RUGBY NEWS - Vodacom Super Rugby and the Castle Lager Rugby Championship will this season adopt the law amendments that were announced by World Rugby in July 2017, prior to the start of the 2017-18 northern hemisphere season, Sanzaar confirmed on Thursday.
World Rugby approved the addition of these six law amendments to its programme of global law trials following positive trials in specific international competitions in 2017.
At the time of the introduction of the amendments in the north, the southern hemisphere season was already under way. Therefore World Rugby and Sanzaar agreed that the Southern Hemisphere would not play under the amendments until the start of the 2018 season.
Domestically, the laws amendments were already used in the 2017 Currie Cup competition after SA Rugby successfully sought special permission from World Rugby, as a result of the Toyota Cheetahs and Southern Kings joining the Guinness PRO14 competition last year.
The amendments relate to the scrum (Law 20), tackle (Law 15) and ruck (Law 16) and are aimed at making the game simpler to play and referee, as well as further promoting player welfare.
The amendments are:
1. Scrum: Law 20.5 and 20.6 (d) and Law 20.8 (b) Striking after the throw-in
No signal from referee. The scrum-half must throw the ball in straight but is allowed to align their shoulder on the middle line of the scrum, therefore allowing them to stand a shoulder width towards their own side of the middle line.
Once the ball touches the ground in the tunnel, any front-row player may use either foot to try to win possession of the ball. One player from the team who put the ball in must strike for the ball.
Rationale: To promote scrum stability, a fair contest for possession while also giving the advantage to the team throwing in (non-offending team).
What we will see: every team MUST hook the ball as part of the scrum-feed. If they don’t, expect to see some free kicks against the feeding team.
2. Scrum: Law 20.9 (b) Handling in the scrum – exception
The No 8 shall be allowed to pick the ball from the feet of the second-rows.
Rationale: To promote continuity.
What we will see: this will help teams under pressure when going backwards.
