Weekend trial of new rules
THE eradication of scrums is inching ever closer with the NRL revamping the way players pack down and some scrums scrapped as part of rule changes to be experimented with this weekend.
Experimental rules will happen in two matches without finals ramifications – Brisbane and North Queensland on Thursday and Warriors and Manly on Sunday. The changes involve:
● Only players nominated as forwards – or their replacements – can pack in scrums. If the referee sees the wrong player packing down they will delay feeding the scrum until fixed. If the scrum clock expires a full penalty will be blown.
Scrums will be replaced by a play the ball 10m in from touch if the ball is kicked into touch or a player is taken over the sideline. The only exception will be a tap restart after a 40/20 or 20/40.
● The referee will restart the tackle count with a sixagain signal instead of blowing a penalty for inside-the10 infringements. A full penalty will be awarded for professional fouls, repeated infringements and where play breaks down. Professional fouls or repeated infringements will be an automatic sin bin. If a team in possession deliberately breaks down play a scrum will go to the opposition.
● Once a referee awards a try it will not be referred to the bunker but will be reviewed in the background while the conversion is set up without stopping the game.
If it looks like a try has not been scored the referee will be told and will stop the conversion until a decision is made. Any on-field decision of notry may still be referred, as is the case at the moment.