ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Thursday May 28, 2020

World Rugby's temporary law changes receive mixed reaction

It is fair to say that World Rugby’s temporary law amendments have not been universally accepted by the public. 

ADVERTISEMENT

In a pursuit to reduce contact exposure in rugby, and therefore facilitate a quicker return to playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, ten optional law changes were announced today with the aim of reducing the amount of time in scrums, rucks and mauls. 

Reducing such fundamental elements of the game of rugby union has obviously led to suggestions that this is moving closer to rugby league, where in one instance the concept of a goal line drop-out has been taken from the other code. 

On top of that, many have been quick to highlight that rugby is a contact sport, and that it is ultimately a tough job in overcoming that to reduce the spread of the virus. But many also are acutely aware that this is the best approach in seeing a return to rugby as soon as possible.

ADVERTISEMENT

Aside from the concerns that these laws are a way of World Rugby speeding up the game through the backdoor, chiefly by reducing the number of scrums, fans have been cherry picking which law changes could potentially be carried forward when normal service resumes.

The idea of an orange card attracted some interest, as it will help with making fairer decisions by giving television match officials a greater chance to analyse an offence. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Similarly, the goal line drop-out idea has not been as emphatically dismissed as some other suggestions have. This will be awarded to a defending team when they have held the opposition up over their line, therefore eliminating the scrum. 

Many people have always seen the five-metre scrum as an unfair response to holding a team up, as it essentially rewards the attacking team with a platform to score, and moreover punishes the defending team for their good defence. 

Other changes, such as removing the effectiveness of the choke tackle, have had different responses, which may largely be down to where people come from. 

The very fact that these changes are optional, and have already been turned down by some unions, such as in the upcoming Super Rugby Aotearoa, suggests that they may not be as damaging as some are fearing.

Related Articles

  • 33 WEEKS AGO

    Fans outraged by the same thing during Argentina...

  • 33 WEEKS AGO

    Quade Cooper leaves the field with a nasty...

  • 33 WEEKS AGO

    Argentina lead Australia after scrappy first...



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Incredible Camera Work During URC Clash Shows Rugby Player’s Athleticism

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Heart Breaking Six Nations Ending For Italy As Scotland Score Long Range Try

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Montpellier Number Eight Zach Mercer Outlandish Attacking Skill

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Damian Penaud Pulls Off a "van der Merwe" in Outrageous French Try

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Ireland Winger James Lowe With World Class Finish In Titanic Battle With France

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 4 HOURS AGO

    Close Up Angle Of La Rochelle Secondrow Will Skelton Laying Into Opposition

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Referee Luke Pearce Gets Hit Hard In Harlequins vs Saracens Clash

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Owen Farrell On The Receiving End Of An Illegal Hit

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    Refereeing Legend Nigel Owens Breaks Down Freddie Steward Incident

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    England and Ireland fans express disappointment in grand slam refereeing decisions

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Ardie Savea Moment Of Magic In Super Rugby Aotearoa

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    'Armchair athletes' berate Arundell's seriously impressive bench press

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Worcester Warriors - The End

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    Sevens magic as 'headed' try brings stadium to its feet

  • 10 WEEKS AGO

    Almost 35,000 have now signed petition to reverse new grassroots tackle laws

View All

Funnies

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    Whole Irish squad turn up to teammates parents house for drinking session

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Jonathan Sexton Fantastic Comeback Caught On Ref Mic

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Hilarious Footage Of English Players Post Leg Day Workout

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Mack Hansen leaves viewers in stitches with hilarious post-match interview mistake

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    A Look Back At Rugby’s Greatest Ever Film

View All

Amateur

  • 11 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 11 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 34 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 34 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 35 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Youth and experience combine in an effort to repeat Six Nations upset

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Wales international releases emotional statement after being offered contract that isn’t enough to feed family

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Ardie Savea causes outrage with ‘throat slitting’ gesture

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Smith, Marchant and Murley released from England camp to take part in 'Big Game 14'

  • 4 WEEKS AGO

    Mack Hansen leaves viewers in stitches with hilarious post-match interview mistake

View All