1. Assistant referees are able to assist the referee in any way that the referee requires.

Pros - It can only be a good thing that the old linesman takes a more active role.

Cons - Not relevant in lower leagues/amateur level. Maybe problem at the scrum which I'll come to later.

Solution - This is worth keeping and will benefit the game on the whole.

Law 17 - Maul

2 Remove reference to head and shoulders not being lower than hips.

3 Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.

Okay I'll deal with both of these together:

Pros - Legalises something that has been happening anyway in hopefully a safer manner, also removes (slightly) the debate of everyone being offside.

Cons - Obviously can be dangerous especially at the lower levels where there maybe only the referee and limited medical back-up.

Solution - Keep it on trial for a year or two at the professional level (Division 1 upwards) but not allowed at lower/amateur levels. The exception could be only allowing it if there are two assistant referees and a referee and adequate medical back-up.

Law 19 - Touch and Lineout

4 If a team puts the ball back into its own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch, there is no gain in ground.

Pros - Can produce more counter attacking play but only with certain changes in the line-out (more on this later).

Cons - In conjunction with the line-out can produce arial ping-pong which decreases(sp) the game as a spectacle.

Solution - Drop this law for the time being. It has come in too soon and the damage must be repaired in the game before it can be trialled again.

5 A quick throw in may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line.

Pros - Can speed up the game, a common sense ELV (shock horror)

Cons - Can't see any.

Solution - Introduce (along with assistant referee) into the Laws

6 There is no restriction on the number of players from either team who can participate in the lineout.

Pros - Makes throwing far more of a skill. Gives advantage to the defending team on the whole.

Cons - direct cause of the arial ping-pong and reduces the variation on line-outs (two vital aspects for making the game an interesting spectacle).

Solution - drop as soon as possible as it dumbs down the game to a point where you might as well add a net across the center of the pitch as sides don't want to risk the throw-in. Instead use the assistant referee to help count numbers, position of receivers etc, after all you have just upgraded his job description.

7 The receiver at the lineout must be 2 metres away from the lineout.

Pros - makes it simpler to keep track of numbers in the line-out. Helps clarify what could be a murky area.

Cons - not great enough to see straight away.

Solution - trial for another year, but with signs looking like it should be added to law.

8 The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the 5-metre line and the touch line but must be 2 metres away from the 5-metre line.

Pros - Again helps keep the numbers in the line-out clearer.

Cons - negated to a high degree by the unlimited numbers in the line-out.

Solution - Another strange ELV which seems to be most effective with limiting the numbers in the line-out. Worth keeping on trial.

9 Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.

Pros - It happens anyway.

Cons - For some the mere fact it's an ELV.

Solution - might as well add to the Laws.

10 The lifting of lineout players is permitted.

See above.

Law 20 - Scrum

11 Introduction of an offside line 5 metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.

Pros - speeds up play (more than expected).

Cons - Could lead to congestion in mid-field (yes I'm struggling with this one).

Solution - Keep on trialling. With the assistant referee on the blindside assisting with bindings. Even more radical could be the third match official watching the scrums on the blindside whilst the assistant referees keep an eye on the five metre rule.

12 Identification of scrum half offside lines.

Pros - Can speed up the game.

Cons - I still need more time to see how big an effect this could be.

Solution - Keep trialling.

Law 22 – Corner Posts

13 The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch-in-goal except when the ball is grounded against the post.

Pros - none that I have seen.

Cons - none that I have seen.

Solution - keep on trialling.

Lastly the IRB need to make sure there is standardised rulings of the current laws at the break down across the board SH as well NH.

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