Rugby: Referees back open play for Super 14

Referees and their assistants will be focusing on freeing up the ball and creating clarity around rulings at the tackle area and at scrum time in this year's Super 14 rugby tournament.

The referees say it is an effort to make the competition more spectator-friendly.

Additionally, players advancing from offside positions during kicking phases will be penalised to maintain the counter-attacking options for the receiving team.

Tournament officials in all three countries have been given a clear mandate to deal with these key areas in an effort to create clarity for players, officials and fans, and "to enable the kind of rugby that Super Rugby fans have come to expect," Sanzar referees manager Lyndon Bray said.

"There is total agreement between all three Sanzar countries that Super 14 rugby needs to return to its roots and deliver excitement and attack on the field.

"We believe these initiatives can help deliver a better game for everyone," he said.

The 2009 season review brought out four priorities.

Coaches, players and referees have bought into these, in order to help create some fundamental change to the game.

"In the past two months, I have attended workshops in all three Sanzar countries with coaches and officials and everyone has responded positively to this approach," he said.

These initiatives were a return to the laws of the game and did not represent any change in law.

"We are simply limiting room for interpretation and [this] should create clarity and certainty for coaches, players, officials and fans."

Referees' performances will be measured against these priorities throughout the Super 14 season.

That will guide the selectors in the appointment of officials as the tournament progresses, Bray said.

- NZPA