GN00908.txt

Changes to laws of the game
1. Scoring values have been altered to make a try worth 5 points with the conversion being 2. A penalty goal and a dropped goal remain at 3 points, but the team awarded a free kick may not score a dropped goal until after the ball next becomes dead.
2. After a tackle any other player (not involved in the tackle) must be on his feet when he plays the ball.
3. In general play, off-side players may not advance towards a player waiting to play the ball until they have been put on side. At present they may advance to a position 10 metres from such a player.
4. In forming a scrummage the requirement to 'touch', in the engagement sequence, has been amended to require the front rows to be within one arm's length of their opponents and they may not form the scrummage until the referee has marked the place of engagement.
5. In a set scrummage the hooker may raise his foot when the ball leaves the hand of the player putting it in.
6. It will be illegal to intentionally lift an opponent off his feet or force him upwards out of a scrum.
7. When a five-metre scrum is awarded it will be opposite the place where the ball became dead and not where it crossed the goal line.
8. The half back may not take any action while the ball is still in the scrummage to convey to opponents that the ball is out.
9. When a player receives the ball outside his 22 and runs behind the 22 before kicking for touch, he may not gain ground from the kick.
10. If a free kick is kicked into touch on the full, the team will not gain ground.
11. When a penalty kick is kicked directly into touch the same team will have the throw in.
12. A player kicking for touch from a free kick may only punt or drop kick the ball.
13. A quick kick may be taken by a team at either a penalty kick or free kick without waiting for players of that team to retire behind the ball provided those players do not become involved in play.
14. At a quick throw in, the ball may be thrown in from any point along the touch line nearer to the defending team's goal line, provided the player uses the same ball and retrieves it himself.
15. From the kick off, if the ball crosses the opposing team's goal line without being touched by the defending team, that team may have a scrummage at the half way. The kick off, after the opposing side has scored, is to be a drop kick.
16. Up to four replacements may be used by each team on account of injury.
17. At half time Coaches may come on to the field in Under 19 rugby and in such domestic matches as a Union may authorise.
18. A player's Union or affiliated organisation may cite a player for foul play which has not been detected by the match officials.
19. Twelve penalty provisions have been changed to free kicks, including the intentional knock on; using another player in a line-out for support in jumping; moving beyond the end of the line-out, handling or picking up the ball in a scrum or ruck and in cases of delay or waste of time.

Experimental variations
In a maul when the ball becomes unplayable or the maul becomes stationary, the team NOT IN POSSESSION at the commencement of the maul will put the ball into an ensuing scrummage.
The same will apply to a ruck if the ball becomes unplayable except when the referee is unable to determine the team responsible.
Experimental variations for the line-out are:
A space of 1 metre between the lines of players (at present 0.5 metre) but delete the requirement of 1 metre between players of the same team.
When jumping for the ball a player must use both hands or his inside arm to catch the ball.
The act of jumping for the ball does not allow a player to step across the line-of-touch.