Beat me to it, as variations for the current climate I think it’s sensible, and just wish they had pushed this as n option for the community game (who also have no testing protocol like the ladies), might have got started sooner
Im not getting that first thing.
surely it doesnt mean if red knock on and regather then just play on?
really?
Experimental Laws for pro Women's game for Covid
The first one looks interesting, it looks like the experiment I (and I think OB..) have often thought should be tried: just play on after a knock on . Would like to see details
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Why not just play advantage as you normally would but if it's regathered then it's a free-kick as per forward pass?
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scenario - #15, miles from anyone , fumbles a catch, drops and regathers
that's not going to reduce scrums by 75%.
I think what it means is that the act of knocking the ball on creates enough disadvantage on its own, so play on for all knock ons.
I hope this provides a framework to also allow the community game back sooner than would be possible using current laws.
One note of caution though, a 75% reduction in the number of scrums does not mean a 75% reduction in the amount of contact or face to face time. More in play time means more rucks and mauls and so the reduction in close contact time will be considerably less. Also, as was pointed out in the player welfare debate some time ago, more breakdowns has the potential to increase the number of injuries to certain players (1st phase ball carriers and defenders).
scenario - #15, miles from anyone , fumbles a catch, drops and regathers
Let's say we let that go.
Passes that go forward when not near the opposition - we let that go as well?
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Not propelling the ball forward with your hands or arms is one of the fundamentals of the game.
Poor skills is a disadvantage in itself, do we really need to stop the game for a scrum when there is already a disadvantage of delay? I would suggest again that the ref can define a fumble vs a feint and act accordingly. I hate awarding scrums for an inadvertent fumble that has already caused a disadvantage.
yes - need to measure the overall injury rate, not just the caught covid rate.
PLUS you need to factor in that for the population of rugby players in general (young and fit) COVID will be largely asymptomatic or mild, but contact injuries may be severe - so don't want to attract injuries to avoid covid