Experimental Law Variations

Experimental Law Variations Summary
Law 6 - Match Officials
1 Assistant referees are able to assist the referee in any way that the referee requires.

Law 17 - Maul
2 Remove reference to head and shoulders not being lower than hips.
3 Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.

Law 19 - Touch and Lineout
4 If a team puts the ball back into its own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch, there is no gain in ground.
5 A quick throw in may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line.
6 There is no restriction on the number of players from either team who can participate in the lineout.
7 The receiver at the lineout must be 2 metres away from the lineout.
8 The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the 5-metre line and the touch line but must be 2 metres away from the 5-metre line.
9 Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.
10 The lifting of lineout players is permitted.

Law 20 - Scrum
11 Introduction of an offside line 5 metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.
12 Identification of scrum half offside lines.

Law 22 – Corner Posts
13 - The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch-in-goal except when the ball is grounded against the post.


Experimental Law Variations

ELV 1, Law 6 - Match Officials

Law 6 - Match Officials

Every match is under the control of match officials who consist of the referee and two touch judges or assistant referees. Additional persons, as authorised by the match organisers, may include the referee, reserve touch judge and/or assistant referee, an official to assist the referee in making decisions by using technological devices, the time keeper, the match doctor, the team doctors, the non-playing members of the teams and the ball persons.

A touch judge may be appointed by a match organiser or a team involved in a match and is responsible for signalling, touch, touch-in-goal and the success or otherwise of kicks at goal.

An assistant referee may be appointed by a match organiser and is responsible for signalling, touch, touch-in-goal, the success or otherwise of kicks at goal and indicating foul play. An assistant referee will also provide assistance to the referee in the performance of any of the referee’s duties as directed by the referee.

ELV 2, The Maul

Law 17.2 - JOINING A MAUL

Clause (a) removed:
(a) Players joining a maul must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips.
Penalty: Free kick

ELV 3, The Maul

Law 17.5 SUCCESSFUL END TO A MAUL

(a) A maul ends successfully when the ball, or a player with the ball, leaves the maul. A maul ends successfully when the ball is on the ground, or is on or over the goal line.

(b) A player may pull a maul to the ground providing that player does so by pulling an opponent in the maul down from the shoulders to the hips.
Penalty: Penalty kick

Law 17.6 UNSUCCESSFUL END TO A MAUL

(a) A maul ends unsuccessfully if the ball becomes unplayable, or the maul collapses or is pulled down and the ball does not emerge. A scrum is ordered.

ELV 4, Touch and Lineout
Law 19.1 THROW IN

NO GAIN IN GROUND

(a) Outside a team’s 22, a team member kicks directly into touch. Except for a penalty kick, when a player anywhere in the field of play who is outside the 22 kicks directly into touch, there is no gain in ground. The throw in is taken either at the place opposite where the player kicked the ball, or at the place where it went into touch, whichever is nearer that player’s goal line.

(b) When a team causes the ball to be put into that team’s 22. When a defending player plays the ball from outside the 22 and it goes into that player’s 22 or in-goal area without touching an opposition player and then that player or another player from that team kicks the ball directly into touch before it touches an opposition player, or a tackle takes place or a ruck or maul is formed, there is no gain in ground. This applies when a defending player moves back behind the 22 metre line to take a quick throw-in and then the ball is kicked directly into touch.

(c) Defending team takes the ball into that team’s 22 at a scrum or lineout. When a defending team throws the ball into a scrum or lineout outside that team’s 22 and the ball then crosses into the team’s 22 without touching an opposition player and then a player from the defending team kicks the ball directly into touch before it touches an opposition player, or a tackle takes place or a ruck or maul is formed, there is no gain in ground.

GAIN IN GROUND

(d) Player takes the ball into that team’s 22. When a defending player plays the ball from outside the 22 and it goes into that player’s 22 or in-goal area and it touches an opposition player, or a tackle takes place or a ruck or maul is formed, and then the ball is kicked by a player of that team directly in touch, the throw in is where the ball went into touch.

(e) Ball put into a player’s 22 by the opposition. When the ball is put into a team’s 22 by the opposition, without having touched (or been touched by) a player of the defending team before crossing the 22 and the ball is then kicked into touch by the defending team, the throw in is where the ball went into touch.

(f) Kicks indirectly into touch. When a player anywhere in the playing area kicks indirectly into touch so that the ball bounces in the field of play the throw in is taken where the ball went into touch.

When a player anywhere in the playing area kicks the ball so that it touches or is touched by an opposition player and then goes indirectly into touch so that the ball bounces in the field of play the throw in is taken where the ball went into touch.

When a player anywhere in the playing area kicks the ball so that it touches or is touched by an opposition player and then goes directly into touch the throw in is taken in line with where the opposition player touched the ball or where the ball crossed the touch line if that is nearer the opposition player’s goal line.

ELV 5, Touch and Lineout

Law 19.2 QUICK THROW IN

(e) At a quick throw in, if the player throws the ball in the direction of the opposition’s goal line or if the ball does not travel at least five metres along or behind the line of touch before it touches the ground or a player, or if the player steps into the field of play when the ball is thrown, then the quick throw in is disallowed. The opposing team chooses to throw in at either a lineout where the quick throw in was attempted, or a scrum on the 15-metre line at that place. If they too throw in the ball incorrectly at the lineout, a scrum is formed on the 15-metre line. The team that first threw in the ball throws in the ball at the scrum.

