World Rugby has given the green light for the most radical overhaul of the laws that govern the community game in the history of the sport.
Telegraph Sport can reveal the sweeping law variations include flexibility on the number of players in each team, game duration, ball size, pitch size and modification of the laws that govern scrums, lineouts and kicking.
A total of 10 new optional variations, part of a “landmark” bid to boost participation and player welfare, will come into force from January, with national unions given the discretion to decide whether or not to implement them.
The changes will give the unions the ability to allow their clubs to:
- reduce teams from 15-a-side to 10-a-side, as long as teams are equal and subject to agreement;
- reduce game duration from 80 minutes to as short as 40 minutes – with the ability to split matches into quarters or thirds;
- reduce scrums to a minimum of five players for 10-a-side games;
- allow teams to agree to not contest or lift in lineouts;
- agree that penalties and free-kicks can only be kicked to touch from inside a team’s half;
- introduce weight-based banding for matches in age-grade rugby and lower tackle-height;
- permit matches to be played on surfaces including sand, clay or snow and 10-a-side matches on half a pitch;
- permit the use of smaller balls in certain matches or competitions.
The ‘Game On Global’ variations have been developed by a World Rugby working group tasked with considering law flexibility following a global survey to develop a set of community laws to increase participation, enjoyment and accessibility following the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Central monitoring and research will be undertaken by World Rugby to evaluate their impact.
“The community game is the heart and soul of our sport, it is the foundation upon which our house is built and this represents a landmark for rugby around the globe with the introduction of optional community law variations for our national member unions,” said Sir Bill Beaumont, World Rugby chairman.
“We are constantly listening to, and engaging with the global rugby family at all levels and I am delighted that the tangible outcomes were borne out of an initial survey that received more than 1,800 respondents from around the world and builds upon existing models in England, New Zealand and Wales.
“A major benefit of the global nature of the project will be the ability for sharing best practice across Unions and having one set of guidance that players can recognise no matter where they play in the world.
“The law amendments are a key element of our long term objective to make the game more accessible, more sustainable, safer and available to all across the globe.
“The passion, commitment and enjoyment that is seen on rugby pitches up and down countries around the globe is what drives us on with the determination to continue to evolve and improve the game we love for all.”
