IRB announces global trial of ELVs

[An Tarbh]

IRB announces global trial of ELVs

ELVs relating to the lineout will be trialled wordwide

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

Note

Those SANZAR Unions that are currently experimenting with ELV trials in the Southern Hemisphere - in competitions such as Super 14 and Vodacom Cup - will be allowed to continue those trials including the sanctions ELVs until the end of the global trial of the approved ELVs (August 1, 2009).

IRB

 

[shtove]

Not sure about the lineout, and I don't like the idea of pulling down the maul, but the most controversial ones have been put on the long finger - handling in rucks and tackle offside line.

 

[Prestwick]

Ouch! Well, this is going to be interesting. Can't wait to see what happens when the first mauls are pulled down. At least they've gotten rid of the horrible offside lines at the tackle and at least they've approved all the modifications to the line-out rules. No more anti-climaxes thanks to incorrect numbers at the line out, here we come!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Thankfully most of the ridiculous law changes have been parked. I'm guessing the Challenge Cup will be the European tournament to trial the 10 laws which haven't been universally trialled.

I like most of the law changes being implemented with the exception of collapsing the maul (however I won't criticize it until I see it in action). These laws merely tweak the game (rather than tear it apart and rebuild it) and should help promote more attacking rugby.

 

[Prestwick]

The BBC seems to think so:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7378416.stm

Confirmation of the plans are:

-----------------

Changes to be trialled worldwide include:

# Players can defend a maul by pulling it down.

# Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.

# 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 two metres back from the lineout.

# Flags are no longer considered to be in touch in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post.

-----------------------

Further ELVs to be trialled in an elite northern hemisphere competition, expected to be the European Challenge Cup, include:

# For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a free kick.

# If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a free kick.

# If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a free kick.

-------------------------

I call fudge! A horrible one at that too as its sold as a "unanimous approval" from reps, of which the iRB said "not one of the Council representatives was against the global implementation of an ELV programme of some description."

What they mean is:

...after long, tense and muddling negotiations, our members have come to a protracted agreement which will satisfy nobody in any of the major parties representing either the Northern or Southern hemispheres and will indeed cause fractious debate and bitter recriminations until the next fudg- er I mean meeting takes place next year...[/b]

Still though, I can't wait to watch my first uninterrupted line out (barring non-straight throws of course...)

EDIT: Who thinks theres going to be a huddle of coaching staff to develop a safe way of pulling down a maul?

 

[Steve-o]

I don't think the pulling down a maul law is gonna stick around for too long.

 

[fcukernaut]

Pulling down the maul is ****, and the free kicks should be universally implemented. But in all honesty, that's a pretty good start.

 

[Cymro]

For christ sake ... they actaully are trailing the ones I said that were acceptable!

But for pulling down the maul's have they not realised that injuries sustained like myself could easily occur in these situations!

Fool's I say ... Fool's

But I like the ones they have introduced anyway!

 

[Prestwick]

Don't worry, Paddy O'Brien says theres no evidence to suggest that injuries occur when a maul is pulled down...

...he appears to be the only person to be pushing this particular rule.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

AHHHHHH HERE IT GOES </Keenan and Kel>

 

[Cymro]

Don't worry, Paddy O'Brien says theres no evidence to suggest that injuries occur when a maul is pulled down...

...he appears to be the only person to be pushing this particular rule. [/b]

Cant wait to someone seriously injure themselves and wait for Mr O'Brien's response!

 

[Fushitsusha]

I really think they should've kept it in line with the Super 14 and NOT included the pulling down of the maul and hands in the ruck.

Rucks in the ARC were just ridiculous.

 

[O'Rothlain]

Anyone remember me saying something about me hating the idea of pulling down mauls?

I HATE THE IDEA OF PULLING DOWN MAULS!!!!!

Other than that, experiment away you crazy iRB ********!

Does anyone think pulling down the maul is a good idea? ANYONE? I've yet to hear a "Gee Gosh Golly, I love the idea of pulling down mauls!" It's like day one what you are taught..."Don't pull down a maul, it's dangerous and illegal."

 

[Fushitsusha]

I think pulling down a maul is stupid... I think if you're good enough to defend a maul you can do it without having to pull it down...

I'm more concerned with everybody who is on their feet being able to put their hands in the ruck... it turns the ruck into a big ugly mess and will lead to more free kicks in a game....

 

[sanzar]

****, and after 'gingergenius' had made up his mind that the Northen Hemesphere wasn't ever going to implement them... and there I was thinking uninformed 18 year olds made all the decisions for the NH. Though on a more serious note it seems I was half right - apparently it's uninformed old farts that are making the decisions.
I mean I'm glad they're trial some of them, globally, but I personally think that a there are a few in there that have already been proven either negative or unworkable throughout the S14... and then stuff like hands in the ruck or pulling the mauls down? I don't think I've read a single positive comment either official or just on these boards about that.

 

[C A Iversen]

Well, when I saw this on the news I thought to myself, "More than a few NH people on forum are going to spend a few weeks denying that they ever said they wouldn't be implemented". Then I had a damn good laugh.

By the way, pulling down mauls is only ridiculous on every conceivable level.

 

[Ripper]

Paddy was a great ref for the most part, but ever since he's become an admin his brain has turned to mush.

 

[BLR]

By the way, pulling down mauls is only ridiculous on every conceivable level.
[/b]

Apparently it's brilliant on a molecular level. :bana:

On a serious note...I didn't doubt that the IRB would bring the laws into trial in the NH. Cooler heads prevailed and didn't listen to the trash media were throwing out...are you positive that the pulling down of the mauls and hands in the ruck are being implemented in the north?

It says world wide the maul rule will be implemented yet not in the NH....so where are they going to trial it?

EDIT:Re-read the article on another website and saw the NH section means on top of the entire world laws....seems you northerners got the short end of the stick for all your belly aching, or the people in change of your Unions are more incompetant that ours. :bleh!:

 

[paretrooper]

 

[C A Iversen]

I've just re-heard things again on our evening news and yes, they are legalising the pulling down of mauls.

This is going to be bad enough at a professional level, but when it comes up at amateur club level there will almost certainly be some majorly damaging, if not paralysing incidents.

Aside from the obvious danger, this could kill the beauty of a well performed rolling maul. It may be that a maul never moves more than 5m ever again. That's at most. They'll be being pulled down almost immediately.