Law trials and changes
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Players, unions and competitions support new guidelines for rugby contact training load
World Rugby and International Rugby Players (IRP) have published new contact training load guidance aimed at reducing injury risk and supporting short and long-term player welfare. The guidance is being supported by national players’ associations, national unions, international and domestic competitions, top coaches and clubs.
Earlier this year, World Rugby unveiled a transformational six-point plan aiming to cement rugby as the most progressive sport on player welfare. These new best-practice guidelines focus on the intensity and frequency of contact training to which professional rugby players should be exposed and have been shaped by consultation with players and coaches as well as leading medical, conditioning and scientific experts.
While the incidence of training injuries is low relative to that of matches, the volume of training performed means that a relatively high proportion (35-40 per cent) of all injuries during a season occur during training, with the majority of these being soft tissue injuries. Since the training environment is highly controllable, the guidelines have been developed to reduce injury risk and cumulative contact load to the lowest possible levels that still allow for adequate player conditioning and technical preparation.New ‘best practice’ training contact guidelines
World Rugby and International Rugby Players’ new framework [https://www.world.rugby/the-game/player-welfare/medical/contact-load] sets out clear and acceptable contact guidelines for training sessions, aiming to further inform coaches – and players – of best practice for reducing injury risk and optimising match preparation in season. The guidance covers the whole spectrum of contact training types, considering volume, intensity, frequency and predictability of contact, as well as the optimal structure of sessions across the typical training week, including crucial recovery and rest periods.
Recommended contact training limits for the professional game are:- Full contact training: maximum of 15 minutes per week across a maximum of two days per week with Mondays and Fridays comprising zero full contact training to allow for recovery and preparation
- Controlled contact training: maximum of 40 minutes per week
- Live set piece training: maximum of 30 minutes set piece training per week is advised
The guidelines, which also consider reducing the overall load for players of particular age, maturity and injury profile (in line with the risk factors and load guidance published in 2019), will feature in the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup player welfare standards.
Instrumented mouthguard research programme to inform effectiveness
World Rugby is partnering with elite teams to measure the ‘real life’ effect of these guidelines (in training and matches) and assess the mechanism, incidence and intensity of head impact events using the Prevent Biometics market-leading instrumented mouthguard technology and video analysis to monitor implementation and measure outcomes.
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A player welfare related law change:
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If you know what grazes/ burns caused by artificial turf feel like (or like I experienced in my playing days, they frequently result in skin infections despite proper medical treatment), you'll know this is a good thing. I hated playing on artificial turf (they're probably better now, but still cause problems for some).By the way, I don't think this clothing option was introduced for women with artificial turf in mind; I think it was more a religion thing, like the headscarves, when rugby became more popular among women in some islamic countries.
There is no official announcement from WR (yet) about this law change, but as you can see above, they've made the change in the online version of the Law Book. I found out about because I read the article below.
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Yeah artificial grass sucks. You play a game you feel like you’ve had a cheese grater move up and down your limbs.
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Hockey turf is cushioned and less abrasive, but that's cos they water them, not sure theyd work for rugby...boy I used to hate playing on the old sand turf in Whangarei, 150 grit sandpaper!
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@stargazer said in Law trials and changes:
WB: “What we also saw was a try off a forward pass. That’s one of the new law trials”
Cameraman: “that’s not a law trial”
WB: “it isn’t?”
Cameraman: “no Wayne you muppet. That’s one of the original founding laws from 1823”
WB: …
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‘Game On Global’ community law variations to advance rugby accessibility and welfare
Welfare and accessibility are at the heart of Game On Global, a groundbreaking programme of optional community law variations launched by World Rugby and national member unions today.
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Modified contact, weight-banded matches and lowered tackle height at the heart of new community law variations to further advance accessibility and welfare
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Law variations include flexibility in number of players, game duration, pitch size, ball size, as well as variations to scrums, lineouts and kicking rules
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Promoting global consistency at the community level of the game, the menu of 10 law variants can be implemented by national unions from January 2022
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The introduction of Game On Global follows World Rugby’s recently launched participation plan to accelerate sustainable rugby involvement
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Implementation of the law variations will be optional and available in part or in whole for National Unions to determine.
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Central monitoring, and research will be undertaken evaluate impact
Game On Global provides national unions with the ability to implement modified laws at a domestic mass participation level, furthering game experience and safety for participants. Unions can pick and choose from dependent on their context and purpose.
Promoting global consistency in the law variations open to unions at the community level of the game, a menu of 10 law variants are now available to all unions. From January 2022 the Game On principles can be utilised by all World Rugby member unions at their discretion:
VIEW THE LAW VARIATIONS >> (this links to a Word document)A number of national models of good practise already in existence, including in England, New Zealand and Wales, who have shared their knowledge and expertise in the development of World Rugby’s global project, which builds on these models and extends to other areas of the game.
