ELVs and the scrum laws
The Experimental Law Variations to be introduced into the Super 14 in two months’ time affect the scrums.
Some infringements which are penalties at present will become free kicks when they concern forming up the scrum and to playing the ball in the scrum but the big change will be behind the scrum as the off-side line for backlines moves back five metres.
1. Forming the scrum
Here were are dealing with Law 20.1 and 20.3.
The following are the possible changes:
Law 20.1 (f) Number of players: eight. A scrum must have eight players from each team. All eight players must stay bound to the scrum until it ends. Each front row must have three players in it, no more and no less. Two locks must form the second row.
Penalty: Free Kick
Exception : When a team is reduced to fewer than fifteen for any reason, then the number of players of each team in the scrum may be similarly reduced. Where a permitted reduction is made by one team, there is no requirement for the other team to make a similar reduction. However, a team must not have fewer than five players in the scrum.
Penalty: Free Kick
20.3 BINDING IN THE SCRUM
(a) Binding by all front row players. All front row players must bind firmly and continuously from the start to the finish of the
scrum.
Penalty: Free Kick
(b) Binding by hookers. The hooker may bind either over or under the arms of the props. The props must not support the hooker so that the hooker has no weight on either foot.
Penalty: Free Kick
(c) Binding by loose head props. A loose head prop must bind on the opposing tight head prop by placing the left arm inside the right arm of the tight head and gripping the tight head prop’s jersey on the back or side. The loose head prop must not grip the chest, arm, sleeve or collar of the opposition tight head prop. The loose head prop must not exert any downward pressure.
Penalty: Free Kick
(d) Binding by tight head props. A tight head prop must bind on the opposing loose head prop by placing the right arm outside the left upper arm of the opposing loose head prop. The tight head prop must grip the loose head prop’s jersey with the right hand only on the back or side. The tight head prop must not grip the chest, arm, sleeve or collar of the opposition loose head prop. The tight head prop must not exert any downward pressure.
Penalty: Free Kick
(f) Binding by all other players. All players in a scrum, other than front-row players, must bind on a lock’s body with at least
one arm. The locks must bind with the props in front of them. No player other than a prop may hold an opponent.
Penalty: Free Kick
2. Playing the ball.
Handling in a scrum is no longer the mortal sin it used to be.
Law 20.9 SCRUM – GENERAL RESTRICTIONS
(b) All players: Handling in the scrum. Players must not handle the ball in the scrum or pick it up with their legs.
Penalty: Free Kick
(e) All players: No falling on the ball. A player must not fall on or over the ball as it is coming out of the scrum.
Penalty: Free Kick
(g) Scrum half: Kicking in the scrum. A scrum half must not kick the ball while it is in the scrum.
Penalty: Free Kick
3. Off-side
This is the big change.
Law 20.12 has defined the off-side line for backs as follows:
Law 20.12 OFF-SIDE AT THE SCRUM DEFINITION
At a scrum, the off-side line for the scrum-halves runs through the line of the ball in the scrum. For every other player the off-side line runs through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum. If the hindmost foot of a team is on or behind that team’s goal-line, the off-side line is the goal-line. The off-side lines are parallel to the goal-lines. The purpose of the scrum off-side law is to ensure that, until the scrum ends, the team winning the ball has a clear space in which to make use of it.
Low 20.12 (d) The scrum half whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move to the opposite side of the scrum and overstep the offside line running through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum.
Law 20.12 (g) now would change that
Law 20.12 (g) Offside for players not in the scrum. Players who are not in the scrum and who are not the team’s scrum-half, are offside if they remain in front of their offside line or overstep the offside line which is a line parallel to the goal lines and 5 metres from the hindmost player of each team in a scrum.
Penalty: Penalty Kick on the offside line
That is a big change in the way the game will be played.
