World Rugby announced that a series of law tests aimed at improving the fan and player experience will be adopted as a global test in all competitions from next year, following the World Rugby Council’s vote in favor of the change.
Editorial Selections
1 Related
Four law tests will be adopted in all competitions starting January 1, 2025. These are:
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60-second limit for conversion, aligned with penalties to improve the pace of the game. This will be managed, where possible, with a shot clock.
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30 seconds for setting up lineouts, aligned with time for scrums, reducing downtime. This will be managed on the field of play by the match officials.
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An uncontested lineout may continue to be played even if the ball has not been thrown straight.
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Protecting scrumhalfs during scrums, rucks and mauls – following successful trials in Major League Rugby in the USA and in elite and community competitions in New Zealand. The scrumhalf cannot be reached while the ball is still close to a tackle, ruck or maul, and the offside line in the scrum for the opposition scrumhalf will be the middle of the tunnel.
The proposals to put to a global test the possibility of requesting a mark within 22 meters from starts and for mauls with a single stop did not receive the 75% of the votes necessary to advance.
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Review of the Television Match Official protocol
A review of the Television Match Official (TMO) was also approved as an overall test.
Under the new protocol, the TMO has additional power to identify clear and obvious infringements in the last attacking play before supporting a try (knock on, forward pass and touch) and in the last two phases specifically (offside, maul obstruction and full tackle). The last play is defined as the play since the last restart (if there has been no loss of possession), or the play since the last loss of possession occurred. This is the protocol that is currently in operation in the Autumn Nations Series.
The global adoption of these new test laws marks an important milestone in World Rugby’s aim to stimulate global growth through increasing accessibility and relevance among younger fans, ensuring that rugby is in a position to thrive for years to come. the next decade toward the United States Rugby World Cups.
During the respective closed trials in the U20 Championship and Trophy, the WXV, the Pacific Nations Cup, the Rugby Championship and the Autumn Nations Series, the laws had a positive impact on the style, flow and entertainment value of the sport, decreasing interruptions, increasing the ball in play and promoting fast ball, while maintaining competition.
The decision on the replacement of the red card is postponed after twenty minutes
With international matches underway, and in line with the recommendation, the Council decided to postpone consideration of the red card test allowing substitution after twenty minutes until the conclusion of the Autumn Nations Series to allow for further comments and a full analysis of the data.
