Law Changes 2016
LAW 3 – P37 [NEW]
3.5 THE FRONT ROW – REPLACEMENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS (a) It is the team’s responsibility to ensure that all front-row players and potential front-row replacements are suitably trained. It is not for the referee to determine whether any player is suitably trained to play in the front row.
(b) The table below indicates the minimum number of front row players by squad size and the minimum replacement obligations:
Squad size – Minimum number of front-row players in the squad
15 or fewer: 3, who would all be playing at the start of the match.
16, 17 or 18: 4. Must be able to replace at the first time of asking: Either prop or hooker
19, 20, 21 or 22: 5. Must be able to replace at the first time of asking: Either prop or hooker
23: 6. Must be able to replace at the first time of asking: Loose-head prop, tight-head prop and hooker
A Union may, having taken player welfare into account, amend the minimum number of front row players in the squad and the minimum replacement obligations at defined levels of the Game within its jurisdiction.
Where the Union/match organiser has determined squad sizes of 23 and a team is able to nominate only two front row replacements, then that team may nominate only 22 players in their squad.
(c) Prior to the match, each team must advise the referee of their front-row players and potential front-row replacements and only these players may play in the front row when the scrum is contested.
(d) A replacement front-row player may start the match in another position.
[NEW] 3.6 UNCONTESTED SCRUMS – P40
(a) Scrums will become uncontested if either team cannot field a suitably trained front row or if the referee so orders.
(b) Unions/match organisers may determine whether or not a game may start or continue with uncontested scrums.
(c) When a front-row player leaves the playing area, whether through injury or temporary or permanent suspension, the referee will enquire at that time whether the team can continue with contested scrums. If the referee is informed that the team will not be able to contest the scrum then the referee will order uncontested scrums. If the player returns or another front row player comes on then contested scrums may resume.
(d) In a squad of 23 players, or at the discretion of the Union/match organiser, a player whose departure has caused the referee to order uncontested scrums cannot be replaced.
(e) If they are available, a team must have three front row players in the front row at all times. In an uncontested scrum, only when there is no available front-row replacement or substitute is any other player permitted to play in the front row.
(f) If, as a result of a front-row player being temporarily suspended, another player has to be nominated by the team to leave the playing area to enable an available front-row player to come on, the nominated player may not return until the period of suspension ends.
(g) If, as a result of a front-row player being sent off, another player has to be nominated by the team to leave the playing area to enable an available front-row player to come on, the nominated player may act as a replacement/substitute.
PAGES 40 TO 43 3.6 SENT OFF FOR FOUL PLAY becomes 3.7
3.7 PERMANENT REPLACEMENT becomes 3.8
3.8 THE DECISION FOR PERMANENT REPLACEMENT becomes 3.9
3.9 THE REFEREE’S POWER TI STOP AN INJURED PLAYER FROM CONTINUING becomes 3.10
3.10 TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT becomes 3.11 TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT – BLOOD INJURY
P42 [ADD] 3.12 TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT – HEAD INJURY ASSESSMENT
If, at any point during a match, a player is concussed or has suspected concussion, that player must be immediately and permanently removed from the field of play. This is known as “Recognise and Remove”.
In elite adult matches only, which have been approved in advance by World Rugby (pursuant to Regulations 10.1.4 and 10.1.5) for use of the Head Injury Assessment and this temporary replacement procedure, a player who is to have a Head Injury Assessment: • Must leave the field of play; and • Shall be temporarily replaced (even if all of the substitutes/replacements have been used).
This is to allow for the assessment of a player where it is not immediately apparent if the player has concussion or suspected concussion and should be permanently removed from the field of play.
Where such a player has been temporarily replaced: (a) If that player is not presented to a match official on the touchline within ten minutes (actual time) of leaving the field of play to undergo the Head Injury Assessment, the replacement will automatically become permanent and the replaced player is not allowed to return to the field of play.
