Richie Mccaws Sebatical

 IRB and Unions sanction global Law trials

(IRB.COM) Tuesday 15 May 2012

The International Rugby Board and its Member Unions have sanctioned a global trial of five aspects of

Law amendments following an extensive process of consultation and evaluation. 

The trial, approved by the IRB Council at its Annual Meeting in Dublin on Tuesday, will commence at the

start of the next season in each hemisphere (August 2012 in the north and January 2013 in the south)

and will be applicable to both international and domestic competition. 

Aspects of Law approved for trial include limiting the time that the ball is available at the back of a ruck

and the positioning of taking a quick throw-in. In addition to the suite of seven Laws approved for global trial,

three additional trials will operate during 2012. 

A trial extension of the jurisdiction of the Television Match Official will be introduced later this year, while

the number of nominated replacements in Test Rugby will be increased to eight for a trial in the November window. 

The global trial has been sanctioned after an unprecedented evaluation process that kicked off with submissions and recommendations for 20 potential amendments from Member Unions and has culminated with recent

trials of amendments to seven aspects of Law as a package at dedicated playing environments in

Cambridge and Stellenbosch. 

This evaluation process is in line with the remit of the Laws Amendment Process approved by the

IRB Council in December 2009. 

Unlike previous amendment processes, the process of selection, monitoring and evaluation has been

steered by an independent Laws Representative Group, comprising technical representatives from each

of the 10 Tier 1 Unions covering elite and community Rugby and representatives of the IRB Rugby Committee. 

Extensive evaluation of the Cambridge and Stellenbosch University trials undertaken earlier this year

determined that each of the seven amendments could have a positive effect on the Game or clarify existing

areas of Law and therefore a recommendation was made to the IRB Council via the IRB Rugby Committee to

approve a global trial of all seven amendments. 

The five Law amendments to be trialled globally are: 

1. Law 16.7 (Ruck): The ball has to be used within five seconds of it being made available at the back of a

ruck with a warning from the referee to “use it”. Sanction – Scrum. 

2. 19.2 (b) (Quick Throw-In) For a quick throw in, the player may be anywhere outside the field of play

between the line of touch and the player’s goal line. 

3. 19.4 (who throws in) When the ball goes into touch from a knock-on, the non-offending team will be

offered the choice of a lineout at the point the ball crossed the touch line; or a scrum at the place of the

knock-on. The non-offending team may exercise this option by taking a quick throw-in. 

4. 21.4 Penalty and free kick options and requirements: Lineout alternative. A team awarded a penalty

or a free kick at a lineout may choose a further lineout, they throw in. This is in addition to the scrum option. 

5. A conversion kick must be completed within one minute 30 seconds from the time that a try has been awarded.

In addition to the global trials, the IRB Council approved three specific additional trials: 

1. A trial to extend the jurisdiction of the TMO to incidents within the field of play that have led to the

scoring of a try and foul play in the field of play to take place at an appropriate elite competition in order

that a protocol can be developed for the November 2012 Tests. 

2. A trial has been sanctioned for the November 2012 Test window permitting international teams to

nominate up to eight replacements in the match day squad for Test matches. In line with current practice

at domestic elite Rugby level, the additional player must be a qualified front row player. 

3. An amendment to Law 3.4 (Sevens Variation) to enable Sevens teams to nominate up to five

replacements/substitutes. Under the revision, which will operate from June 1 2012, a team may

substitute or replace up to five players during a match. Approval has been granted on player welfare

grounds to recognise the additional demands on players and squads owing to the expansion of the

HSBC Sevens World Series where there are three blocks of three events on consecutive weekends. 

Council also approved the referral by the Laws Representative Group of one potential Law amendment

that was successfully trialled at Cambridge and Stellenbosch for further consideration by the specialist

Scrum Steering Group (overseeing scrum force project) to be considered alongside the ongoing review of the scrum. 

The amendment that will be considered by the Group relates to the engagement sequence and will

see the referee call “crouch” then “touch”. The front rows crouch then touch and using outside arm

each prop touches the point of the opposing prop’s outside shoulder. The props then withdraw their arms.

The referee will then call “set” when the front rows are ready. The front rows may then set the scrum. 

“We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the Game is as enjoyable to play, officiate and watch as

possible at every level while player welfare is of paramount importance,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset. 

“Rugby is currently in good health with participation growing around the world, but there is collective

responsibility to ensure that a structured process can be implemented to allow for global analysis and to

monitor trends relating to the shape and character of the Game as it evolves.” 

“The approval of five aspects of Law for global trial is the culmination of the Laws Amendment Process

which was agreed by the IRB Council in 2009. The journey to this point has been exhaustive and collaborative

and has involved full stakeholder consultation and I would like to thank Member Unions for their buy-in and

commitment to the process from the outset.” 

“The Laws Representative Group were encouraged by the outcomes of the initial trials in Cambridge and Stellenbosch.

The next step is a global trial with full buy-in and which has been approved by Council on the basis that the

amendments can have a positive effect on the playing of the Game.” 

“The global trials are not fait accompli. It is essential at the end of the global trial process that decisions made

are in the best interest of Rugby worldwide,” added Lapasset

 Is it a coincidence that Richie Mccaw has taken his sabbatical at the same time as the new TMO laws coming into play? 

It is rumoured that he will spend most of the time wit h the All Blacks management team doing

video analysis of the TMO interpretations and how best to still laye 

on the opponents side of the ruck to be offside and play the ball on floor on the opponents side of the ruck,

and bend the rules how best possibale.

He wants to look at camera angles to analze and how much influence the tmo has etc.

Richie has mastered obstructing the referree view of the ball, but with the TMO cameras it may be more challening

 Wow sharkbok..I am really impressed with that spread of our skipper. lol  I love it man ! 

For your info...the new laws are actually in favour of the All Blacks style of play/gameplan for quick ball.

Its the teams like the boks / Oz who fear the All Blacks speed of moving the ball from a ruck etc

that fear the new laws because you have  yet to find an answer for the likes of richie & Co. The All Blacks wanted to play Oz

using the new laws but Oz says No!. I wonder why...?

Brycy that is a great comeback with that pic !!

so sharkbok, regardless of your futile online attempts, you boks just dont have a solution on the field for Richie McCaw.

That is where it matters.

Let me in the first instance say that my question has nothinbg to do with McCaw or any other player. 

It purely a question as to the trials quoted above.

I have a problem with the number of similar injuries that is on the rise through players "falling" on top of players when either they are tackling opposition players ot under circumstances where players are not in possession of the ball (not even near it) or where it occurred after a try was scored or where play was stopped by the referee by blowing of his whistle and the play in fact was completed.   In most cases the injries  are in fact off-ball incidents, where the injured player are not in possession of the ball at all.    Let me state clearly this is not an accusation of any team of any country - it happened in games played throughout the world.

Will this type of incident be covered by the TV referee and will action be taken to make sure offenders are properly punished?   An offending player should be given a red card and should be banned for playing of rugby for at least two years - to stop players from using methods which could result in serious bodily harm to opposing players     

 @ Sharkbok. Nice pic of Waikato Stadium mate. Are you still torturing yourself over the Mighty Chiefs' caning of your beloved Sharks 37-6 (that's thirty-seven to six!) in the S15 Final?

Let it go and concentrate on next season buddy!

 The use it or lose it law at the back of the ruck is 5  seconds.

Mccaw usually comes in from the side so this law will favour him. he he