World Rugby to trial two-referee system

New Zealand’s national provincial championship, which will be called the Mitre 10 Cup next year, will see two referees on the field for the first time at a national provincial level.

It is part of a bigger rugby laws trial by governing body World Rugby, following a relook at the laws of the game earlier this year.

New Zealand rugby website stuff.co.nz reports that World Rugby are trying to simplify the laws around the rucks and be stricter on ensuring that offside lines are adhered to by defences.

That is the thinking behind using two referees, which was successfully implemented in South Africa’s university rugby competition, the Varsity Cup, in 2014.

In that tournament, both referees had carte blanche to make decisions as they saw fit. But in New Zealand next year, it is believed that there will be a main official making most of the calls, while the second referee will police a new offside line at rucks that will be moved one metre back.

One of the new laws being trialled in that regard will see the “gate” at the ruck removed, with players being allowed to enter the breakdown from any angle, but only from an onside position. This will eliminate the penalty for entering the ruck from the side.

The definition of a ruck will also change. It will be officially called a breakdown, and it will be formed when the team carrying the ball goes to ground and a teammate is over the ball while on his feet. The difference from the current law is that it won’t need a player from the opposition to make contact for it to be considered a breakdown.

The tackler will also have to go back a metre before they can contest the ball on the ground, and the player has to be on their feet. That would make it difficult for someone like World Cup-winning All Blacks captain and openside flank Richie McCaw, who retired from Test rugby a few weeks ago, to create turnovers on the ground as he would first have to get back a metre before he can go in on the ball.

The new breakdown laws may suit low-to-the-ground scavengers such as Australians David Pocock and Michael Hooper, who are much quicker in getting back to their feet.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has often said that rugby laws need to be simplified so that it is easier to play and understand the game, while also ensure more space and time is allowed for attacking play.

Following the trials in New Zealand, which will start in August next year, any approved law changes by World Rugby will be implemented in 2017 – January in the southern hemisphere and August in the north.

Proposed World Rugby law changes:

– Two on-field referees

– Removal of the “gate” entry at the breakdown

– Tackler and arriving players can enter from midpoint of breakdown, as long as they come from an onside position

– Tackler no longer has 360-degree rights to the ball

– Offside lines one metre behind hindmost foot at breakdown

- ANA