Four law trials aimed at speeding up the game, reducing time-wasting and “enhancing the fan experience” will be introduced on a global trial across all competitions that start from Jan. 1 2025, World Rugby said on Thursday after its Council approved the changes.
But a decision to adopt the 20-minute red card has been delayed with the experiment only implemented during the Autumn Nations Series.
Southern Hemisphere rugby is no stranger to the 20-minute red card with both Super Rugby Pacific and the Rugby Championship implementing the law change for several seasons, but the Home Unions and France have regularly pushed back against the law variation.
A decision to implement the law permanently has been deferred.
Four new law adaptations will apply to competitions such as next year’s Six Nations, British and Irish Lions and other summer tours, but not to those such as the English Premiership and French Top 14 that would have already started in 2024.
It means that many players will be operating under different laws week-to-week for a period next year as they move from club to international matches, unless a league, via their union, requests dispensation from World Rugby to adopt the changes mid-season, which they can do.
The four changes are:
A 60-second conversion time limit to align with penalties and improve game pace. This will be managed by a shot clock where possible.
A 30-second setup for lineouts will match time for scrums to reduce downtime, to be managed on-field by the match officials.
A play-on rule to be in place at uncontested lineouts when the throw is not straight.
Scrumhalves to be protected from tackles during scrums, rucks, and mauls.
Proposals for a trial to call a mark inside the 22-metre line at kick off and restarts and for single stop mauls did not receive the required 75% support so will not proceed.
A revised Television Match Official (TMO) protocol trial was also approved, giving the TMO has additional power to identify clear and obvious infringements in the final attacking passage of play before scoring (knock-on, forward pass and in touch) and within the final two phases specifically (offside, maul obstruction and tackle complete). This is the process currently being trialed in the Autumn Internationals.
“During respective closed trials in the World Rugby U20 Championship and Trophy, WXV, Pacific Nations Cup, Rugby Championship and Autumn Nations Series, the laws, had a positive impact on the style, flow and entertainment value of the sport, decreasing stoppages, increasing ball in play, and promoting quick ball, while maintaining a contest,” World Rugby said.