Global Law Changes for 2017

The Fat


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World Rugby - previously the IRB - has made known five law changes which will be introduced by way of a trial on 1 January 2017 in the Southern Hemisphere and on 1 August in the North..


The Global Changes for 2017

1. Law 3 Number of Players – The Team
3.6 (Uncontested Scrums)
Add (h) Uncontested scrums as a result of a sending off, temporary suspension or injury must be played with eight players per side.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from going to uncontested scrums.

2. Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7 (e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.

3. Law 8 Advantage
Add to 8.1 (a) When there are multiple penalty infringements by the same team, the referee may allow the captain of the non-offending team to choose the most advantageous of the penalty marks.
Reasoning: To discourage repeat offending when advantage is already being played and to reward teams against whom repeat offending has taken place.

4. Law 9 Scoring Points
9.A.1 Points Values
Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded. No conversion is attempted.
Value: 7 points
Reasoning: To discourage teams from illegally preventing a probable try from being scored while also saving time on the clock by negating the need for a conversion.

5. Law 19 Touch and line-out

Add to definitions
* A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.
Reasoning: This brings into law something that is already applied in practice. It means that a player "juggling” the ball does not have to be in contact with it at the exact moment of touching the touchline or the ground beyond it for the ball to be deemed to be in touch. This makes it easier for the match officials to adjudicate.

Amend eighth definition
* If a player jumps and knocks the ball back into the playing area (or if that player catches the ball and throws it back into the playing area) before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, play continues regardless of whether the ball reaches the plane of touch.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.

Add to definitions
* If the ball-carrier reaches the plane of touch but returns the ball to the playing area without first landing in touch, play continues.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.

Add to sixth definition
* In this case, if the ball has passed the plane of touch when it is caught, then the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch. If the ball has not passed the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, then the catcher is deemed to have taken the ball into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.

Affected Laws in 2016

Law 5.7 (e) If time expires and the ball is not dead, or an awarded scrum or line-out has not been completed, the referee allows play to continue until the next time that the ball becomes dead. The ball becomes dead when the referee would have awarded a scrum, line-out, an option to the non-infringing team, drop out or after a conversion or successful penalty kick at goal. If a scrum has to be reset, the scrum has not been completed. If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.

Law 8.1 Advantage in practice
(a) The referee is sole judge of whether or not a team has gained an advantage. The referee has wide discretion when making decisions.

Law 9.A.1 POINTS VALUES
Penalty Try. If a player would probably have scored a try but for foul play by an opponent, a penalty try is awarded between the goal posts.

Law 19
Touch
Definitions

‘Kicked directly into touch’ means that the ball was kicked into touch without landing on the playing area, and without touching a player or the referee.
‘The 22’ is the area between the goal line and the 22-metre line, including the 22-metre line but excluding the goal line.

The line of touch is an imaginary line in the field of play at right angles to the touchline through the place where the ball is thrown in.

The ball is in touch when it is not being carried by a player and it touches the touchline or anything or anyone on or beyond the touchline.

The ball is in touch when a player is carrying it and the ball carrier (or the ball) touches the touchline or the ground beyond the touchline. The place where the ball carrier (or the ball) touched or crossed the touchline is where it went into touch.

The ball is in touch if a player catches the ball and that player has a foot on the touchline or the ground beyond the touchline. If a player has one foot in the field of play and one foot in touch and holds the ball, the ball is in touch.

**Sixth** If the ball crosses the touchline or touch-in-goal line, and is caught by a player who has both feet in the playing area, the ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal. Such a player may knock the ball into the playing area.

If a player jumps and catches the ball, both feet must land in the playing area otherwise the ball is in touch or touch-in-goal.

**Eighth** A player in touch may kick or knock the ball, but not hold it, provided it has not crossed the plane of the touchline. The plane of the touchline is the vertical space rising immediately above the touchline.

Additional Sevens Changes, Starting in December 2016

These law changes apply only to Sevens.

* Finals should last no longer than seven minutes each half (rationale is player welfare – the evidence shows that a disproportionate number of injuries take place in the second half of finals. Injuries per minute are higher in the second half of finals as opposed to the first half and throughout normal matches of seven minutes each way.)

* Referee Video Referral (RVR) to be taken out of the on-field referee's hands with the ultimate decision being taken by the TMO (rationale: it is often difficult to see the screen and make a call. The RVR protocol remains unchanged. The TMO will be one of the pool of tournament referees

* The restart kick must be taken within 30 seconds of a penalty kick or dropped goal being attempted where the kick is successful or goes dead.

* Teams must form a line-out within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the place where the throw-in will take place.

* Teams must be ready to form a scrum within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the mark of the scrum.

