Law experiment moves to New Zealand

The experiment to change the laws of the game, drastically in some instances, which started at Stellenbosch University and then moved to the northern hemisphere is now to move from Australia to New Zealand.

These experimental laws will be used in the Men's B competition which runs from 25 August to 20 October. In preparation for it New Zealand has organised a workshop at the NZRU's offices in Wellington on Sunday 24 June.

Coaches of the Men's B teams, IRB Laws Project Group members Paddy O'Brien, Rod Macqueen and Graham Mourie together with NZRU representatives will attend the workshop.

Never have law changes been as thoroughly tested as these are being.

Any changes that will be adopted will be introduced after the World Cup and are unlikely to come into working before well into 2008.

The experimental law variations being tested are:

1. Flag Judges (FJs)

To distinguish the new role of the touch judges, they have been renamed flag judges. FJs can indicate off-side at the tackle by raising their flag horizontally in the direction of the offending team. This flag raising will be mirrored by the opposite FJ so as to provide visual assistance to the referee. The referee however is not obliged to act on the offence.

2. Posts and flags around the field

Corner post, and post at corner of touch-in-goal and dead-ball line are moved back 2 metres. This ensures consistency of touch along the entire length of the touch-line and touch in goal-line.

3. Inside the 22-metre line

When a defending player receives the ball outside the 22 metre line and passes, puts or takes the ball back inside the 22, the following can occur.

If the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the line-out is in line with where the ball was kicked.

If a tackle, ruck or maul is subsequently formed and the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the line-out is where the ball crossed the touch-line.

4. Line-out

a. On a quick throw in, the ball can be thrown straight or backwards towards the defender's goal-line, but not forward towards the opposition goal line.

b. A player peeling off at the front of the line-out can do so as soon as the ball leaves the thrower's hands.

c. The receiver in a line-out must stand 2 metres from the line-out.

d. The non throwing hooker does not have to stand between the 5 metre line and the touch-line. They must conform to law wherever they stand.

e. There is no maximum number of players in the line-out but there is a minimum of 2.

f. Neither team determines numbers in the line-out.

g. Pre-gripping is allowed.

h. If a line-out throw is not straight, the option is a line-out or free kick (FK) to non throwing team.

5. Breakdown (tackle/post tackle)

a. Players entering the breakdown area must do so through the gate.

b. Immediately the tackle occurs there are off-side lines.

c. The off-side lines run parallel to the goal lines through the hindmost part of the hindmost player at the tackle.

d. A tackled player must immediately play the ball and may not be prevented from playing the ball by any player who is off their feet.

e. Any other player playing the ball at the breakdown must be on their feet.

f. If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a FK.

g. If the ball is received directly from a kick and a tackle occurs immediately, and the ball becomes unplayable, the FK is given to the team who received the kick.

h. There are only 3 penalty offences (not including dangerous play) at the breakdown.

i. off-side for not coming through the gate.

ii. off-side where defenders are in front of the last man on their side of the breakdown. i.e. the off-side line

iii. A tackled player must immediately play the ball and may not be prevented from playing the ball by any player who is off their feet

6. Repeated infringements can be dealt with as per current law.

7. All FKs are tap kicks including a mark and a scrum option is available for all FKs.

8. Dangerous play will not be tolerated, e.g. diving over the breakdown.

9. The halfback should not be touched unless he has his hands on the ball.

10. Maul

a. Defending players can pull down the maul.

b. Players joining the maul must do so through the gate.

c. If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a FK.

d. The 'truck and trailer' is no longer an offence.

11. Scrum

The off-side line for players who are not in the scrum and who are not the team's scrumhalf, is 5 metres behind the hindmost foot of the scrum.

12. Sanctions

For all offences other than off-side, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a FK.