NRL to trial radical new rule changes — including ONLY forwards in scrums
www.foxsports.com.au
NRL to trial radical new rule changes — including ONLY forwards in scrums
NRL PREMIERSHIP
- September 22, 2020 3:43pm
- by GEORGE CLARKE AND MARK ST JOHN
- Source: FOX SPORTS
The NRL will trial new rules in the final round of the season.Source: Getty Images
The NRL will experiment with rule changes in two games in Round 20 with the aim of avoiding a blunder like the one seen in South Sydney’s loss to Canterbury.
The Rabbitohs were awarded a try without consultation with the bunker when Jaxson Paulo slid over in the first half.
Replays showed that the Bunnies winger had put his foot in touch before grounding the ball.
WHY is there a bunker at all?
0:56
Thankfully, the try did not affect the outcome of the game.
Under the rule changes which will be trialled in the Broncos’s clash with the Cowboys and Sunday’s Warriors v Manly match, referees who think a try has been scored will award it without consulting the bunker.
Up until the conversion attempt is taken, the bunker will be able to review the try and overturn the referee’s decision.
If the referee believes a try hasn’t been scored they stop the game and send the decision up as a “no try” as normal.
In other rules to be trialled, only forwards will be allowed to pack into scrums.
Clubs will have to nominate 10 forwards among their final 17-man squads and referees will ensure they pack down at scrum time.
After a six again has been awarded all defending players except those who have taken up a position as marker(s) must “retire 10 metres from the point at which the ball is played or to their own goal line”.
All defending players are required to be “in line” with the referee marking the 10 metres.
The referee will call “go” when the ball has been played backwards and then the defensive line is entitled to move forward. Players who jump off the 10 metres early will be considered to be in breach of the 10 metre rule. Touch judges are to assist the referee in monitoring and enforcing the 10 metre rule.
Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans with referee Grant Atkins.Source: News Corp Australia
The handover touchline rule concerns where play is stopped because the ball, or a player in possession of the ball has gone into touch, other than for a 40/20 or 20/40 kick, play will be restarted with a play the ball by the non-offending team.
The play the ball is to occur 10 metres in from touch, opposite where the ball entered touch, but no closer than 10 metres from a goal line.
The offending team for the purpose of this rule is the team which last touched the ball before it entered touch.
For infringements such as knock-ons, forward passes and accidental offsides, the Referee will continue to order a scrum to be packed.