You can find my post about the NZ initiative "Game on" here:
https://www.forum.thesilverfern.com/post/402684 -
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@machpants said in NH International Rugby:
Scrum tweak trial
Six Nations: World Rugby to trial new scrum law to improve safety
World Rugby has announced that a new law that is designed to improve scrum stability and protect hookers will be trialled during this year's Six Nations.
Re-posted this here in case others don't pick it u.
Any opinions from the Front Row club?
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I'll post here to save cluttering up a match thread
So, the TMO and the fould play crack down. Made the game better you reckon?
We've got games being fucked up red cards (a double whammy for Italy), some incredibly marginal. Rugby being broken down to super slow-mo which removes all context and nuance in a decision. And yes, i understand, and even sympathise with the reasoning.
However, then, after each game, the trial begins. Matches are trawled through, and incidences where cards weren't given are dragged up. Dipshits like Rassie Erasmus make idiotic twitter posts which stir up the dipshits. Claims of conspiracies and favouritism get dragged up. And thats after the spectacle of absolute fluffybunnies like Jonny Sexton pleading for more cards in a game where a team has 12 fucking players on teh field and you are winning by 50. Seriously fuck Jonny Sexton the weak fluffybunny.
Has any of this really made the game better? Is it safer now you reckon than it was say 5 years ago?
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@mariner4life said in Law trials and changes:
I'll post here to save cluttering up a match thread
So, the TMO and the fould play crack down. Made the game better you reckon?
We've got games being fucked up red cards (a double whammy for Italy), some incredibly marginal. Rugby being broken down to super slow-mo which removes all context and nuance in a decision. And yes, i understand, and even sympathise with the reasoning.
However, then, after each game, the trial begins. Matches are trawled through, and incidences where cards weren't given are dragged up. Dipshits like Rassie Erasmus make idiotic twitter posts which stir up the dipshits. Claims of conspiracies and favouritism get dragged up. And thats after the spectacle of absolute fluffybunnies like Jonny Sexton pleading for more cards in a game where a team has 12 fucking players on teh field and you are winning by 50. Seriously fuck Jonny Sexton the weak fluffybunny.
Has any of this really made the game better? Is it safer now you reckon than it was say 5 years ago?
No.
The game is still based around having huge bodies crash into each other causing trauma (apparently) similar to that of a car crash.
I dunno how to fix it though as most of my ideas would likely make or be perceived to make the game less safe (e.g., reducing the number of subs or amount of subs you can use).
One change I would make is only using the red card for filth and using a report system where guys get YC and lose a lot of games for reckless/dangerous play.
Another would be changing the reffing of the offside line so teams had to be clearly onside, with a line drawn perpendicular to the most forward facing part of a player attached to the ruck (even if they are on the ground), and I'd allow teams to pull in the half back. Fuck em if they don't protect the little fluffybunny.
Jesus, I just read that and its clear to me that I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about.
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@mariner4life we hand out red cards as a deterrent to try and make the game safe, then judiciaries are handing out discounts for being a good bloke or having a clean record.
Where's the line?
20 minute red cards, player ejected. Go hard at the judiciary.
Won't stop high shots. Might reduce them. And give the lawyers for WR something to cling to...
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@bones said in Law trials and changes:
@gt12 said in Law trials and changes:
(e.g., reducing the number of subs or amount of subs you can use)
I can see that having the exact opposite effect. Tired players are more prone to mistakes.
I thought that too then decided that tired bodies on tired bodies is preferable to the mix we get now where some raging behemoth comes on to smash everyone that hasn't been subbed.
However, the cat is out of the bag now and it will be very hard to stop coaches gaming the system. They will manage to get subs on for 'injuries' all the time
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@crucial said in Law trials and changes:
However, the cat is out of the bag now and it will be very hard to stop coaches gaming the system. They will manage to get subs on for 'injuries' all the time
spot on
Saffers with 'injuries' before tactical substitutions;
BloodgateIt'll be gamed, and frequently.
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@bones said in Law trials and changes:
@crucial said in Law trials and changes:
tired bodies on tired bodies
Yeah not sure I see the sense in that!
As opposed to fresh bodies against tired bodies.
If you pick people to play 80, the body shape is different. It's definitely worth considering
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@nzzp said in Law trials and changes:
@bones said in Law trials and changes:
@crucial said in Law trials and changes:
tired bodies on tired bodies
Yeah not sure I see the sense in that!
As opposed to fresh bodies against tired bodies.
If you pick people to play 80, the body shape is different. It's definitely worth considering
Probably 90% of the cards we're seeing, are players being lazy and/or making mistakes. I just don't see the logic that it's going to improve if we add more tired players.
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@nzzp said in Law trials and changes:
'injuries' before tactical substitutions;
There's an easy way to address this: play on.
"But sir he's a second rower for our scrum" - then play the scrum with one of your flankers in there. It isn't a specialist position according to the Laws.
"But sir he's our hooker for the lineout" - someone else can throw; again - not in the Laws.
"But sir he's a prop for the scrum" - and he's been down "injured" four times this half, so he should be replaced immediately or I'll penalise you for unsportsmanlike conduct.
