IRB to ditch ‘yes, nine’ call

The International Rugby Board (IRB) is set to ditch the 'yes, nine' scrum call in favour of a non-verbal, pre-agreed instruction.

 

According to the Planet Rugby website, the change will take place with immediate effect, and will be introduced at all levels of the game. 

 

Referees will no longer give a verbal instruction of 'yes, nine', and instead will issue a non-verbal instruction to the scrumhalf when he considers the scrum to be square and stable.

 

The non-verbal instruction must be agreed by the referee and both scrumhalves prior to the start of the game and could be in the form of a tap on the back while the referee is on the side of the put-in, or an agreed signal (nod of the head or hand signal) by the referee while he is on the other side of the scrum.