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World Rugby will encourage elite competitions to have a shot clock for penalties and conversions from January 1 as part of plans to speed up the game in 2023 – a World Cup year.
Teams risk being penalised with a free kick against them if they waste time or are too slow to form a lineout or a scrum.
The guidelines have been designed by the global governing body to help match officials, players and coaches and to improve fan experience following a meeting in November.
The eyes of the world will be on France in September for the start of the World Cup and World Rugby wants to enhance the game as a spectacle, which is often slowed down by breaks in play to reset scrums or for TMO consultations.
“World Rugby, member unions and competitions will work with broadcasters and match hosts to implement on-screen (stadia and broadcast) shot clocks for penalties and conversions to ensure referees, players and fans can view the countdown,” World Rugby Director of Rugby Phil Davies said in a statement.
(Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
World Rugby reminded its officials to apply existing laws, including requiring players to take conversion kicks within 90 seconds from the time a try has been awarded. Any delay could result in the kick being disallowed.
Penalty kicks will have to be taken within 60 seconds from the time a team indicates their intention to do so, with delays resulting in kicks being disallowed and scrums awarded.
Free kicks can be awarded if players waste time, teams fail to form the lineout in time or delay forming the scrum within 30 seconds of the mark being made.
Match officials were also reminded that the current TMO protocol is aimed at identifying and ensuring clear and obvious offences, such as deliberate knock-ons, are dealt with on-field.
“It was agreed (at the Shape of the Game conference in November) that reviews can often take too long, suggesting the offence being reviewed is not clear and obvious,” Davies said.
“While we can always enhance the technology interaction to speed up the process, the match official teams — led by the referee — should attempt to make speedier decisions and limit replays where not necessary.”
© AAP
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