Introduction of Experimental Law Variations
See also: Playing rugby unionThe 2008 competition is currently the highest level competition to trial any of the International Rugby Board's (IRB) Experimental law variations (ELVs). The laws had been trialled in various competitions in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. The highest level competition the laws had previsouly been introduced to was the 2007 Australian Rugby Championship. The introduction of the laws for the 2008 season was approved by the competition's governing body, SANZAR, at a meeting on 4 December 2007.
SANZAR decided not to adopt all the ELVs, and decided to adopt the following:
- The corner posts are moved so that they are outside the junction of the touchline and goal-line. A player will also not be in touch if they are touching the corner post unless they are also touching either the touchline, or ground over the touchline.
- A ball can be thrown backwards on a quick throw-in rather than having to be thrown straight.
- The offside line will now occur immediately once a tackle is made.
- At the breakdown the Scrum-half (half-back) cannot be touched unless they are touching the ball.
- During a scrum, with the exception of forwards in the scrum, and each team's scrum-half, the offside line will now be 5 metres behind the hindmost foot of a scrum.
- With the exception of offside, not entering the breakdown through the gate, and foul-play, the punishment will be a free kick.
Read more about this topic: 2008 Super 14 Season
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