(f) At a quick throw in a player may throw the ball in straight along the line of touch or towards that player’s goal line

ELV 6, Touch and Lineout

Law 19.7 FORMING A LINEOUT

(a) Minimum. At least two players from each team must form a lineout. A team must not voluntarily fail to form a lineout.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

(b) Maximum. There is no restriction to the number of players from each team participating in the lineout. Each team can decide how many players participate in the lineout and there is no requirement for there to be an equal number of participants from each team.

ELV 7 & 8, Touch and Lineout

Law 19.7 FORMING A LINEOUT

(e) Where the receiver must stand. The receiver must stand at least two metres towards that player’s goal line from that player’s team-mates who are lineout players and between five and fifteen metres from the touch line.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

(f) Player between touch and five metres. The team not throwing in must have a player standing between the touch line and the 5-metre line on that team’s side of the line of touch when the lineout is formed. That player must stand at least two metres from the five metres line.


ELV 9, Touch and Lineout

Law 19.9 OPTIONS AVAILABLE AT A LINEOUT

(e) Pre-gripping is permitted. Players who are going to lift or support a team-mate jumping for the ball may pre-grip that team-mate providing they do not pre-grip below the shorts from behind and below the thighs from the front.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line


ELV 10, Touch and Lineout

Law 19.9 OPTIONS AVAILABLE AT A LINEOUT

(f) Lifting and supporting. Players may assist a team-mate in jumping for the ball by lifting and supporting that player providing that the lifting and/or supporting players do not support the jumping team-mate below the shorts from behind or below the thighs from the front.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

(h) Jumping, supporting or lifting before the ball is thrown. A player must not jump or be lifted or supported before the ball has left the hands of the player throwing in.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

ELV 11, Scrum

Law 20.12 OFFSIDE AT THE SCRUM

(g) Offside for players not in the scrum. Players who are not in the scrum and who are not the team’s scrum half, are offside if they remain in front of their offside line or overstep the offside line which is a line parallel to the goal lines and 5 metres behind the hindmost player of each team in a scrum.
Penalty: Penalty Kick on the offside line


ELV 12, Scrum

Law 20.12 OFFSIDE AT THE SCRUM

(d) The scrum half whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move to the opposite side of the scrum and overstep the offside line. For that scrum half that runs through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(e) The scrum half whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move away from the scrum and then remain in front of the offside line. For that scrum half that runs through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

ELV 13, Corner Posts

Law 22.12 BALL OR PLAYER TOUCHING A FLAG OR FLAG (CORNER) POST

If the ball or a player carrying the ball touches a flag or a flag (corner) post at the intersection of the touch-in-goal line and the goal line or at the intersection of the touch-in-goal line and dead ball line without otherwise being in touch or touch-ingoal, the ball is not out of play, unless it is first grounded against a flag post.



Original Proposed Experimental Law Variations
Touch Judges
1. TJ’s can indicate offside at the tackle by raising their flag horizontally in the direction of the offending team. This flag raising will be mirrored by the opposite TJ so as to provide visual assistance to the referee. The referee however is not obliged to act on the offence.

2. 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.

Inside the 22 metre line
3. 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:

1. If the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the lineout is in line with where the ball was kicked.
2. If a tackle, ruck or maul is subsequently formed or an opponent plays the ball and the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the lineout is where the ball crossed the touch line.

Lineout
4. On a quick throw in, the ball can be thrown straight or backwards towards the defenders goal line, but not forward towards the opposition goal line.
5. A player peeling off at the front of the lineout can do so as soon as the ball leaves the throwers hands.
6. The receiver in a lineout must stand 2 metres from the lineout.

7. 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.
8. There is no maximum number of players in the lineout but there is a minimum of 2.
9. Neither team determines numbers in the lineout.
10. Pre-gripping is allowed.
11. If a lineout throw is not straight, the option is a lineout or FK to non throwing team. (Added 1 Oct).

Breakdown (tackle/post tackle)
12. Players entering the breakdown area must do so through the gate. RIGIDLY APPLIED
13. Immediately the tackle occurs there are offside lines.
14. The offside lines run parallel to the goal lines through the hindmost part of the hindmost player at the tackle.
15. 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. (Added 1 Oct).
16. Any other player playing the ball at the breakdown must be on their feet. (Added 1 Oct)
17. If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a FK.
18. 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.
19. There are only 3 penalty offences (not including dangerous play) at the breakdown:

1. Offside for not coming through the gate.
2. Offside where defenders are in front of the last man on their side of the breakdown. i.e. the offside line.
3. Players on the ground preventing playing of the ball.

20. Repeated infringements can be dealt with as per current law.
21. A scrum option is available for all FKs.
22. Dangerous play will not be tolerated. Eg. Diving over the breakdown.
23. The half back should not be touched unless he has his hands on the ball.

Maul
24. Defending players can pull down the maul.
25. Players joining the maul must do so through the gate. RIGIDLY APPLIED.
26. If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a FK.
27. The ‘truck and trailer’ is no longer an offence.

Scrum
28. The offside line for players who are not in the scrum and who are not the teams scrum half, is 5 metres behind the hindmost foot of the scrum.

Sanctions
29. For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10-Foul Play, the sanction is a FK.
*FK = Free Kick.