IRB approves 10 of 13 experimental law variations (ELVs)

May 14, 2009 The International Rugby Board has formally ratified a recommendation by their rugby committee to approve 10 of the 13 global experimental law variations (ELVs) into the rules of the game.

The recommendations of the IRB committee were unanimously approved and the integrated set of laws will be implemented globally from May 23.
Most of the 10 ELVs which will become laws of the game relate to the lineout and scrum.

In addition to the suite of global ELVs, three Union-specific ELVs were also approved for integration into law.

These include the ability for a Union to implement a maximum 15-minute half-time in matches under its jurisdiction.

IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said getting the game back under a universal set of laws across the world needed to be implemented as soon as possible.

"The implementation date approved by the IRB council achieves that goal and represents the most suitable application date," Lapasset said in a statement.

"All international matches from May 23 onwards will be captured, while domestic and regional competitions played across the implementation date will be played under the current ELVs until their conclusion."

Agence France-Presse

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