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!

Penis Theft Panic Hits City…. 
 

You couldn’t make it up!

Well, here I am again, ensconced in my favourite hotel outside Exeter for the second of three consecutive trips down this way. Don’t mind, but the roads from my home to here aren’t of motorway quality so its slow miles! Hey ho.

Penultimate league game of the season and looking forward to my third Div 1 game. Had a fun day last weekend in the variable weather that sometimes befits the north Cornwall coast.  Home side threw the game away in the gentleist of ways.  Four trys gifted to their visitors from the north west.  No drama from me. No cards, no controversey – just two 80m intercept tries to keep the lings bursting.

Tomorrow should be good. Nearly top v upper mid table. Ive done both of the sides involve earlier in the season so Im not new to them which is a pretty good way to ease my way into this new division. Still aware of the fact that they are just as likely to “play” me, as well as each other. There’ll be 30 professional players out there and Im sure they’ll have reviewed my appearances with them from earlier in the season.

Will report back on Sunday and let you know how it went!

Happy whistling

Ref

Northern doubts about ELVs

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:09

As northern hemisphere countries show concern about the experimental law variations Ed Morrison, the former Test referee, has issued a warning about their possible detrimental effect on grassroots rugby.

Morrison, who refereed the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final and has been involved in refereeing matters ever since, takes over as England’s head of elite referee development in June. He said:  “We mustn’t ignore what impact these changes might have on the community end of the game. 

“The vast majority of rugby is played by recreational players and we have to be very clear in our mind on what effect these law changes might have on their game.  They are incredibly important to our future.”

Representatives from the Six Nations met on Tuesday to discuss the Northern Hemisphere’s position on the IRB’s new ELVs.

According to Morrison, most of the Unions shared England’s cautious view.  “we’ve been going through a review process over last few months looking at each individual law and trying to work out what effect they would have on the game – not just at elite level.

“There’s been a whole host of experimenting being going on. But it’s only recently the IRB put forward a whole set of ELVs that they want to trial globally.

“We do support a number of the changes that the IRB are contemplating.  There are some other ones that we have concerns and reservations over.

“We’re not too concerned about the speed of the changes that we support.  What we are worrying about are the areas that we’re concerned will affect the game.”

The IRB Council will meet on 1 May to determine whether Northern Hemisphere Unions implement the ELVs.

“What we don’t know is what individual law experiments each Union will consider to be acceptable.  All we’re concerned about is that we don’t damage the potential that confronts the game.  This game has so many attractions on and off the field, we have to be 100% sure that we don’t diminish these prospects.”