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2024 WORLD RUGBY LAWS SITE
Download latest copy of the law book as well as see a detailed breakdown of the various laws.
Link to 2024-25 Game Mgmt Guidelines, as well as a 1-pager on the tackle height law trial.
USAR is nicely keeping their resource page up to date with this info: https://usa.rugby/referee-resources
Sept 1 - World Rugby Law Changes
Offside in front of a kicker
Summary: anyone in front of kicker now has to actively retreat. Can no longer just stand still and wait to be put onside by a teammate or by the opposition. Offside until a teammate put you onside or now only when the opponent kicks the ball or intentionally touches the ball without gaining possession (eg charge down). No longer can the opponent passing or running 5m put you onside. May be penalized for loitering if no active retreat.
Eliminating the crocodile roll
Summary: must lever the jackler by driving backwards. No lateral twist, pull or roll. And still can't drop weight onto or target lower limbs. This is a penalty.
Removing the scrum option when a Free Kick is awarded
To speed up the game, when a free kick is awarded, there is no scrum option, just the kick option. Can still opt from scrum from a penalty. Free kick at a lineout may choose another lineout.
Click here for the full World Rugby release info.
Sept 1 - TACKLE HEIGHT USA law TRIAL DETAIL Key note: The tackle height law variation is only applicable to "open field play".
The definition of "open field play" is key to this law. Players in low velocity situations around rucks and mauls are operating at low body heights, in addition to performing actions such as diving to the try line. These are not open field play situations.
9.13 - Tackler. It is now a dangerous tackle penalty when running in open field play and the tackler makes contact above the base of the sternum of the ball carrier.
9.11 - Ball Carrier. It is now a dangerous play penalty for the ball carrier in open field play to lower and lead with their head into an opponent which prevents a tackler from being able to make a legal tackle.
Play On Mitigation: If the ball carrier lowers body position immediately prior to contact and the tackler makes contact above the sternum there is no tackle height sanction against ball carrier or tackler. Other dangerous play parts of the Law are still applicable (e.g. direct contact to neck/head & head contact process).
And, reminders on recent prior stuff ....March 2024 - Reinforcement of current laws
Ending a ruck / dealing with caterpillar rucks
When the ball has been won in the ruck and is available to be played, the referee calls "use it" and the ball must be played away from the ruck within 5 seconds.
If a foot is used to bring the ball to the back of a ruck, this meets the definition of "using it" and the 5 sec count begins.
If the ball doesn't leave the ruck in time, it is a scrum to the opposition.
Brake Foot - Must be in place for "crouch" and "bind", then can be withdrawn after the "set" call and before the strike of the ball.
March 2023 - Head Contact Process Update
https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/guidelines/26
Previous Changes
Following the World Rugby Council meeting in May 2022, a number of law changes have been made. These all come into force for the whole game on 1 July 2022.
The five current Global Law Trials
Goal Line Drop-out, 50:22, jackler protection, banning prebound pods in open play (flying wedge) and approving a single latcher
will become full law.
There are two new Global Law Trials -
Brake foot - At the scrum, hookers must have a brake foot in place during “Crouch” and “Bind” phases to reduce axial loading on the hookers -
Water carriers - New restrictions on medics and water carriers have been introduced as well as formalizing technical zones into law. This is primarily related to the elite game, but the principles apply to all levels of the game. These will become Global Law Trials until at least the end of 2023. There are also a number of minor amends to law that have arisen from previous clarifications
2021 GLOBAL LAWS TRIALS
World Rugby (WR) has announced several Global Law Trials that go into effect on August 1st, 2021. These trials are not minor tweaks and will have some significant effects on safety and strategy. We strongly recommend all players and coaches familiarize themselves with the new Laws. Referees must learn all the details.
More information can be found at: https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/global-law-trials. This resource includes many good video examples.
1: 50:22
If the team in possession kicks the ball from inside their own half indirectly (i.e. it bounces first) into touch inside their opponents’ 22, they will throw into the resulting lineout. The ball cannot be passed or carried back into the defensive half for the 50:22 to be played. The phase immediately prior to the kick (tackle, ruck or maul) must originate inside the defensive half, or an opponent touches the ball inside the half before it is kicked.
2: Goal line drop-out
Play restarts with a goal line dropout anywhere along the goal line:
The ball is held up in in-goal (either team in possession).
Knock-on while in-goal from an attacking player.
Attacking kick from open play (including a FK or PK that was not a shot at goal) is made dead by the defending team in-goal - either grounding in-goal or by carry/kick/knock the ball dead out the back or side (dead ball line or touch-in-goal).
Link to table of In-Goal Permutations.
3: 1-player latch
One support player may pre-latch to a ball carrier prior to contact. If the ball carrier is tackled, this player must observe all the requirements for a first arriving player, particularly the need to stay on their feet and not obstruct an opposing tackler or player trying to contest for the ball. The first opposition player may still attempt to tackle the ball carrier, and will not be considered to have automatically created a maul when they make initial contact.
4: Flying Wedge
Two or more support players may not bind onto a ball carrier prior to opposition contact play. This is dangerous play. (Usually happens near the goal line or in open play.)
5: Cleanout and safety of the ‘jackler’
The ‘jackler’ has now been defined as the first arriving team-mate of the tackler at the tackle. A Penalty Kick has been added for clean-outs which target or drop weight onto this player’s lower limbs. No-wrap hits and ‘neck rolls’ on a jackler are still foul play. Clasping a jackler under their armpits to lever them up and out of the contest (known as a ‘gator roll’) is still legal.