A regular programme feature that keeps you up to date with rugby and club issues and news by Kenny Hamilton.
(These may be the views of Glasgow Hawks)

Happy 2007
A Happy New Year to all sponsors and supporters from the Hawks players and back-up team. We look forward to an exciting year for the club with a major emphasis on our community links and development structure.

The End of 2006
Probably our biggest attendance for some time witnessed a tense match against Ayr which Hawks deservedly won and ended the championship aspirations of our coastal cousins. Having beaten the new champions, Currie, the previous week the players and coaches deserve enormous credit for the progress made this season. Of course there remains work to be done.

Muir
Welcome to the players, officials and supporters of Boroughmuir today for our first match in the P1 Supercup. The format for the competition is 2 groups of 5 teams play each other once to provide 2 finalists who will face each other at Myreside.
It is one all in the series so far this season, but Hawks are way behind on points difference at the moment. The experimental laws might suit the traditional open play of B’muir, but this improving Hawks side still has a point or two to prove.

The Experimental Laws
There will be those who feel that messing about with the laws of the game is going to add to the confusion that already exists in interpretation of the game. But the IRB has indicated that they ‘are looking at the game in a new light with the idea of making it simpler and easier to play and referee and to ensure rugby is understood and enjoyed by the increasing number of spectators that are being attracted to the game. As a World Governing Body, we are committed to reducing the number and complexity of the laws and to reduces the "cannots" in law and promote the "cans" to create a positive philosophy.’
Unfortunately, when our fixtures were drawn up at the start of the season we did not know that we would be playing experimental laws one week, back to conventional laws the next. This will doubtless be an additional challenge for players and officials. Interestingly, the front row seem to have adapted very quickly. They find that they can ignore both sets of laws equally easily.
The Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) being trialled are:
1. Corner Flag moved out from T/L in line with all other flags.
2. Ball if passed back into own 22 is then kicked directly to touch. Lineout will take place opposite the place where the ball was kicked. If however another activity has taken place (ruck/maul/breakdown) within the 22 and the ball then kicked to touch, lineout will take place where ball crosses touch line.
3. Quick throw – as long as it goes back – no problem.
4. Teams no longer need to match up numbers at a formed lineout.
5. At scrum, both back lines must be 5m behind appropriate hind-most foot of scrummage
6. Penalties will be awarded for OFFSIDE and FOUL PLAY. Note tackle now becomes offside line.
7. Defending team allowed to bring down the maul
8. Players allowed to contest the ball on the ground and may use hands in this dispute for possession. Players must enter the breakdown at "the gate". Any player not involved in the breakdown must be behind the hind-most foot. If the ball becomes unplayable, possession will be awarded to the team not taking the ball into contact. The game is restarted either by a tap free kick or a scrum option.
At the breakdown the decisions by the referee have been reduced to:
• Ensuring players enter by "the gate"
• Penalise players who enter in an offside manner
• Any player who commits foul play
• Ball becoming unplayable

This article was posted on 2-Jan-2007, 13:18 by Hugh Barrow.