My fellow rugby fanatics, lend me your ears! As the dust settles on another incredible year of bone-crunching tackles, sublime passes, and tactical masterclasses, World Rugby is shaking things up with the fresh batch of law trials. Some of these changes are music to my ears, promising a faster, more fluid game, while others… well, they might just have us shouting at our screens!

Let’s dive into it….

Speeding Up the Game: A Welcome Pace!

One thing World Rugby consistently strives for is to make the game more accessible and engaging for fans and players alike. And honestly, who doesn’t love more actual rugby and less standing around? The new global trials are set to address this with some fantastic adjustments:

• Quicker Conversions! Get ready for less dithering after a try, as conversion attempts will now be limited to 60 seconds, aligning with penalty kicks. This will be managed by a shot clock where possible, which is brilliant for keeping the tempo up. Initial trials saw goal kicks become 15 seconds faster, contributing to a shorter overall match time.
• Lineouts and Scrums on the Double! Teams will now have just 30 seconds to form a lineout, matching the existing time for scrums. This is a long-overdue change that will reduce downtime, and trials have already shown a drop in set-up times. As one fan put it, “without delay” was too vague, so this specific time limit is a win for common sense.
• “Not Straight” No More (Sometimes)! Perhaps the most celebrated change by many fans is the “play-on” rule in uncontested lineouts when the ball isn’t thrown straight. This has been a source of immense frustration and needless stoppages for years! If the defending team doesn’t lift a player to compete, play continues. This is huge for game flow and has led to increased lineout success and contestability in trials. A true golden future for lineouts, I say!
• Scrum-Half Protection! Our halfbacks will get enhanced protection at scrums, rucks, and mauls to encourage more fluid open play. This is crucial for allowing the attacking team to get quick ball away without unfair harassment. However, there’s a flip side: defensive scrum-halves must now stay on their side of the scrum, no further than the tunnel’s centerline. This one stings! For many, myself included, a tenacious scrum-half disrupting the opponent’s ball is a time-honored tradition and a fantastic way to create turnovers. It feels like it takes away a layer of unpredictability that makes rugby so thrilling.
• TMO Clarity (Hopefully)! The Television Match Official protocol has also been revised to empower officials to spot clear infringements in the final attacking phases before scoring. While the debate rages on about TMO overuse and their role, this aims to ensure justice is served, especially when a try is on the line.

These changes have already shown positive impacts, with ball-in-play time increasing by over two and a half minutes per match, reaching more than 33 minutes. Match times are shorter, mauls are more dynamic, and restarts are more contestable. It’s all about making the sport more enjoyable for us, the audience!

Player Welfare: The Game’s Foundation!

Safety, especially regarding head injuries, is paramount, and World Rugby is taking significant steps. From September 1, 2024, some crucial changes have already been implemented, particularly around tackling.

• Lowered Tackle Height: Tackles are now generally penalized if they are above the base of the sternum in open play. This is not just for the ball carrier’s safety, but for the tackler too! Studies show tackles above the sternum are 4.2 times riskier for concussions for both players. The goal is to target the belly and thighs, with tacklers needing to bend at the knees and hips. This is about creating a safer “green zone” for contact.
• Ball Carrier Responsibility: It’s not just on the tackler! Ball carriers must avoid leading with their head, running with their body fully bent or horizontal, or having their head lower than their hips in open play. This aims to prevent dangerous collisions where the ball carrier might contribute to the risk.
• “Gator Roll” Ban: The dangerous “gator” or “crocodile” roll, where a player laterally rolls or twists a jackler to the ground, is now considered dangerous play and is banned. Good riddance to a nasty piece of play!
• No Scrum from a Free Kick: A small but significant change is that a team awarded a free kick may no longer opt for a scrummage. This removes a potential loophole and keeps the game moving, although as we’ll see, the Springboks find their own ways to leverage the scrum!

The 20-minute red card replacement rule, which generated a lot of debate, has been deferred for further consideration until after the Autumn Nations Series, allowing for more data and feedback. This shows that World Rugby is listening, even if some decisions are tough calls!

The Scrum: A Springbok Masterclass!