(b) If the temporary replacement takes place within the ten minutes before half-time, the replacement shall become permanent unless the replaced player returns to the field of play immediately at the start of the second-half.
(c) Unless the temporary replacement becomes permanent, the temporary replacement is prohibited from taking penalty kicks at goal or conversion kicks.
(d) The temporary replacement can be temporarily replaced if the player requires a Head Injury Assessment (even if all of the replacements have been used).
(e) If the temporary replacement is ordered off the field for foul play, the replaced player shall not be allowed to return to the field of play, except in accordance with Law 3.5 (The Front Row – Replacements and Substitutions) and Law 3.14 (Substituted Players Rejoining The Match), and only if the player has been medically cleared to do so and is presented to a match official on the touchline within ten minutes (actual time) of leaving the field of play to undergo the Head Injury Assessment.
(f) If the temporary replacement is cautioned and temporarily suspended, the replaced player is not permitted to return to the field of play until after the period of suspension, except in accordance with Law 3.5 (The Front Row – Replacements and Substitutions) and Law 3.14 (Substituted Players
Rejoining The Match), and only if the player has been medically cleared to do so and is presented to a match official on the touchline within ten minutes (actual time) of leaving the field of play to undergo the Head Injury Assessment.
3.11 PLAYER WISHING TO REJOIN THE MATCH becomes 3.13
3.12 SUBSTITUTED PLAYERS REJOINING THE MATCH becomes 3.14
3.13 ROLLING SUBSTITUTIONS becomes 3.15
P44 Law 4 Definitions Players’ clothing is anything players wear. A player wears a jersey, shorts and underwear, socks and boots. [add] The sleeve of a jersey must extend at least half way from the shoulder point to the elbow. Detailed information relating to the permitted specifications for clothing and studs may be found in World Rugby Specifications (Regulation 12).
4.1 ADDITIONAL ITEMS OF CLOTHING [delete existing] (j) A player may wear a GPS monitor that is fully enclosed in a pouch within the player’s shirt or under vest clothing. The GPS monitor must conform with the specifications outlined in Regulation 12.
[add] (j) A player may wear goggles which must bear the World Rugby Approval Mark (Regulation 12).
P50 LAW 5 5.7 OTHER TIME REGULATIONS [existing (g) becomes (i)]
[add] (g) A team scoring a try near the end of the match may take the conversion kick or not. Providing they decline to take the kick or take the kick within the time remaining, a restart will occur and the match will end at the next stoppage within Law. Time is taken from the strike on the ball.
(h) If there has been a score towards the end of the match and there is time for the restart kick to take place, but time will expire immediately after the kick, and the kicker: • does not kick the ball ten metres • kicks the ball directly into touch • kicks the ball dead on or over the opponents touch-in-goal or dead ball line
the referee will offer the non-offending team the options provided by Law 13.7, 13.8 and 13.9 respectively and the match continues until the ball next becomes dead.
P60 LAW 6 6.C.2 THOSE WHO MAY ENTER THE PLAYING AREA [delete existing text] [add] In the case of injury, only the match doctor and/or the non-playing members of the team who are medically trained (only qualified Doctors or Physiotherapists) may enter the playing area while play continues.
The other non-playing members of the team may enter the playing area while play continues, provided they have permission from the referee. Otherwise, they enter only when the ball is dead. Such persons must not obstruct, interfere or make any comments to the match officials.
[delete] 6.C.3 LIMITS TO ENTERING THE PLAYING AREA
P64 LAW 8 8.3 WHEN THE ADVANTAGE LAW IS NOT APPLIED [delete] 8.3 (d) Collapsed scrum
8.3 (e) becomes 8.3 (d)
8.3 (f) becomes 8.3 (e)
P67 LAW 9 [add new] 9.B.2 DECLINING A CONVERSION KICK (a) The decision to decline the conversion must be relayed by the try scorer to the referee, by saying “No kick” after the award of the try and before the time reaches 00.00.
