The 'Warriors Wall' might not only be taken up by fellow rugby league sides, it could also be seen in rugby union.
Teams are within their rights to use it, New Zealand Rugby high performance referees manager Rod Hill confirmed to Stuff when asked if the tactic would be legal in the 15-man code.
The NRL confirmed the legality of the move this week, after the Warriors successfully employed the innovative block play to help Shaun Johnson slot a field goal in their match against the Roosters on Saturday night.
The Warriors lined five players up alongside the play-the-ball, with the ball then fed back to a more-protected Johnson. So bizarre was the scenario, that referee Gavin Badger asked for the video referee to help adjudicate on the field goal, with Roosters players complaining they were obstructed in their approach to shut Johnson down.
NRL referees' elite performance manager Tony Archer said as long as players line up behind the point of the play-the-ball and that they don't obstruct defenders, the ploy was fine to use.
Hill echoed those sentiments for the tactic's use in rugby. While anyone in front of the ball in general play is liable to be caught offside, Hill said a wall could be formed at the hindmost foot.
"They're ok to stay, they're just not allowed to move forward," he said. "If it's from a scrum, anyone not part of the scrum has to be back five metres, then they could a set up a wall there.
"They can't move forward, or sideways, to obstruct someone. That's the only limitation."
With Super Rugby entering the playoffs this weekend, and the World Cup around the corner, drop-goals are likely to come into the equation to decide games, so the Warriors may have given their rugby counterparts some timely food for thought.
- Stuff
