Super Rugby Pacific confirms new law innovations for 2026 season

Thirty years of leading innovation across the rugby world will continue in Super Rugby Pacific in 2026 with new law modifications designed to further reduce stoppages, inspire positive play and simplify the officiating of the game.

With the emphatic support of clubs, match officials and stakeholders, the competition has approved five key law innovations for the 2026 season:

• It will no longer be mandatory for the referee to issue a yellow or red card to a player on the defending team when awarding a penalty try. Any sanction will be at the discretion of the referee. (Law 8.3)
• Accidental offsides and teams delaying playing the ball away from a ruck will result in free kicks rather than scrums. (Law 10.5 and Law 15.17)
• After the referee has called “use it” at the ruck, no additional players from the team in possession may join the ruck. (Law 15.17)
• Teams will be permitted to pass the ball back into their half before kicking a 50:22. (Law 18.8a)
• Players will be allowed to take quick taps within one metre either side of the of the mark, or anywhere behind the mark, if they are within that two-metre channel running parallel to the touchlines. (Law 20.2)

Significantly, the competition has also re-committed to the guidelines first implemented in 2023 around the role of the Television Match Official (TMO).

In Super Rugby Pacific the TMO will only intervene unprompted if the referee has overlooked an act of serious foul play (yellow card level or above), or a clear and obvious infringement leading to a try.

The assistance of the TMO at any other time can only be instigated by the referee, which both empowers the on-field match officials and improves the flow of the game.

Over the last four years, more than four minutes of ‘dead time’ has been eradicated from Super Rugby Pacific games – a result of law innovation combined with strong intent from match officials.

Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley said the competition was deserving of its reputation of being fan-focused and agile in driving the game forward.

“These innovations for 2026 reflect the ongoing commitment of Super Rugby Pacific to deliver the most entertaining and engaging rugby competition in the world,” he said.

“From the members and fans, to the players and coaches, and the referees themselves, we continue to experience resounding support for the measured steps that we’re taking to refine the game.

“We want to be a competition that encourages quick taps and faster restarts, that cuts down on unnecessary stoppages, and that embraces positive, attacking rugby.

“Super Rugby Pacific will continue to work closely with World Rugby and our stakeholders to evolve the game and produce the best version of rugby, and to strongly advocate that the innovations that are clearly working in Super Rugby Pacific be adopted more widely.”

Super Point has been retained for 2026, which sees teams contest an extra time period of up to ten minutes if scores are level at full-time.

The first team to score during Super Point wins the match, with the match declared a draw if neither team scores during the period of extra time.

Previously announced alongside the release of the 2026 draw, the six-team Finals Series format adopted last season will continue, but with a tweak to the ‘lucky loser’ mechanic.

In 2025 the ‘lucky loser’ was penalised one seeding, which saw the top-ranked Chiefs defeated in a Qualifying Final but still host a Semi-Final fixture the following weekend.

However in 2026 the highest ranked losing team from the Qualifying Finals will progress as fourth seed, ensuring they play away from home in the Semi-Finals and the Grand Final should they qualify.

The 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off on Friday 13 February with the Highlanders hosting the Crusaders, followed by the NSW Waratahs taking on the Queensland Reds.