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- by: Bret Harris
- From:The Australian
- October 29, 201212:00AM
WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans believes the five laws that are being trialled globally will promote more attacking rugby on the team's tour of Europe next month.
The experimental laws include:
lLimiting the time the ball is available at the back of a ruck to just five seconds;
lFreeing up the positioning of a quick throw-in;
lThe choice of a lineout from knock-ons, penalties and free kicks.
In addition, there are two trials specific to the November Test window: extended jurisdiction for the third match official and the allowance to name an extra prop on an eight-man bench.
"I skimmed them," Deans said. "I intend to go back and have a look at some ITM Cup (in New Zealand) and (talk to) people who have been using them.
"I don't think there will be anything alarming in terms of the viewing public. They are just little points of advantage for the game. They will take some of the frustrating elements out of it. The most obvious one is the extra prop on the bench, which will be great. Great for those lads. It's going to give them more access to the game and in a specialist position."
Deans said well-organised teams would benefit from the law that demands ball from the ruck has to be used within five seconds.
"Sides that master their organisation will get the benefit of that because there will be less scope for the defence to set," he said. "That's always been part of the game. The motivation is obviously to take the blight out of the game. That parking over the ball element, which is a source of frustration.
"Some of the tweaks they've made permit maintaining of momentum. There is a little bit more scope in terms of quick throws. There is more scope for the attack to continue to attack."
Deans welcomed the extended jurisdiction of the TMO as long as it did not create delays in the game.
"You don't want to get to the point of frustration where there is a lot of down time," Deans said.
"We do live in an age of technology. The game has to stack up with the scrutiny. If decisions are being made that are evidently flawed and the whole world can see it, that's not great for the game."
The five law amendments are:
lThe ball must be used within five seconds of it being made available at the back of a ruck following a referee's warning to 'use it'."
lFor a quick throw-in, the player may be anywhere outside the field of play between the line of touch and the player's goal-line.
lWhen the ball goes into touch from a knock-on, the non-offending team will be offered the choice of a lineout at the point where the ball crossed the touch line or a scrum at the place of the knock-on. The non-offending team may exercise this option by taking a quick throw-in."
lA team awarded a penalty or a free kick at a lineout may choose a further lineout with the throw-in -- in addition to the scrum option.
lA conversion kick must be completed within 90 seconds of the time a try is awarded.
The two additional trials are:
lExtend the jurisdiction of the TMO to incidents within the field of play that have led to a try and foul play in the field of play.
lInternational teams to nominate up to eight replacements in the match-day squad for Test matches. The additional player must be a qualified front row player.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spor...-1226504909300
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