Optional domestic law trials by World Rugby

Optional domestic law trials by World Rugby

The World Rugby Executive Committee has approved 10 optional law trials which are designed to provide national member unions with COVID-19 transmission risk reduction options if required. Temporary law trials relating to the scrum, tackle, ruck and maul were approved along with a package of best-practice match hygiene measures.

  1. Remove reset scrum - Sanction: Free kick to team putting ball in

  2. Hookers must use 'Brake Foot' to aid scrum stability - Sanction: Free Kick

  3. No scrum option for penalty or free kick

  4. Goal line drop out when attacker is held up in-goal or knocks on in-goal

  5. Reinforce High Tackle Sanction Framework, introduction of Orange Card for Red Card high tackle offence - Sanction: Offending player removed, TMO/Citing/Hawkeye to review. If deemed a red card, player remains off, if deemed a yellow card/penalty player returns after 15 mins.

  6. Remove choke tackle and reward defencsive team - Sanction: Choke tackle is called as a tackle, ball is presented to play

  7. Ruck use it time reduced from 5 seconds to 3 seconds

  8. No scrum for failure to use it at scrum/ruck/maul - Sanction: Free kick to non-offending team

  9. No one may join the maul after it has started

  10. Only one forward movement at the maul

The law trials were considered by the specialist Law Review Group (LRG) comprising coaches, players, match officials, medics and law specialists, following a detailed analysis of 60 matches. The LRG decided against mandatory global application of the law trials given the wide variation in the presentation and management of COVID-19 across nations.

Comprehensive game analysis enabled an evidence-based approach to developing the temporary trials that limit scrum contact and time, lower the tackle height and speed up ball distribution from rucks and from mauls.

The trials provide limits to scrum options with no scrum resets, limits for players joining rucks and mauls, time to play the ball at the base of scrums and rucks reduced from five to three seconds and only one movement permitted for a maul. Such an approach could reduce contact exposure for tight five players by more than 30 per cent, reduce exposure at the ruck by up to 25 per cent and reduce maul exposure by at least 50 per cent.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “World Rugby is committed to evidence-based injury and infection preventative measures and we are fortunate to have such strong, forward-thinking and effective medical and research structures that inform our approach.


“The health and wellbeing of the rugby family is paramount. We have extensively evaluated the perceived risk areas within the game. This has enabled an evidence-based assessment of risk areas and playing positions, which led us to develop temporary law amendments, complementing the extensive return-to-play guidance we published earlier this month. Unions can apply to implement one or more of these amendments on a domestic basis according to the respective government directives relating to COVID-19.

“I would like to thank everyone for their full commitment to this process which will aid safe return to rugby activities at all levels.”


See full update on optional law updates and how to further reduce the risk in training

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