Reduction in subs among World Rugby's latest law review proposals
World Rugby will take the first steps towards potential player welfare-based law amendments when its Law Review Group (LRG) meets in London on Thursday and Friday to evaluate law trial proposals for the next Rugby World Cup cycle.
The meeting of law experts, players, coaches, referees and elite competition representatives furthers World Rugby’s collaborative approach to injury-prevention within the process of law review and builds on the success of the player welfare and laws symposium in Marcoussis in France in March.
At the Marcoussis meeting, delegates considered the latest global game and injury trends. Headline game analysis data confirmed ball in play time has increased by up to 50 per cent since 1987 (greater increases in northern hemisphere competitions), while the number of tackles has increased by 252 per cent over the same period. Scrums have decreased by 56 per cent.
With the tackle accounting for 50 per cent of all injuries and 76 per cent of all concussions and 72 per cent of concussions in the tackle occurring to the tackler, the group considered evidence-based ways to reduce injuries in the tackles, resulting in a number of recommendations for the LRG to consider within the law amendment process:
- 50:22 kick proposal: creating space by encouraging players to drop back from the defensive line;
- Reduction in the number of permitted substitutions;
- Off feet at the ruck/players must leave the ball: creating greater contest at the ruck to speed up ball availability;
- Delaying the movement of the ruck defensive line: reduce defensive line speed;
- Lowering the tackle height: building on World Rugby’s three-phase approach;
- Ability to review a yellow card when a player is in the sin bin for dangerous foul play.
I look forward to collaborating with my union colleagues later this week to consider potential injury-prevention law trials for post RWC 2019 https://t.co/xHf1r0Ycmk #rugby via @worldrugby
— Sir Bill Beaumont (@BillBeaumont) June 25, 2019
The LRG will examine each proposal and make recommendations to the international federation’s Rugby Committee as to which proposals are suitable for trial.
Alongside the six Marcoussis proposals, the LRG will also consider detailed proposals from the Fédération Française de Rugby regarding the tackle and a number of proposals in relation to the sevens game and Rugby X competition, which will launch in October this year.
The group will also consider the latest data from the recent World Rugby Under-20 Championship where a high tackle technique warning system operated, focusing on removing high-risk tackles by encouraging player behaviour change. The 2018 edition resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in concussions year-on-year.
World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont and CEO Brett Gosper discuss this week's ‘Shaping the game’ symposium in Marcoussis, France, where important discussions on player welfare and laws took place. pic.twitter.com/N5x8wvl0Tc
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) March 21, 2019
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: “We are committed to ensuring that rugby is as simple and safe to play for all and the quadrennial law review process is the vehicle in which we review current law with a view to enhancing the experience for players and fans.
“This is the first time that we have kick-started the process with the sole purpose of injury-prevention and the Law Review Group will give detailed consideration and analysis of the Marcoussis recommendations and to determine practicality and likely impact and therefore which ideas, if any, would be suitable for trial recommendation after Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.”
LRG and Rugby Committee chairman John Jeffrey added: “I’m looking forward to welcoming delegates for what will be an important and informative meeting and would like to thank unions, competitions and International Rugby Players for their continued full support of the process.
With a key player welfare symposium taking place in Paris this week to consider the latest game playing and injury trends, hear from World Rugby CEO @brettgosper on the importance of this week's meetings. pic.twitter.com/h1HPCLXMGd
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) March 18, 2019
“By the end of the week we will have a clear mandate to take forward to the Rugby Committee in terms of the law amendments and trials for potential implementation within the next four-year cycle.”
World Rugby deputy chief medical officer Dr Eanna Falvey said: “While community and youth injury rates are comparable to other mass-participation sports, overall elite level injury-rates are not increasing and concussion incidence has decreased by between 10-14 per cent in the last year, the game is united in its commitment to further reduce the risk of injury.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to place injury-prevention at the heart of the law review process, ensuring that research and evidence continues to inform the major decisions that are made about the playing of the game in order that players at all levels of the game benefit.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments