Rugby Union - Championship - Australia's Wallabies vs South Africa's Springboks - Perth, Australia - September 9, 2017 - Reece Hodge of Australia is tackled by Jaco Kriel of South Africa. AAP/Richard Wainwight/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE. AUSTRALIA OUT. NEW ZEALAND OUT.
The start of the Super Rugby season is just a few weeks away. With it, will come newly adopted laws. The same laws will also be adopted by the Rugby Championships.
The Six law amendments to its programme of global law trials after “positive trials” in specific international competitions in 2017.
The amendments relate to the scrum (Law 20), tackle (Law 15) and ruck (Law 16) and are aimed at making the game simpler to play and referee as well as further promoting player welfare.
No signal from referee. The scrum-half must throw the ball in straight but is allowed to align their shoulder on the middle line of the scrum, therefore allowing them to stand a shoulder width towards their own side of the middle line.
Once the ball touches the ground in the tunnel, any front-row player may use either foot to try to win possession of the ball. One player from the team who put the ball in must strike for the ball.
Why? To promote scrum stability, a fair contest for possession while also giving the advantage to the team throwing in (non-offending team).
The number eight shall be allowed to pick the ball from the feet of the second-rows.
Why?: To promote continuity.
The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then can only play from their own side of the tackle “gate”.
Why? To make the tackle/ruck simpler for players and referees and more consistent with the rest of that law.
A ruck commences when at least one player is on their feet and over the ball which is on the ground (tackled player, tackler). At this point the offside lines are created. Players on their feet may use their hands to pick up the ball as long as this is immediate. As soon as an opposition player arrives, no hands can be used.
Why?: To make the ruck simpler for players and referees.
A player must not kick the ball out of a ruck. The player can only hook it in a backwards motion.
Why?: To promote player welfare and to make it consistent with scrum law.
“The law amendments have helped create cleaner phases of play in northern hemisphere rugby matches, in terms of the ball at the back of the ruck.
“The scrum sequence will now be simple to implement, with the players taking charge of when they feed the ball into the scrum and the referee can focus simply on whether the scrum is stable.
One of these guys will be crowned Mr South Africa.
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