From: dmarshal@Stars.Reston.Unisys.COM ( Paramax)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby
Subject: Law Changes for 1992-1993
Date: 26 Aug 92 15:51:36 GMT
Organization: Unisys Corporation, Reston, VA

The following is the text of an article that appeared in the latest
RUGBY magazine.  Its author is Jim Russell.  Because most of the article
is composed of the text of the new laws, I have taken the liberty of
reprinting it here.

		LAW CHANGES FOR 1992-1993
		Jim Russell, 1992

Since the summary article previously published in the May 25 issue of RUGBY, we have received from the International Rugby Football Board the actual text of
the Laws changes - 19 pages encompassing at least 78 substantial amendments;
these changes have now been adopted by USARFU for implementation no later than
Sept. 1, 1992.  Those changes marked "[E.V.]" are Experimental Variations;
they are fully in effect this year, but the IRFB is going to look at them in
1993.

Based on the previous IRFB Summary, written and oral rumors and conjectures
have been circulating on the possible effects of alleged Laws changes.  The
wording we finally received has put many of these concerns to rest.

The following is a SUMMARY of some of the more significant amendments, from
the actual text of the new Laws.  I have omitted minor consequential changes,
and changes that now formally allow practices we have followed anyway.  All
interested people should consult the actual text as found in the USARFU
Handbook and Laws of the Game, available from the USARFU National Office and
various rugby suppliers.

1.  Blood - Law 6A8: All bleeding players must leave the field until the
wound is covered or dressed.

2.  Kickoff - Law 10 Definition: A place kick only at the start of each half.
Otherwise, all kickoffs after any score (try or goal) shall be dropkicks.

3.  Kickoff - Law 10(4): Any kickoff going directly into In-goal without
touching any player, and the ball then becoming dead (defenders down it, ball
goes over deadball line or touch in-goal line) results in a scrum center,
no longer a drop-out.

4.  Scoring - Law 11: Tries now count for 5 points; conversions remain at 2
points; drop and penalty goals remain at 3 points.

5.  5 Meter Scrum - Law 14: A 5-meter scrum, awarded generally when the
defending team causes the ball to go into its own in-goal and become dead, will
now be placed opposite where the ball was made dead; previously the mark for
the scrum was opposite the place where the ball crossed the goalline.

6.  Fair Catch (Mark) - Law 16(a): A player making a mark need no longer be
stationary, i.e., he may be on the run, provided he has at least one foot on
the ground and the other existing criteria are met - behind the 22, clean catch,
and simultaneously calls "Mark!".

7.  Intentional Knockon - Law 17: The sanction for an intentional knockon has
been downgraded from a penalty kick to a free kick.

8.  Scrum Engagement - Law 20(2): At the scrum, the front rows still must crouch
and pause within an arm's length, but need no longer touch.  However, they
cannot come together until the ref call out "Engage".  The ref's call of
"Engage" is not a command that must be obeyed immediately under penalty, but
rather an indication that the front rows may engage when ready.  In other
words, the ref's "Enagage" call is not a deadline but an indication that the
engagement may begin.

9.  Scrummaging - Laws 20(14) & 26(3)g: A front row player may not lift an
opponent off his feet or force him up out of the scrum.  This restriction
aimed at the props is repeated several times and sanctioned by a penalty kick.

10.  Scrumhalves - Law 20(17): At the scrum, the scrumhalf may not take "any
action ... to convey ... that the ball is out...."  "Any action" can
presumably include not only the fake pass but also fake running as if with the
ball.

11.  Ruck/Maul - Laws 21 & 22 [E.V.]: If a ruck or maul dies, the ensuing scrum
is given to the team not in possession back at the start of the ruck/maul, not
to the team moving forward at the time of stoppage.  It is still a penalty
willfully to collapse a ruck or maul.

12.  Lineout Spacing - Law 23B(2) [E.V.]: The two lines of forwards must now be
a full meter apart from each other, not the half meter previously allowed.
However, there is no longer any restriction on how close teammates can be to
each other, i.e., teammates in the lineout can stand right next to each other
instead of having to be a meter apart.

