The rules under which the Tri Nations series will be played remain up in the air after the International Rugby Board endorsed a global trial of some, but not all, of the experimental law variations (ELVs) being used in the Super 14.
Meeting in Dublin, the IRB agreed to trial 13 of 23 proposed new laws for 12 months from August 1, a result Australian rugby boss and ELV-advocate John O’Neill described as “better than we expected”.
“What is important … is that there was widespread acceptance to many of the ELVs when the perception in some markets was that a number of northern hemisphere countries would seek to block almost all of them,” O’Neill said.
“The outcome is, in many ways, better than we expected.”
Several of the proposed ELVs – designed to make rugby more entertaining – are currently being trialled at their highest ever level in the Super 14 tournament.
But the change that has perhaps had most influence on the tournament has been banished from the global trial to an as yet unspecified “elite European competition”.
That competition will trial the replacement of penalties with free kicks for all offences except offside, not entering “through the gate” and foul play.
Of the rules not currently being trialled in the Super 14, the most significant addition to the worldwide experiment is a law allowing the pulling down of a maul.
“Hopefully by November next year when the IRB council meets to review the ELV trials, we will all be able to talk from the same position in terms of experimentation and analysis,” O’Neill said.
“By the end of the trial period I trust we will be united and world rugby can move forward strongly with a consistent set of laws.”
While the SANZAR nations of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have been given a licence to continue using all of the Super 14 rules for their competitions, the decision about which set of laws will be adopted for the Tri Nations series is far from straight forward.
The series could be played under the current Super 14 rules.
Or it could be played under the Super 14 rules plus the extra experimental laws now approved for global use.
Yet another option would be to play the Tri Nations under the global experimental rules only, which would help the southern hemisphere teams prepare for Tests in Europe later in the year.
Either way, Australia’s players will be expected to play under three sets of rules in 2008 – the current Super 14 rules in that competition, rugby’s traditional rules for the inbound Tests against Ireland and France which are before the trial’s August 1 start-up, and the global ELVs which will be in force during their spring tour of Europe.
O’Neill said discussions with Australia’s SANZAR partners would resolve the Tri Nations issue within the next couple of weeks.
While the ARU chief executive was putting on a brave face, English media reports described the outcome as a major watering down of Australia’s preferred position.
The Guardian called it “a considerably diluted dose” with “virtually all of the contentious elements … either rejected or confined to a single to a single tournament”.
The Telegraph called them “scaled down”, and added: “The IRB claimed this as a success. That is far from the truth, for several of those laws are fairly mundane.”
French IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset was certainly touting the positives.
“Not one of the council representatives was against the global implementation of an ELV program of some description,” he said.
“Many of the ELVs received unanimous approval.
“The laws project group had recommended a global trial of all of the ELVs but there were differing opinions between the council members on some.
“The key point here was that the members did not dismiss these ELVs outright but believed that further consideration and trials were necessary.”
O’Neill, meanwhile, confirmed SANZAR would “engage” Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Argentina, Japan, USA and Canada as part of its planning process for the future of Super rugby.
Rugby’s global trial of the experimental law variations (ELVs):
TO BE TRIALED WORLDWIDE
Assistant referees (formerly touch judges) can assist referees in any manner required.
Corner posts are no longer considered to be in-touch, in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post.
If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground.
A quick lineout throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal-line.
There is no restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two).
The receiver in a lineout must stand 2m back from the lineout.
The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball may stand in the area between the 5m line and touch line but must be 2m away from the lineout.
Lineout players may grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.
The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted.
Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.
Heads and shoulders can be lower than hips in a maul.
Introduction of an offside line 5m behind the scrum.
Scrumhalf offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum or must retreat 5m).TO BE TRIALED IN AN ELITE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE COMPETITION
Global approved ELVs above plus the following:
For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate and foul play, the sanction is a free-kick.
If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a free-kick.
If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a free-kick.TO BE REFERRED BACK TO THE LAWS PROJECT GROUP FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS AND POSSIBLE EXPERIMENTATION
Incorrect lineout throw sanctioned by a free-kick.
Offside line occurs immediately at the tackle.
Players who are on their feet can play the ball with their hands in a ruck.
There are only two penalty kicks that can be awarded at the tackle and ruck – offside and foul play.
Players are only put onside after a tackle when they retreat past the tackle or the ball has moved 5m away from the tackle.
Incorrect kick-offs and restart kicks result in a free-kick for the opposition.
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