World Rugby introduces radical law changes, including weight-banded matches

Tuesday, 30 November 2021 at 10:09

byRugby Rucker

Welfare and accessibility are at the heart of Game On Global, a groundbreaking programme of optional community law variations launched by World Rugby and national member unions today.

Modified contact, weight-banded matches and lowered tackle height at the heart of new community law variations to further advance accessibility and welfare
Law variations include flexibility in number of players, game duration, pitch size, ball size, as well as variations to scrums, lineouts and kicking rules
Promoting global consistency at the community level of the game, the menu of 10 law variants can be implemented by national unions from January 2022
The introduction of Game On Global follows World Rugby’s recently launched participation plan to accelerate sustainable rugby involvement
Implementation of the law variations will be optional and available in part or in whole for National Unions to determine.
Central monitoring, and research will be undertaken evaluate impact

Promoting global consistency in the law variations open to unions at the community level of the game, a menu of 10 law variants are now available to all unions. From January 2022 the Game On principles can be utilised by all World Rugby member unions at their discretion:

VIEW THE LAW VARIATIONS >>

Implementation of the law variations will be centrally monitored, and a global research project will provide an evaluation of the impacts in terms of injury-prevention and overall participation impact.

They were developed by the Community Laws Flexibility Working Group* which was set up in November 2020, following a World Rugby survey in relation to law trials that received more than 1,800 respondents, reflecting World Rugby’s mission to engage with the rugby family.

Five small changes that would make rugby immediately better

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We're all slaves to the juggernaut it's become, but there are still plenty of ways to make International rugby even better.

1. Scrap anthem singers

They're good, fantastic in fact. However, whenever just fans and players sing an anthem on their own it feels a lot more epic. Listen to this example of Wales singing their anthem as evidence enough...

2. NO MORE crooked scrum feeds

Very easy to police, very easy to see, but so often missed. Be harsh, cut it out, penalise the guilty parties and nip it in the bud. Once and for all, please.

3. Ticket Prices Should Be Capped

Many fans have to pay ridiculous amounts just to see their team in action for 80 minutes, added to the extra costs of stadium food and drink as well as programmes.

4. No alcohol served mid-match

I am not a monster trying to impose prohibition on match days when they return, but this is still an issue.

Alcohol has a long, glorious association with rugby. But at times, that relationship seems to have tilted too far away from the sport itself.

Whenever I attend internationals (not club matches), whole rows seem to be constantly going up and down with people either heading to the bar or unable to hold their bladder.

Not only is that spoiling the enjoyment for everyone having to stand up, but it is disrespecting the players' efforts on the pitch.

At the theatre, people are not allowed back in to the performance until the interval. A similar rule should be introduced in the Six Nations.

5. Bring in relegation/promotion

Let's open the Six Nations up and get Georgia or Romania involved. Italy have had enough time to become genuine contenders and they simply haven't done it. Italy lose every week and don't play particularly entertaining rugby. Do the same with The Rugby Championship to let the Pacific Islands have a chance.

Sandro Todua of Georgia during the Autumn Nations Cup match between England and Georgia at Twickenham Stadium, Twickenham, London on November 14 2020. - PHOTO: Phil Mingo/PPAUK

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