13.  Spot For Lineout - Law 23B5(b):  If a player receives the ball in front
of his 22, retreats back behind his 22, and kicks long directly into touch,
the lineout is back where he kicked it.  If he is behind his 22, and receives
a pass from in front of the 22, there is no change and the kick results in a
lineout where the ball went into touch.

14.  Spot For Lineout-Free Kick - Law 23B5(b): A free kick directly into touch,
even if taken from behind the 22, results in a lineout opposite the point of
the kick.

15.  Quick Throw-In - Law 23B5(c) & 9: A quick throw-in (BUT NOT A REGULAR
LINEOUT) may be taken anywhere between where the ball went into touch and the
throwing team's goal-line.  A quick throw-in is permitted only if the ball has
been handled only by the one player throwing it in - previously, the ball could
be handled by any number of players.  At a quick throw-in, the ball must still
be thrown in straight and 5 meters.

16.  Spot For Lineout-Penalty Kick - Law 23B6(a): A penalty kick directly into
touch results in a lineout to the kicking team where the ball went into touch.

17.  Lineout Jumpers - Law 23B16 [E.V.]: Lineout jumpers may use both arms or
the inside arm, but may not use the outside arm alone, to catch or tap the 
ball (Free kick).

18.  Lineout Jumping - Law 23 Note xiv and 24D1: Lineout jumpers may not step
across the line-of-touch (Penalty kick).

19.  Offside in General Play - Laws 24A & 25(1): In general play, offside
players within 10 of where the ball is coming down must retreat and,
apparently, keep retreating until they are put onside.  They cannot just retreat
10 and wait.  Players originally outside of the 10 meter circle can wait where
they are but mmay not advance toward the receiver or the place where the ball
pitches until put on-side.

20.  Throwing The Ball Into Touch - Law 26(2)c: Willfully throwing or knocking
the ball into touch, touch-in-goal, or over the deadball line will now result
in a free kick, not a penalty kick.

21.  Foul Play Reported By A Touch Judge - Law 26, Penalty vi: Foul play
detected and reported by the touch judge under Law 6B6 results in either a
penalty kick at the palce of infringement, or advantage may be played.  This
change apparently prohibits a penalty kick where a stoppage occurred after
advantage.

22.  Undetected Foul Play - Law 26: A player who commits foul play undetected
by the referee or touch judges may be cited and sanctioned by the Union.

23.  Offside At Penalty/Free Kick - Laws 27 & 28: A penalty or free kick will
not be brought back of the kicker's teammates in front of the kick are retiring
and take no part in the play until they are put onside.

24.  Drop-Goal After Free Kick - Law 28: The team awarded a free kick may not
score a drop-goal until after the ball has become dead or after the ball has
been touched by an opponent.

25.  Free Kick For Touch - Law 28(5): As with penalty kicks, a player kicking
a free kick for touch may only punt or dropkick - no place kick for touch.

26.  Charging a Free Kick - Law 28(8): Opponents may charge only when the kicker
begins his run or offers to kick - no more charge when the ball is placed on
the ground.

27.  Void Free Kick - Law 28(9): If opponents legally charge a free kick and
prevent it being taken (as opposed to blocking the kick the moment after foot
meets ball), the kick is void, no advantage, and there shall be a scrum to
those opponents.

28.  Penalty/Free Kicks generally: The IRFB has continued its trend in recent
years of downgrading a number of infringements, including "minor" or
"technical" violations, from penalty to free kicks, so as to try to avoid too
many goals.  Now, very generally, penalty kicks are awarded only for
repeated infringements, foul or dangerous play, and ball-killing infringments
including offside.

YOUR TURN.  What do you think of all these changes?  Inspired improvements to
the Game?  The worst thing since allowing Backs on the field?  Long overdue
modernizations?  The biggest mistake since letting Forwards kick?  As
mentioned above, the IRFB will be reviewing some of these Laws changes in
1993.  If you have any comment or suggestion on any one or more of the
changes (E.V. or otherwise), please submit them IN WRITING to Jim Russell by
February 1, 1993.  Significant and repeated comments may be passed on to the
IRFB.

Jim Russell, Chairman
USARFU Laws Subcommittee
11151 E. Berry Dr.
Englewood, Colo. 80111
-- 
                                           Dave Marshall
                                           dmarshal@stars.reston.unisys.com