Better Rugby Rules

On May 13 the IRB Council approved…the following…

Recommendations for the IRB CouncilThe following is recommended to the IRB Council for adoption into Law:

Law 6 – Assistant Referees able to assist Referees in any way the Referee requires
Law 19 – If a team puts the ball back in their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain in ground
Law 19 – A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s goal line
Law 19 – The receiver at the lineout must be two metres back away from the lineout
Law 19 – The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the five metre line and touch line and must be two metres from the line of touch and at least two metres from the lineout
Law 19 – Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in
Law 19 – The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted
Law 20 – Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the Scrum
Law 20 – Scrum half offside line at the Scrum
Law 20 – The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch in goal except when the ball is grounded against the post

Union-specific ELVs Recommended to Council:
Unions may implement rolling substitutions at defined levels of the Game
A Union having a jurisdiction over a Game may implement a half time interval of not more than 15 minutes
A Union may implement the Under 19 Scrum Law Variation at a defined level of the Game under its jurisdiction

The following is not recommended to the IRB Council for adoption into Law:

Law 17 – Maul – Head and Shoulders not to be lower than hips
Law 17 – Maul – Pulling Down the Maul
Law 19 – Freedom for each team to determine Lineout Numbers

The Sanctions and Tackle/Ruck ELVs will not be recommended to the IRB Council for adoption into Law. However, the Rugby Committee has deferred these areas for further consultation

COMMENTS: The ELVs rejected confirms the success of this blog supporting the correct side of the debate. Overall the correct result was achieved, thanks rugby world. Steve Tew and John O’Neil what were you thinking !!!