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IRB Announces Global Trial of Experimental Law Variations
The International Rugby Board Council today (Thursday 1 May 2008) announced that it had approved a global trial of Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) for a 12 month period starting on 1 August 2008. The trial at all levels of the Game will involve 13 of the 23 ELVs that have been undergoing experimentation in approved tournaments around the world over the last two years.
Further information on the IRB website: http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/pressrelease/newsid=2023546.html#irb+announces+global+trial+elvs
Here’s a summary of what ELVs will be in effect and where:
ELVs to be trialled worldwide
Assistant Referees
• Assistant Referees can assist referees in any manner required when appointed by a match organiser
Posts and flags around the field
• The corner posts are no longer considered to be in touch in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post
Lineout and throw
• If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground
• A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line
• There is no restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two)
• The receiver in a lineout must stand 2 metres back from the lineout
• The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball may stand in the area between the 5 metre line and touch line but must be 2 metres away from the lineout
• Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in
• The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted
Maul
• Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down
• Remove reference in Law to heads and shoulders not to be lower than hips
Scrum
• Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum
• Scrum half offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum as present Law or must retreat five metres)
ELVs to be trialled in an elite Northern Hemisphere competition (yet to be defined)
Sanctions
• For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a Free Kick
Tackle and ruck
• If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a Free Kick
Maul
• If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a Free Kick
ELVs to be referred back to IRB’s Laws Project Group for further analysis and possible experimentation
Lineout and throw
• Incorrect throw (not straight) the sanction is a Free Kick
Tackle and ruck
• Offside line occurs immediately at the tackle
• Players who are on their feet can play the ball with their hands
• There are two Penalty Kicks warded at the tackle and ruck – offside and foul play
• Reference to unfair play added to Law 15 (tackle: ball carrier brought to ground)
Offside
• Players are only put onside after a tackle when they retreat past the tackle or the ball has moved five metres away from the tackle
Kick-off and restart kicks
• Incorrect kick-offs and restart kicks result in a Free Kick for the opposition
Note
Those SANZAR Unions that are currently experimenting with ELV trials in the Southern Hemisphere – in competitions such as Super 14 and Vodacom Cup – will be allowed to continue those trials including the sanctions ELVs until the end of the global trial of the approved ELVs (1 August 2009).