World Rugby will trial five new laws in 2017

From the Roar:

Five new laws will be trialled in 2017, with the changes to kick off from January 1 in the southern hemisphere and August 1 in the north.

“These law amendments, which will go to global trial next year, are designed to improve the experience of those playing and watching the game at all levels and to avoid negative play where possible. We will gather all the data from the trial and then present it to the LRG and Rugby Committee for further consideration,” said Rugby committee chairman John Jefferey.

The new laws to be trialled are as follows:

Law 3 Number of Players – The Team
3.6 (Uncontested Scrums)
Add (h) Uncontested scrums as a result of a sending off, temporary suspension or injury must be played with eight players per side.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from going to uncontested scrums.

Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7(e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.

Law 8 Advantage
Add to 8.1(a) When there are multiple penalty infringements by the same team, the referee may allow the captain of the non-offending team to choose the most advantageous of the penalty marks.
Reasoning: To discourage repeat offending when advantage is already being played and to reward teams against whom repeat offending has taken place.

Law 9 Method of Scoring
9.A.1 (points values)
Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded. No conversion is attempted.
Value: 7 points
Reasoning: To discourage teams from illegally preventing a probable try from being scored while also saving time on the clock by negating the need for a conversion.

Law 19 Touch and Lineout
Add to definitions on page 117:
A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.
Reasoning: This brings into law something that is already applied in practice. It means that a player “juggling” the ball does not have to be in contact with it at the exact moment of touching the touchline or the ground beyond it for the ball to be deemed to be in touch. This makes it easier for the match officials to adjudicate.
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The article does say "all levels", so I suppose that's Internationals, Super Rugby, NRC and local comps.

I suppose the Uncontested Scrums one makes sense, although I'm not aware of many games where uncontested scrums have been played with less than 8 in a scrum.

The Time change is what was played in the NRC.

The Advantage one makes sense, too. I thought the ref changes the advantage position if he thinks a penalty is committed in a more advantageous position while playing advantage; this puts the choice in the captain's hands.

I'm not sure if the penalty try one is worth it - not many people miss from in front, although it speeds up play by up to a minute. I guess if you've just been awarded a penalty try and had an opposition player carded, you don't want to chew up the clock with a conversion, but it seems like a complication to me.

The final one states it's formalising something already applied, so again I'm not sure if there's a point. I thought refs and assistants already considered contact with the ball, rather than control; so juggling the ball, where it's momentarily in the air as the player is in touch, wasn't an issue anyway.