Today I am feeling old (it’s my birthday), but also rather pleased that in December, there will be a little ref within the community.

Refblog is going to be a daddy!

Well, they’ve decided which ones not to go for:

RFU take action over ELVs in interests of youth game by RFU Press Office     RFU Press Release June 2, 2008 The RFU Management Board has carefully considered a recommendation of the RFU Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) Implementation Task Group regarding introduction of some of the ELVs into the youth game in England. The Management Board has approved the recommendation of the ELV Task Group that ELV 2 (shoulders must not be lower than the hips at the maul) and ELV 3 (pulling down the maul) should not be trialled in England at Under 19 level and below until:   • It has been demonstrated to be safe in the adult game; • The results of trials currently taking place in South Africa have been properly analysed by the iRB with specific reference to the safety of pulling down the maul at all rugby played at U19 and below; • Agreement has been reached on the safest method to pull down the maul and appropriate coaching techniques have been developed. • Sufficient time is allowed for the safest method and the appropriate coaching techniques to be communicated to all those involved in rugby at U19 level and below.The RFU will now discuss the issues that may arise with age grade cross-border competitions where other Unions are trialling ELV 2 & 3 with the IRB and affected Unions. However, the interests of young players and the safety concerns expressed by the game will take precedence. RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron OBE said: “We have received a large number of letters from the youth game expressing serious concerns over the introduction of some of the ELVs in the youth game. “It is established practice that Unions can apply variations to the Laws at youth level and many Unions exercise their rights in this respect. The RFU intends to exercise its rights in respect of the ELVs of concern to us and the game in England following discussion with the IRB and other affected Unions.” Ends

Well, a year after it started, my season just ended. Seems like forever ago since I jetted off to Durban for the start of my season.  Now, it’s June 1st and I’m sitting here after a day at HQ, after a great experience at the County Championship Final and the England BaaBaa’s game. Well the first was better than the second.  I was chief clipboard operator for the CCF looking after two benches and a nice man from Sky. It’s a whole new world when the TV people get involved. Everything goes on their times and their systems. You do, what they say. No injury time. No play on the sponsors logo blah blah blah.

I’m going to have 24 hours off before my pre-season kicks in. I already had my 2 weeks off and I’ve set myself a few targets for the summer:

1) To lose a stone

2) To do my first ever 10k.

Never done either (obviously!) so both will be interesting.  Im doing the Great Yorkshire Run on Sept 7th so Im hoping the training Imgoing to be doing will assist with point 1!

Also signed myself up (kind of) for some summer 7s down here in sunny Hampshire so that will help with the improvement in my sprint speed that Id like to work on.

Will keep on blogging over the summer so keep checking back in!

Apologies for going awol recently.  Seems to have had some issues with the domain people. All sorted now. Wish I understood all the technicalities involved in websites and domain names and nameservers or whatever they all are.

Anyway, all seems to be sorted now.

All well out there? Enjoying the off-season?

….. I will mainly be at Twickenham watching the IRB 7s. Naturally I will have my kit in the boot just in case…..

I’m also celebrating my impending brithday with a small groupette of chums. If any of you, dear readers, are going drop me a line.

Have a good weekend

…  well almost!

Sorry for the last two weeks shortage of posts. It’s been one of those busy periods we all go through. The County Champs games have surprised me, I must say. The two games Ive done have been good solid games – albeit last weekend’s affairs turning to a damp squib after 61 mins when we had to go uncontested scrums.

Lesson learnt from my view with the way the situation was dealt with. The heat meant we had water breaks and the 2nd half one was taken up trying to explain to the home side’s coach who didn’t get that we were trying to advise him of the County Cup Regs.  It was 20-21 at the time andthe home side prop was struggling with injury. They had already replaced the other one, but only had another hooker on the bench.  We were trying to explain that the regs said that you had to keep a contested scrum on the second time an FR was required and as they couldn’t the regs could be deemed to have been breached and the Cttee would have to make a call.  As it happens, they lost 31-20 in the end so problems averted.

