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World Rugby plan to amend controversial 'Dupont Law'
World Rugby have revealed a list of law amendments and trials that will be considered by the World Rugby Council at its May 9 meeting.
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An extensive series of changes have been put forward, with the objective of growing “relevance and accessibility among a broader, younger audience,” by focussing on “enhancing ball in flow, reducing stoppages and increasing welfare outcomes.” This comes following the ‘Shape of the Game’ forum earlier this month.
Among the list of amendments is a planned adjustment to Law 10, or the loophole in the law that has colloquially become known as the ‘Dupont Law’.
Law 10.7bi states that “an offside player can be put onside when an opponent of that player carries the ball five metres,” which has led to strange kicking stalemates with a legion of players camped in the middle of the field waiting to be put onside by their opponent.
This kicking tennis battle was seen during the Guinness Six Nations, and World Rugby now seek to make adjustments to the law as seen in Super Rugby Pacific this season.
Alongside this amendment, World Rugby have proposed outlawing the ‘croc roll’ to improve player welfare. This rucking technique, whereby a player is rolled sideways from a ruck rather than driven backwards, has resulted in serious knee injuries in recent years.
The final amendment is to remove the scrum option from a free-kick to save time.
A series of closed law trials that can be implemented at “domestic and cross-border level” have also been introduced.
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The trials include an expansion of the shot clock for scrum and lineouts and reduced kicking time, marking the ball from a restart, playing the ball after a maul has been stopped once, greater protection of the No9 at the base of the scrum, ruck and at the maul, and finally being able to play on if a throw-in is not straight at the lineout if it is uncontested.
From March 19, referees will also be expected to be stricter in enforcing three current laws- the ‘use it’ call at the breakdown, a hooker’s brake foot at the scrum and the 2022 law regarding water carriers entering the field of play.
The 20-minute red card sanction that has been trialled in various competitions will also be explored further by specialist working groups, amid of list of additional changes to the laws.
With the aim of making the game safer, the specialist working groups will look into potential changes to the current tackle height and the way the breakdown is contested, together with altering the timing and number of replacements that can be made.
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The role of the bench is becoming increasingly vital in rugby, with teams breaking away from the traditional split of five forwards and three backs on the bench to a more physical six forwards and two backs, or even seven forwards and one back, which was famously deployed by South Africa in the World Cup final last year.
Another topic that has received much attention in recent weeks is the role of the television match official, which is why the remit for the TMO protocol will be under review. This comes after France’s win over Scotland in the Six Nations hinged on a TMO decision in the final play of the match, which has led to calls for changes in the role and power that a TMO has.
Comments on RugbyPass
The level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
215 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
8 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
36 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
11 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
36 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
3 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
7 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
215 Go to commentsSux that homophobia is still a thing though. I wonder how many players who could have become legends never kept playing rugby because they felt unwelcome.
7 Go to commentsCrazy he’s only 28, feel like he’s been around forever - don’t mind the move, safe pair of hands and creates depth in a thin position for ABs. Hopefully aides Kemara’s growth also without thrusting too much responsibility on him
1 Go to commentsMen should show strength and be mean, but they should be able to show emotion to those close yo them in certain times, birth of your child, death of family, proud moment. This article is stupid
7 Go to commentsWhat a weak article…absolute drivel and clickbait, well done. Will stick to rugby365 thanks
7 Go to commentsHonest, discipline, humility… Priceless.
2 Go to commentsSo many excuses. No mention of the SA number 2 being taken out illegally in the 2nd minute. That act of foul play had a massive impact on the SA game. Face it, NZ play pretty dirty very regularly, and it’s only since 2016 they’ve been held to higher officiating standards via stricter officiating and TMO reviews. They deserved to have a man down. Sorry. Fix the yellow and red cards and NZ will win more RWCs. Plus, there WAS a knock on invalidating the one try, so it was NOT a try. Period. Here’s a Kleenex…
215 Go to commentsOverheard conversation between NZ and SA rugby fans everywhere: We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! We’re the greatest! No we’re the greatest! Ireland are arrogant! True but they beat you! We’re the greatest! No! we’re the greatest! Etc. etc, etc.
36 Go to commentsTypical crap Aussie weather
11 Go to comments“If they’d have beaten England, I still feel we would have been talking ‘is this the best team ever,’ ‘is this the best team that’s ever played in the Six Nations'” he said. “I still think they’re not quite that good. I actually don’t think they’re that good.” So Trimble is saying he doesn’t think this is the best 6N team of all time. He is silent on if it is the best Irish team of all time. Can’t disagree with him. Just another misrepresentative clickbait headline from the guys at RP.
36 Go to commentsWow, do we really still have to listen to all the excuses and “unfairness” of it all. Even blaming the bounce of an egg shaped ball for the loss. But the article is about context, so what about the Springboks having to play the other 5 teams in the top 6 and still beating a comparatively rested AB team on a very empty tank.
215 Go to comments“Teams would generally have three coaches below their head honcho; attack coach, defence coach, forwards coach” do they? I’m not sure what the NZ set up is tbh, but the other 4 sides top 5 sides all have very different structures to the one outlined in the article! As well as attack, defence, and forwards coaches, SA, Ireland, and France also have specialist scrum coaches. England have a specialist scrum coach too, but arguably don’t have a forwards coach, with that role taken on by Borthwick. SA also have a backs coach in addition to defence and attack, and Ireland and England have fitness coaches, with England also having two skills coaches.
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