THE HERALD REPORTS
Scotland will help to test new laws
KEVIN FERRIE, chief rugby writer October 28 2006
Scottish clubs are to play a major role in overhauling rugby's image, with the Premier One Super Cup competition in January experimenting with law changes to make the sport more attractive to spectators.
Under the leadership of Bill Nolan, Scotland's International Rugby Board council member, a panel have been examining ways of making the sport easier to play, referee and coach with a view to making it easier for spectators to understand.
A lengthy experiment with these at the famous rugby nursery, South Africa's Stellenbosch University, has been completed and conclusions drawn. Before changes are recommended by a group which includes Rod Maqueen, Australia's 1999 World Cup winning coach, and Ian McIntosh, the former South Africa coach, they wanted to try them out in different conditions, hence the invitation to Scottish clubs.
"We are extremely grateful to the SRU and to Premier One clubs for being so forward-looking and supportive," Nolan said yesterday.
"We wanted to look at this with teams that operate at a higher skill level, and also in northern hemisphere conditions. The Premier One Super Cup is ideal because there is no relegation, so teams can be encouraged to try to embrace the changes."
The most obvious changes will include:
The withdrawal of restrictions on the number of players either side puts into a lineout
lIntroducing an offside line at the scrum that will keep backs five metres behind the hindmost foot of the scrum
The option to take a tap free kick rather than a scrum (awarded to the tackler's team) if the ball is not played immediately by the defending side
Nolan expects protest from those who believe this potentially offers a cheats' charter to tacklers who prevent the ball from being released, but said the evidence so far is that the changes have had the desired effect. "The feedback we have had is that this is leading to a more dynamic game, which was the objective," he said.
Workshops will start next month to help Premier One coaches and referees understand the changes.
These are entirely separate to across-the-board proposals, expected early next year, to change the nature of engagement at scrummages in a bid to reduce the risk of injury

This article was posted on 29-Oct-2006, 08:16 by Hugh Barrow.