* A penalty or free-kick must be taken within 30 seconds of being awarded.
 
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talbazar


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All seem in line with what has happened to the law recently.

I like the simplification of the touch / line-out decisions.

Now my main concern is...
It's already extremely difficult to apply law 5.1, but soon, we won't be able to stop a game :wtf:

[LAWS]5.1 Duration of a match
A match lasts no longer than 80 minutes plus time lost, extra time and any special conditions. A match is divided into two halves each of not more than forty minutes playing time.[/LAWS]
 

OB..


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1, 3, 4 look fine.
2. Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7 (e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.
If a team chooses a lineout and the opponents commit a penalty offence, does that make the ball dead under this paragraph? It needs to be clear that the current conditions in 5.7 (e) still apply. Add "under this law"?

5. Law 19 Touch and line-out

Add to definitions
* A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.
Reasoning: This brings into law something that is already applied in practice. It means that a player "juggling” the ball does not have to be in contact with it at the exact moment of touching the touchline or the ground beyond it for the ball to be deemed to be in touch. This makes it easier for the match officials to adjudicate.
This needs to be universal eg applies to attempts to recover a knock-on as well

Amend eighth definition
* If a player jumps from the field of play and knocks the ball back into the playing area (or if that player catches the ball and throws it back into the playing area) before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, play continues regardless of whether the ball reaches the plane of touch.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
I think the extra bit in blue (added by me) is needed. As written, a player in touch could jump and knock the ball back into play.
The bit in red (original) should surely give "... whether the ball had reached ..." If the ball is knocked after crossing the plane of touch, it cannot be "play on" unless it crosses back into the field of play while in the air. The caveat is only needed to let the TJ/AR know that in this case the plane of touch is irrelevant.

Add to definitions
* If the ball-carrier reaches the plane of touch but returns the ball to the playing area without first landing in touch, play continues.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
Not sure what this adds, given the previous one.

Add to sixth definition
* In this case, if the ball has passed the plane of touch when it is caught, then the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch. If the ball has not passed the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, then the catcher is deemed to have taken the ball into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.
Reasoning: To simplify law and to increase ball-in-play time.
This actually complicates the officials' decision making process. Currently all that matters is whether the player has a foot in touch when he catches the ball. It also makes life more difficult for the catcher, who would have to judge where the ball was in relation to the plane of touch when deciding whether to catch it.

Affected Laws in 2016
This section simply quotes the currrent laws to save you looking them up.
 

Ian_Cook


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5. Law 19 Touch and line-out

Add to definitions
* A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is deemed to be in possession of the ball.
Reasoning: This brings into law something that is already applied in practice. It means that a player "juggling” the ball does not have to be in contact with it at the exact moment of touching the touchline or the ground beyond it for the ball to be deemed to be in touch. This makes it easier for the match officials to adjudicate.

Does this put into Law the the current practice applied everywhere else on the field, so a player juggling the ball can be legally tackled even if at the moment of the tackle, he isn't actually holding the ball?
 

The Fat


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Does this put into Law the the current practice applied everywhere else on the field, so a player juggling the ball can be legally tackled even if at the moment of the tackle, he isn't actually holding the ball?

If they actually knew what was in the Law book, They would have added that to the DEFINITIONS section at the front of the book. Sadly, they don't think of such things.
 

Guyseep


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Do we know who the "they" are? Who is making these changes? Is it a panel and if so who is on this panel?
 

Dickie E


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Additional Sevens Changes, Starting in December 2016

These law changes apply only to Sevens.

* Finals should last no longer than seven minutes each half (rationale is player welfare – the evidence shows that a disproportionate number of injuries take place in the second half of finals. Injuries per minute are higher in the second half of finals as opposed to the first half and throughout normal matches of seven minutes each way.)

* Referee Video Referral (RVR) to be taken out of the on-field referee's hands with the ultimate decision being taken by the TMO (rationale: it is often difficult to see the screen and make a call. The RVR protocol remains unchanged. The TMO will be one of the pool of tournament referees

* The restart kick must be taken within 30 seconds of a penalty kick or dropped goal being attempted where the kick is successful or goes dead.

* Teams must form a line-out within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the place where the throw-in will take place.

* Teams must be ready to form a scrum within 15 seconds from the time the referee indicates the mark of the scrum.

* A penalty or free-kick must be taken within 30 seconds of being awarded.
 

menace


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I think the extra bit in blue (added by me) is needed. As written, a player in touch could jump and knock the ball back into play.
The bit in red (original) should surely give "... whether the ball had reached ..." If the ball is knocked after crossing the plane of touch, it cannot be "play on" unless it crosses back into the field of play while in the air.



