As the Sunwolves begin their 2017 Super Rugby campaign against the Hurricanes in Tokyo on Saturday, spare a thought for some of the Sunwolves players, and a number of others in the Asia Rugby region. Unions such as Hong Kong, Korea and Sri Lanka, who must adapt from current to amended laws, or back, depending on which competition they play in, until 31 July.
Whilst all of the Asia Rugby region, apart from Indonesia, sits in the Northern Hemisphere, some National Men’s 7s and 15s team players from these four unions, have to understand and adapt to the law changes being trialled in the World Rugby Sevens Series since December last year and, for 15s, in the Southern Hemisphere since 1 January. This is because some of them may play in Super Rugby (15s trial laws) from tomorrow; and then in the Asia Rugby Championship (current 15s laws) from May to June, or in the Sevens World Series (7s trial laws) in Hong Kong, Singapore in April, and then in Asia Rugby Division 1 (current 15s laws) in May.
Hats off to the players and coaches for getting their heads around such challenges. They would probably make good referees, should they wish to pick up the whistle.
The sevens trial laws started in Asia at the Dubai 7s back in December. Five other changes to law will be seen in Asia – via Super Rugby in Tokyo – for the first time tomorrow, covering front-row replacements, advantage, touch, penalty tries and time-keeping. World Rugby’s Rugby Committee Chairman John Jeffrey says “the changes are designed to improve the experience of those playing and watching the game at all levels and to avoid negative play where possible”.
The law changes, which will come into effect across the entire Asia Rugby region from 1 August 2017, are:
Law 3 Number of Players – The Team
3.6 (Uncontested Scrums)
Add (h) Uncontested scrums as a result of a sending off, temporary suspension or injury must be played with eight players per side.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from going to uncontested scrums.
Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7(e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.
Law 8 Advantage
Add to 8.1(a) When there are multiple penalty infringements by the same team, the referee may allow the captain of the non-offending team to choose the most advantageous of the penalty marks.
Reasoning: To discourage repeat offending when advantage is already being played and to reward teams against whom repeat offending has taken place.
Law 9 Method of Scoring
9.A.1 (points values)
Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded. No conversion is attempted.
Value: 7 points
Reasoning: To discourage teams from illegally preventing a probable try from being scored while also saving time on the clock by negating the need for a conversion.
Law 19 Touch and Lineout
Add to definitions on page 117:
- A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.
Reasoning: This brings into law something that is already applied in practice. It means that a player “juggling” the ball does not have to be in contact with it at the exact moment of touching the touchline or the ground beyond it for the ball to be deemed to be in touch. This makes it easier for the match officials to adjudicate.
Amend eighth definition on page 117:
- If a player jumps and knocks the ball back into the playing area (or if that player catches the ball and throws it back into the playing area) before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, play continues regardless of whether the ball reaches the plane of touch.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
Add to definitions on page 117:
- If the ball-carrier reaches the plane of touch but returns the ball to the playing area without first landing in touch, play continues.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
Add to sixth definition on page 117:
- In this case, if the ball has passed the plane of touch when it is caught, then the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch. If the ball has not passed the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, then the catcher is deemed to have taken the ball into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
With the exception of the change to Law 3, which is only for 15s, all these trials apply equally to 15s and 7s.
The following law changes are being trialled in the Sevens World Series only:
- Finals should last no longer than seven minutes each half (rationale is player welfare – the evidence shows that a disproportionate number of injuries take place in the second half of finals. Injuries per minute are higher in the second half of finals as opposed to the first half and throughout normal matches of seven minutes each way.)
- Referee Video Referral (RVR) to be taken out of on-field referees’ hands with the ultimate decision being taken by the TMO – often difficult to see the screen and make a call. The RVR protocol remains unchanged. The TMO will be one of the pool of tournament referees
- The restart kick must be taken within 30 seconds of a penalty kick or dropped goal being attempted where the kick is successful or goes dead.
- Teams must form a lineout within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the place where the throw-in will take place.
- Teams must be ready to form a scrum within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the mark of the scrum.
- A penalty or free-kick must be taken within 30 seconds of being awarded.
