Get Newsletter

No Law Changes for RWC

They will stay at The Landmark in Marylebone, London – a five-star hotel near Madame Tussaud's and Lords Cricket Ground, a hotel since 1899.

ADVERTISEMENT

The World Rugby has sent out a statement that there will be no fundamental changes to the laws of the game for Rugby World Cup 2015 but referees have been asked to keep an eye on some key areas, including scrums, dangerous play and maul.

World Rugby has sent out a brief summary of focus areas for referees during the Rugby World Cup.

SCRUMS

Since Rugby World Cup 2011, governing body World Rugby has changed the sequence of calls used by the referees to set up a scrum in a bid to improve safety.

This has largely been successful but critics still feel scrums are sometimes taking too long to finish and that some teams use them as a way of running down the clock at the end of a match.

Referees at the World Cup have been told to take care that scrum-halves feed the ball in straight so that there is a fair contest between hookers.

ADVERTISEMENT

They will also instruct players to use the ball quickly at the back of scrum when a scrum is stationary.

HIGH TACKLES

The laws of rugby say a player must not tackle (or try to tackle) an opponent above the line of the shoulders, even if the tackle starts below that point. This is seen as foul play and a penalty is awarded.

Referees at the World Cup have been told to be tough with sanctions every time the head or neck is deliberately grabbed or choked. The offending player runs the risk of receiving a yellow or red card.

ADVERTISEMENT

CHALLENGING PLAYERS IN THE AIR

The sight of players jumping for the ball in the air after a defensive or attacking kick has become much more common in recent years.

But there is a danger of serious injury when players do not compete fairly.

Referees at the World Cup will allow the game to play on if they feel there has been a fair challenge – with both players genuinely trying to catch the ball – even if one lands dangerously.

They will award a penalty if there has been a genuine challenge but a player has timed his jump wrongly and unfairly impeded his opponent.

But referees have been instructed to show a yellow card if there has been no fair challenge or contest and the player is pulled down landing on his back or side.

They will show a red card if the same thing happens and a player lands on his head, neck or shoulder.

MAULS

Rolling mauls are still a major part of the attacking game of many teams.

Referees have been asked to look out for players who enter a maul ahead of the ball-carrier in a bid to ease his way to the try-line.

This is sometimes hard for spectators to spot in the melee but it is regarded as obstruction and is penalised with a penalty.

Referees will also be watching closely to make sure a ball-carrier is properly bound to a maul. This does not always happen after a set move following a line-out.

Law 17.2 JOINING A MAUL

(a) Players joining a maul must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips.

Sanction: Free Kick

(b) A player must be caught in or bound to the maul and not just alongside it.

Sanction: Penalty kick

(c) Placing a hand on another player in the maul does not constitute binding.

Sanction: Penalty kick

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Write A Comment