Varsity Cup's law changes

Those that apply to the Varsity Cup will also apply to Varsity Shield, Young Guns and Koshuis with one exception.

The exception is the bonus point addition for tries depending on where they started. That is solely a Varsity Cup matter.

1. Try bonus points. (Only in Varsity Cup)

If a team scores a try from its own half without yielding possession it gets four bonus points

If a team scores a try from between the half-way line and its opponents 22 without yielding possession it gets two bonus points.

There is some further information ion cases that may be dubious.

a. The Blue team kicks off from the half way line and the ball is kicked directly into touch. The Red team opts to take a scrum on the halfway line. If the Red team now scores without surrendering possession they will be awarded four bonus points for that try. They will be deemed to be inside their own half.

If the Blue team hooks a tighthead and scores without surrendering possession, they will be awarded four bonus points for that try

b. At a 22m drop out, the ball is kicked directly into touch by the Blue team. The Red team opts to take a scrum on the 22m line. If the Red team now scores without surrendering possession they will be awarded two bonus points for that try. They will be deemed to be between the 22m and halfway line.

If the Blue team hooks a tighthead and scores without surrendering possession, they will be awarded four bonus points for that try because their point of origin is inside their half.

c. The Blue team kicks the ball forward. The Blue and Red team challenge for the ball in the air. In the process the ball is touched by the Red team, but Blue gains possession of the ball. It will be deemed that Blue RETAINED possession and the original point of origin will be where the Blue team originally gained possession.

d. The Blue team has possession of the ball. One of their players gets tackled. During the contest at the breakdown a player from Red puts his hand on the ball, but he does not gain possession. Blue subsequently wins the ball and scores. Blue RETAINED possession and the original point of origin will be where the Blue team originally gained possession

2. Points scored (Varsity Cup only)

The points scored in the varsity Cup will revert to two points for the conversion and three points for penalty goals and drop goals.

3. Scrum (Applying to all Varsity competitions)

a. The No.8 may not change his position once the ball has been thrown into the scrum.

For example, if the No 8 decides to bind between the flanker and the lock when the scrum is set, he must remain there

b. Once the props have bound on the command 'bind', they are not allowed to alter their bind.

c.. The offside line for the scrumhalf at a scrum

The offside line at the scrum for the scrumhalf is the middle of the scrum (on the side where the ball is thrown in), 1 metre away from the scrum, or hindmost foot either side of the scrum, but 1 metre away from the scrum, or 5 metres behind the scrum where the rest of the backline players are.

4. Maul (This is a change made by World Rugby and applicable to rugby throughout the world.)

To get the ball to the back of a maul once the maul is formed, the ball is allowed to be moved back from hand to hand.

A Player is not allowed to move/slide to the back of the maul when he is in possession of the ball.

For example: The ripper in a line-out may not move to the back of the maul. If a ball is caught in a line-out and transferred to the ripper, he must either stay bound to the original catcher of the ball, or transfer the ball backwards by hand.

5. Kick at goal (Applying throughout)

The time limit on kicks at goal has been reduced to 60 seconds – for a conversion from time that a try is scored or for a penalty kick at goal from the time that the penalty is awarded

6. Time (Applying throughout)

If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.

If time expires and a player then kicks to touch from a penalty kick anywhere in the playing area, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken, and play continues until the next time that the ball becomes dead.

This means that if the team receiving the penalty wants to finish the half, they must ‘tap’ the ball first before kicking into touch. If they kick kick out without a tap, the line-out will take place.