World Rugby boss Sir Bill Beaumont. Photo / Photosport
World Rugby boss Sir Bill Beaumont. Photo / Photosport
World Rugby has signed off sweeping change in the form of 10 optional law variations to the community game with the hope of improving safety and participation challenges.
From next January, all national unions will have the ability to make significant changes to the amateur game.
Optional changes include the number of players on each team, the duration, field size, replacements, tackle height, weight restrictions, kicking and set piece modifications.
Teams must play with equal numbers but that could range from 10 to 15 players per-side, depending on availability. In the case of a 10-a-side match, scrums can be contested by five players from each team.
Ten-a-side matches can be played on half size fields, with all conversions taken at one set of posts.
World Rugby is also recommending no scrum resets in the community game. If a scrum is not successful, the game instead restarts with a free kick to the attacking team.
Teams may agree not to contest or lift in lineouts. When uncontested, the ball must be passed to the halfback.
Games can be reduced on a sliding scale depending on the number of players available with 10-a-side matches played over a maximum of 40 minutes. Matches can be split into halves, quarters or thirds.
Under the changes, rolling substitutions can be adopted.
Teams and competitions can consider tweaks such as penalties and free kicks only being kicked to touch from inside a team's half; all conversions being taken from in front of the posts, and kicks in the attacking 22m not being marked.
Unions and competitions are permitted to adjust the tackle-height from "the line of the shoulders" to the nipple line or waist-height.
This has been successfully trialled in South Africa and France and when accompanied by coach and player support can create more offloads, passes, ball-in-play and a reduction in concussions. It may, however, lead to less kicking and more tackles per match.
A community club visit at the Easts Rugby Club in Brisbane during the Global Rugby Tens tournament in 2018. Photo / Photosport
World Rugby has recognised the success of weight restricted grades such as New Zealand's national under 85kg competition, and is therefore encouraging other countries to embrace similar models.
"It is acknowledged that rugby should remain a game for all shapes and sizes, and diversity within a team makes it stronger. However, in some countries with higher levels of multiculturalism and challenges such as perceptions of risk and player transition from school to senior rugby, weight-based competitions may assist retention," World Rugby said in a statement.
"This game element may be worthy of consideration where there are real differences in player size within a population."
New Zealand Rugby general manager of community rugby Steve Lancaster welcomed the raft of changes, many of which have already been adopted to some degree.
"Being able to adapt the game experience to improve participation is important for the rugby community in New Zealand. There is nothing worse for players than turning up for a game only to have it not go ahead due to lack of numbers," Lancaster said.
"We introduced a domestic version of Game On in 2019 which has been incredibly well received and it has been a critical tool in enabling more games to happen. I am sure Game on Global will see a similarly positive effect on the game in other countries around the world."
As the global game grapples with participation rates and major safety concerns around repeat head contact, World Rugby hopes formalising the ability to be flexible with the rules will help address some of those issues.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said the governing body will conduct a global research project that aims to evaluate the potential impact these changes may have on injury-prevention and overall participation.
"The community game is the heart and soul of our sport, it is the foundation upon which our house is built and today represents a landmark for rugby around the globe with the introduction of optional community law variations for our national member unions," Beaumont said.
"We are constantly listening to and engaging with the global rugby family at all levels and I am delighted that today's tangible outcomes were borne out of an initial survey that received more than 1800 respondents from around the world and builds upon existing models in England, New Zealand and Wales.
"The law amendments announced today are a key element of our long-term objective to make the game more accessible, more sustainable, safer and available to all across the globe. The passion, commitment and enjoyment that is seen on rugby pitches up and down countries around the globe is what drives us on with the determination to continue to evolve and improve the game we love for all."