I think that's the point OB? I suspect it allows players to jump whether in field or in touch to knock the ball bsck in...it appears to align with rugby league?

I must say in grassroots level without ARs it makes it easier for the ref who isn't in a position to judge yhe plane of touch!
 

OB..


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I think that's the point OB? I suspect it allows players to jump whether in field or in touch to knock the ball bsck in...it appears to align with rugby league?
A player several metres in touch can jump and knock the ball back into the field of play? Not what I want to see.
 

The Fat


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A player several metres in touch can jump and knock the ball back into the field of play? Not what I want to see.

before landing in touch

This bit suggests to me that the player must start from the field of play.
It was how I interpreted it on first reading.
 

OB..


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before landing in touch

This bit suggests to me that the player must start from the field of play.
It was how I interpreted it on first reading.
But that is an inference. We should not have to do that, when it is simple enough to spell it out. If the player puts a foot on the touchline when jumping for the ball, then he cannot save the ball from going into touch.
 

crossref


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Well, perhaps they meant exactly what they said.

It's actually quite common for a player expecting to receive a kick to station himself a metre or so in touch, so that he can see both the ball and the touchline

This new law enables him to jump in the air and bat the ball back into the FoP.

That isn't what I expected - but I assume it IS what the IRB want, as that's what they have written, and they must have had plenty of pairs of eyes reviewing that text.
 
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Dixie


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I don't really see the need for 2:

[LAWS]2. Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7 (e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.[/LAWS]

The problem apparently exists, so presumably the offenders have not been deterred from offending by the fact that the PK must be taken, giving the oppo a chance to score either a penalty goal or a try. Why does WR believe that this will change if the game restarts closer to the try line? Ireland showed clearly that a 5m lineout will fail to produce a score more often that it succeeds. Also, OB's comment on further penalties is a sound one.

On the question of touch, I like the proposed changes and would have no worries about a player jumping from touch to knock a ball back. While OB doesn't like it, I think the advantage of simplicity outweighs the potential for some spectators to be discomfited. No doubt if it were being proposed for the first time today that a player in touch might be able to ground the ball for a try, the same objection might be put forward. We'll soon get used to it, and TJs/ARs will know that whatever scenario they face, if man and ball don't touch the ground together, the ball is not yet in touch.
 

OB..


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I don't really see the need for 2:

[LAWS]2. Law 5 Time
Add to 5.7 (e) If a penalty is kicked into touch after time has elapsed without touching another player, the referee allows the throw-in to be taken and play continues until the next time the ball becomes dead.
Reasoning: To discourage teams from infringing in the dying moments of the game.[/LAWS]
I think they are probably remembering the famous Italy v Wales occasion when James Hook delayed too long in kicking to touch so time expired and Wales lost.
 

Dickie E


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before landing in touch

This bit suggests to me that the player must start from the field of play.
It was how I interpreted it on first reading.

Yeah, that is how I read it too.

Otherwise a player could stand on a chair in the tech zone and jump off and bat the ball back into FoP. :holysheep:
 

damo


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Replace the definitions with:

[LAWS]The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch line.

The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and knocks the ball back while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play.[/LAWS]

Simple.
 

menace


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Yeah, that is how I read it too.

Otherwise a player could stand on a chair in the tech zone and jump off and bat the ball back into FoP. :holysheep:

That's ridiculous! Have you tried jumping high from a chair?! It's impossible without the chair flipping out under you!
 

ChrisR

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The missing piece can be found in the current Law 19 definitions: If a player jumps and catches the ball, both feet must land in the playing areaotherwise the ball is in touch or touch-in-goal.

If a player jumps from beyond touch and either catches the ball or knocks it back into the FOP he must land with both feet in the FoP. This adds a sufficient degree of difficulty to leaping from a chair on a table to make that a rare occurrence.

As crossref noted current law allows a player to jump from touch into the FoP as he catches the ball. OB will disagree on this point but it's a practice I encourage.
 

The Fat


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The missing piece can be found in the current Law 19 definitions: If a player jumps and catches the ball, both feet must land in the playing areaotherwise the ball is in touch or touch-in-goal.

If a player jumps from beyond touch and either catches the ball or knocks it back into the FOP he must land with both feet in the FoP. This adds a sufficient degree of difficulty to leaping from a chair on a table to make that a rare occurrence.

As crossref noted current law allows a player to jump from touch into the FoP as he catches the ball. OB will disagree on this point but it's a practice I encourage.

I know I'll probably regret opening this discussion again, but where do you get the idea that the definition is referring to a player who starts his jump from touch? The current definitions depend on the position of the ball in relation to the plane-of-touch. The revised Law Trials for 2017 will alter this of course.
 
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