'Don't anticipate any law changes': Premiership, RFU and WRU set to ignore World Rugby's 10 Covid laws
World Rugby’s ten optional law trials won’t be implemented in England or Wales to help the sport return to playing in the Covid-19 era. Super Rugby in New Zealand will restart on June 13 with the same laws it had when it was suspended in March. And the Gallagher Premiership have now suggested it will do likewise if it does get the go-ahead to restart its stalled 2019/20 campaign.
The general feeling is that it would be unwieldy to restart the tournament with an altered set of laws different from what had been in use in the first part of the campaign, particularly the tweaks regarding the scrum and maul.
A Premiership Rugby spokesperson said in the Telegraph: “We are undertaking a review of all aspects of the game to ensure the safe return of Gallagher Premiership Rugby, but don’t anticipate any law changes.”
Premiership Rugby suffered a setback last week in its efforts to have its clubs return to training, but with lockdown measures in England set to move into a new phase of lifting restrictions, there is hope that a full set of guidelines will be established by the time the clubs next meet late next week.
World Rugby’s law review group apparently conducted an analysis of 60 matches before deciding on its ten optional law change recommendations aimed at reducing Covid-19 transmission risk.
However, amid criticism that they alter the spirit and the look of rugby as it has been known, they have so far not been warmly received.
Aside from the Premiership stating that their tournament will not adopt any of the proposed law changes, the RFU and the WRU have also hinted they too would be giving the recommendations a wide berth as they formulate plans for the safe return of grassroots rugby for the 2020/21 season.
“The RFU has its own review underway looking at the options for a return to training and return to play rugby for clubs in England,” said an RFU spokesperson. “When government advice on social distancing measures are eased, specific RFU guidance will be announced and provided to clubs.”
The WRU agreed, their chairman Gareth Davies stating in a BBC interview: “I’m not a fan. I think it eats away at the integrity of the game. “There are a couple of positives there. Looking at the scrum, it would be great if we could put something in place long-term… (but) at the moment, our union has no firm plans to implement them.”
“We’re at a pivotal point… football can be played with the highest level of beauty at an unbelievable standard, but you can also play it at 60 having a kick around. You can't do that with rugby"
– Keith Wood talks to @chrisjonespress ???https://t.co/Eb0S9pG4Gb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 27, 2020
World Rugby had always intended that these laws changes were optional and were up to individual unions to adopt or ignore. “It’s not going to be forced upon people,” said chief medical officer Martin Raftery in a midweek interview.
“It’s just going to say, ‘Here’s the research we found. If you think you want to trial it, by all means you can trial it’. That doesn’t mean a country who has a low risk can’t adopt it and trial it as well. That’s up to the actual competitions to make that decision.”
WORLD RUGBY’S 10 OPTIONAL LAW CHANGES
SCRUM
1. Remove reset scrum when no infringement occurs;
2. Hookers must use a ‘break foot’ to aid scrum stability;
3. No scrum option for a penalty or free-kick;
4. Goal-line drop-out when an attacker is held up in-goal or knock on in-goal.
TACKLE
5. Reinforce high tackle sanction framework – the introduction of an orange card for red card high tackle offence;
6. Remove choke tackle and reward defensive team.
RUCK
7. Ruck ‘use it’ duration time reduced from five to three seconds;
8. No scrum for failure to ‘use it’ at scrum, ruck or maul.
MAUL
9. No one can join a maul if not in it from the start;
10. Only one forward movement at a maul.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments