Joe Schmidt, World Rugby`s Director of Rugby and High Performance, added: “The scrutiny of the laws is fundamental to an ever-evolving sport and at the heart of our efforts to make rugby as safe and accessible as possible. This process has been truly collaborative, bringing together coaches, players, official, legal and medical experts to reflect on the future of the sport. Mark Harrington, Chief Player Welfare and Rugby Services Officer at World Rugby, added: “Assessing laws is an important facet of our holistic approach to reducing the risk of injury in sport, and we continuously monitor, review and develop the laws of the game with the aim of making rugby as easy and safe as possible. Three studies focus specifically on reducing the risk of injury during failure after a thorough evaluation by a ventilation working group. The first provides for the punishment of mine clearance of the lower limbs. The second will prohibit the practice of multiplayer pre-linked pods (three or more). The third area will tighten the definition of what is allowed in the practice of single-player locking. Law 18.8a amends. Where I can, it will promote attacking rugby. The downside is that there will be consistent lineups and I think that will slow down the game. Especially at the base! Banning flying wedges and pre-linking are proactive safety laws and I support safety in the game. (However, the Australian winger should NOT have had a “red” against the France after the “dived” number 8.) The five trials were considered positive for positively improving safety and entertainment and were unanimously approved by Council.
You are: The World Rugby Council today unanimously decided to enact five global wellbeing studies from 1 July. The new laws mean that the upcoming Women`s and Men`s Rugby World Cups will include the current set of global welfare procedures, including 50-22 and goal-line failure. Dan talks to RFU national referee Adam Wookey about changes to age tackle height, ball load height laws as well as new 50:22 scrums and retirements instead of 5m scrums, which are being tested in international rugby. MORE As rugby is united in its mission to be the most advanced sport for the welfare of players, the package of five laws was adopted with a view to advancing welfare and after a year-long global testing period during which every player at all levels could play and have their say. “I would like to thank all players, coaches and health professionals at all levels for their participation and feedback on this study – your views are important to us and we will continue to consult with you as we work together to cement rugby as the most advanced sport for player wellbeing.” The legislative changes will be tested worldwide in competitions starting August 1, 2021. Trials under international law apply to competitions that begin on or after August 1, 2021 The processes will take one year before being reviewed. Those that achieve the goal of increasing safety while improving the spectacle will be submitted to the Council for decision to come into force at its May 2022 meeting, one year before the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. “We never stand still when it comes to wellbeing, and in addition to this important work, we are close to completing a groundbreaking study into the frequency and nature of headbutts in community and elite rugby in partnership with the University of Otago and the University of Ulster, which continues the women-specific research and validation of contact training tips published last year. All of these priority areas will influence the decisions we make to promote player welfare at all levels of the game. “Most of these studies emerged from the 2018 Symposium on Player Welfare and Laws and reflect the sport`s united and unwavering intent to protect players at all levels. Each new law has been developed with expert input and reflects an evidence-based approach to reducing riskier behaviour by changing the nature of the game`s contact surface or reducing overall contact in a play situation.