My Number 1 TJ put it so much clearer than I – must be clearer and confident in the future.  

Apart from that, it  all went well. No controversy, the right sides won and no-one had any problems with yours truly – mission accomplished.

Looking forward to a week off, before the IRB7s at HQ next weekend (spectator!) and the will be Number 4 for the County Champs Final on 1 June. Then 6 weeks off before it all starts again at HQ, hopefully at the Middlesex 7s on 16 August!

Fresh from Rugby House. Congrats to them both:

The International Rugby Board Council today announced that it had approved a global trial of Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) for a 12 month period starting on August 1, 2008. The trial at all levels of the Game will involve 13 of the 23 ELVs that have been undergoing experimentation in approved tournaments around the world over the last two years.

“The Council’s decision to implement a global trial of Experimental Law Variations represents an important milestone for the future of the Game. It vindicates the process that was adopted by Council in 2004 for future Law amendments. The Council congratulated the Law Project Group on its unprecedented work over the past two years,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“It was also agreed that the sanctions ELVs (reduction of sanctions to free kicks from penalty kicks where possible) that were not approved for global trials would be further trialled in a selected elite Northern Hemisphere competition in the 2008/09 season.”

“The Southern Hemisphere will continue to play under the various ELV programme environments that exist in that part of the world at present. It would be unfair to change the playing environment under which countries in the south are currently playing in competitions such as the Super 14.”

“Not one of the Council representatives was against the global implementation of an ELV programme of some description. Many of the ELVs received unanimous approval as they had clearly shown potential to be beneficial to the Game thus meriting a further trial at all levels around the world.”

“The Laws Project Group had recommended a global trial of all of the ELVs but there were differing opinions between the Council Members on some of the ELVs in the area of the tackle and ruck, maul, sanctions and offside. The key point here was that the Members did not dismiss these ELVs outright but believed that further consideration and trials were necessary.”

“This is particularly true of the sanctions ELVs which have not been trialled by senior Unions in the north but which have been received favourably by players and coaches that have played under them in the Southern Hemisphere.”

“The Laws Project Group has been tasked to closely monitor the global trial with the assistance of its Member Unions. It will also work with the Senior Unions in the north to deliver and analyse the sanctions ELVs in an elite Northern Hemisphere Competition.”

“In November 2009 Council will review all the ELVs that will undergo global trial, along with the sanctions ELVs that will undergo approved trials in specific competitions. Council will then decide at this meeting if all or any of the ELVs should be accepted into full Law,” added Mr Lapasset.

ELVs to be trialled worldwide

Assistant Referees

• Assistant Referees can assist referees in any manner required when appointed by a match organiser

Posts and flags around the field

• The corner posts are no longer considered to be in touch in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post

Lineout and throw

• If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground
• A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line
• There is no restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two)
• The receiver in a lineout must stand 2 metres back from the lineout
• The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball may stand in the area between the 5 metre line and touch line but must be 2 metres away from the lineout
• Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in
• The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted

Maul

• Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down
• Remove reference in Law to heads and shoulders not to be lower than hips

Scrum

• Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum
• Scrum half offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum as present Law or must retreat five metres)

ELVs to be trialled in an elite Northern Hemisphere competition

Sanctions

• For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 – Foul Play, the sanction is a Free Kick

Tackle and ruck

• If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a Free Kick

Maul

• If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a Free Kick

ELVs to be referred back to LPG for further analysis and possible experimentation

Lineout and throw

• Incorrect throw (not straight) the sanction is a Free Kick

Tackle and ruck

• Offside line occurs immediately at the tackle
• Players who are on their feet can play the ball with their hands
• There are two Penalty Kicks warded at the tackle and ruck – offside and foul play
• Reference to unfair play added to Law 15 (tackle: ball carrier brought to ground)

Offside

• Players are only put onside after a tackle when they retreat past the tackle or the ball has moved five metres away from the tackle

Kick-off and restart kicks

• Incorrect kick-offs and restart kicks result in a Free Kick for the opposition

Let the discussions begin!