Dear Colleagues,
I hope you are going well and enjoying some well-earned rest in the sunshine ☀️.
As we know rugby 🏉 is continuing throughout the summer, with the British & Irish Lions 🦁 tour in Australia, England men touring in Argentina and the big one, England women 🌹 playing in the Rugby World Cup, being held in England, kicking-off on Friday 22nd August 2025, against the USA. Plus, I am sure there are many tournaments & pre-season fixtures already in the pipeline.
As a gentle reminder, World Rugby have introduced Global Law Trials effective in our game from Tuesday 1st July 2025.
The reason for the changes is based on a perceived need to:
- Speed up the game (time limits) and
- Allow for more flowing opportunities in the management of the game (from scrum, lineout, ruck & maul).
The main areas of change focus on:
- Quicker conversions
- A new set time to form a lineout (in line with 30 seconds at the scrum)
- Not straight at uncontested lineout = play on
- Cleaner play away from the ruck/maul/scrum
The details can be found here: World Rugby Global Law Trials – 1st July 2025
In addition, a law clarification was issued last week, in relation to:
At a ruck/breakdown close to the goal line, the attacking scrum half picks up the ball and dives forward over the ruck in an attempt to score a try.
Is this legal or should it be sanctioned?
The detailed response can be found here: World Rugby Law Clarification 1 -2025
Please share this information & resources across your rugby networks to ensure the widest possible reach among colleagues, players & coaches.
Have a great rest of your summer and I look forward to catching up soon.
Yours in Ref’ing,
Michael Patz
RFU Match Official Development Manager