Speaking of scrums, the South African Springboks truly see the scrum as “a place to enforce ourselves” and “dominate players legally”. Their scrumming power is legendary, honed by early development of techniques from as young as 14 or 15. The “Bomb Squad” strategy, where powerful finishers like Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff come off the bench, is designed to disrupt and overpower opponents in the set piece. It’s a testament to their culture, with players like Kwagga Smith and Jasper Wiese embodying that drive.

This dominance led to a fascinating, never-before-seen tactic during a crucial match: the Springboks opted for a scrum in their own 22 after catching a mark!. You can do that? Yes, you can! A mark awards a free-kick, and a team awarded a free-kick can choose a scrum. This was a bold, risky move, aimed at tiring out the French forwards, slowing the game’s frenetic pace, seizing psychological momentum, and turning a free-kick into a potential penalty opportunity. It highlights the tactical genius of coaches like Rassie Erasmus and the immense confidence the Boks have in their scrum. It could have gone so wrong, but when you have a pack like that, fortune favours the brave!

The Fan’s Frustration: Complexity, Consistency, and Coverage

While many changes aim to improve the game, there’s an undeniable undercurrent of frustration among fans. The rules, or rather “laws” (yes, there’s a debate even on that!), are becoming increasingly confusing and, at times, seem arbitrarily applied. As a junior coach mentioned on Reddit, many new players have no idea about basic concepts because they can’t even watch games on TV.

The inconsistent application of head contact rules, with similar incidents leading to different sanctions week to week, is a major concern. This complexity, combined with the lack of free-to-air coverage, is seen by some as endangering the future growth of the game, particularly in markets like New Zealand and Australia. It’s hard to teach new fans when even long-term supporters feel like they need to “study” to keep up with annual rule changes and variations across different competitions.

However, other fans argue that all professional sports continually adjust their rules. The NFL, for example, is famous for its complex and frequently changing rulebook, yet it’s immensely popular. The core of rugby – the continuous contest for possession – remains unchanged, even if the methods evolve. Perhaps, as one Reddit user wisely suggested, we don’t need to understand every single nuance to enjoy the game; sometimes, “the ref probably knows the game better than I do” is a state of blissful ignorance.

The biggest problem for rugby might not be the laws themselves, but poor marketing and the lack of free-to-air television contracts. When children from underprivileged backgrounds, inspired by heroes like Siya Kolisi, can’t watch their heroes play, it highlights a profound issue in the sport’s outreach.

Looking Ahead

As a rugby fanatic, I’m torn. I love the tactical depth and physicality of the game, and I welcome changes that make it safer and more entertaining. The push for quicker play, genuine player welfare, and innovative tactics like the Springboks’ scrum decision truly elevate the sport. But the constant tweaking and perceived inconsistencies can be disheartening, creating a barrier for new fans and frustrating long-term devotees.

World Rugby is clearly working to strike a balance, but the execution and communication of these changes will be key. We need to embrace our sport’s unique complexity while also ensuring it remains accessible and captivating for everyone. Here’s to 2025 – may it bring thrilling rugby, fair play, and perhaps, a little less head-scratching from the stands!

Sources:

• Excerpts from “‘Bok scrum is where SA dominates’ – SA Rugby magazine”
• Excerpts from “2025-01* Excerpts from “‘Bok scrum is where SA dominates’ – SA Rugby magazine”
• Excerpts from “2025-01 – Global Law Trials – World Rugby Passport”
• Excerpts from “As much as I love Rugby Union, the rules have become confusing and are applied arbitrarily which together with the lack of free to air coverage significantly endangers the future growth of the game. : r/rugbyunion – Reddit”
• Excerpts from “Fan-focused rugby laws move closer to global implementation after positive trials and World Rugby Executive Board endorsement”
• Excerpts from “Have the Springboks just changed the rules of rugby again by opting for a scrum in their 22 when catching a mark? : r/rugbyunion – Reddit”
• Excerpts from “Law amendments promoting speed, space and contest get global trial go-ahead | World Rugby”
• Excerpts from “Rugby Law Changes and Clarifications for 2024-25 Season”
• Excerpts from “Rugby Laws and 2025 | Goff Rugby Report”
• Excerpts from “sa-rugby-changing-the-legal-tackle-height.pdf”