(b) Once the decision is made to decline the conversion, the referee will award a restart kick. The restart kick will take place regardless of whether or not players were ready at 00.00.
9.B.2 becomes 9.B.3
9.B.3 becomes 9.B.4
P70 LAW 10 10.2 UNFAIR PLAY [add] 10.2 (d) A player must not commit any act that may lead the match officials to consider that that player was subject to foul play or any other type of infringement committed by an opponent. Sanction: Penalty kick
P84 LAW 12 DEFINITION: KNOCK-ON A knock-on occurs when a player loses possession of the ball and it goes forward, or when a player hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or when the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and the ball touches the ground or another player before the original player can catch it.
‘Forward’ means towards the opposing team’s dead ball line.
[add] If a player in tackling an opponent makes contact with the ball and the ball goes forward from the ball carrier’s hands, that is a knock-on.
[add] If a player rips the ball or deliberately knocks the ball from an opponent’s hands and the ball goes forward from the ball carrier’s hands, that is not a knock-on.
P85 DEFINITION: THROW FORWARD [replace with this text] A throw forward occurs when a player throws or passes the ball forward, i.e, if the arms of the player passing the ball move towards the opposing team’s dead ball line.
P127 LAW 19 [replace with this text] 19.4 (b) When the ball goes into touch from a knock-on or throw forward, the non-offending team will have the option of a lineout at the point the ball crossed the touch line, or a scrum at the place of the knock-on or throw forward, or a quick throw in.
[replace with this text] 19.10 (h) Blocking the throw-in. A lineout player must not stand less than 5 metres from the touchline. No player may block the throw-in or prevent the ball from travelling 5 metres. Sanction: Free Kick on the 15-metre line
P142 LAW 20 [replace with this text] 20.1 (d) No delay. A team must not intentionally delay forming a scrum. A team must be ready for the referee to call “crouch” within 30 seconds from the time the referee makes the mark for the scrum. Sanction: Free Kick
[replace with this text] 20.1 (f) Front rows coming together. First, the referee marks with a foot the place where the scrum is to be formed. Before the two front rows come together they must be standing not more than an arm’s length apart. The ball is in the scrum half’s hands, ready to be thrown in. The front rows must crouch so that when they meet, each player’s head and shoulders are no lower than the hips. The front rows must interlock ear against ear so that no player’s head is next to the head of a team-mate. Sanction: Free Kick
[add] 20.10(d) When a team has the ball at the number 8’s feet , and is trying to move forward but is not succeeding in doing so, the referee will call “use-it” once the ball has been at the number 8’s feet for a reasonable amount of time (3-5 seconds). The team must then use the ball immediately.
[replace with this text] 20.11 (b) This new scrum is formed at the place where the previous scrum ended. The ball is thrown in by the team that previously threw it in.
[replace with this text] 20.12 (c) When a team has won the ball in a scrum, the scrum half of the opposing team is offside if that scrum half steps in front of the ball with either foot while the ball is still in the scrum. This scrum-half may not move into the space between the flanker and No. 8 when following the ball through the scrum. Sanction: Penalty kick
P154 LAW 21 [replace with this text] 21.2 (a) The kicker must take the penalty or free kick at the mark or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark. If the place for a penalty or free kick is within 5 metres of the goal line, the mark for the kick is 5 metres from the goal line, opposite the place of infringement.
P179 SEVEN-A-SIDE VARIATIONS [replace with this text] 9.B.1 (e) The kicker must take the kick within thirty seconds of a try having been scored. The kick is disallowed if the kicker does not take the kick in the time allowed.
P188 TEN-A-SIDE VARIATIONS [replace with this text] 9.B.1 (e) The kicker must take the kick within thirty seconds of a try having been scored. The kick is disallowed if the kicker does not take the kick in the time allowed.
P205 & 206 REFEREE SIGNALS Images 47, 48, 49 and 50 are no longer law amendment trials.
