in play, and promoting quick ball, while maintaining a contest,” World Rugby said.
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