Here’s your round-up of all of the latest rugby information for Friday, March 1.
Raft of regulation modifications coming to overtake rugby
Rugby bosses have beneficial main modifications to the game at a summit assembly within the UK.
Representatives from all the main rugby nations met in London, agreeing to pursue modifications to quite a few legal guidelines to hurry up the sport and make it extra interesting to followers.
World Rugby stated the Shape of the Game discussion board in London has “agreed suggestions to reimagine the spectacle and develop rugby’s share of consideration”.
Recommended modifications embrace eradicating repeated scrum choices, a evaluation of the offside regulation from kicks, increasing the remit of the shot clock and dashing up the “use it” name utilized by referees.
There will even be a transfer to ban the ‘croc’ roll which has brought on quite a few severe accidents, look at the breakdown absolutely and streamline the disciplinary system which has been criticised for being too inconsistent.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont stated: “Shape of the Game 2024 represents an vital milestone in defining the way forward for our sport. It is born from a necessity and alternative to develop rugby’s viewers by contemplating how the on-field product and off-field expertise can cement long-term development inside a brand new calendar that delivers long-term certainty of thrilling content material from expanded Rugby World Cups to new international competitions.
“It is fantastic to see such a strong desire from all stakeholders – players, coaches, match officials, competition owners, unions and regions – to evolve the game to set us up for success, not just at the elite level, but at the community game. I would like to thank everyone for their forward-thinking and collaborative contributions.”
The full suggestions are:
Speed and circulation: give attention to points which maintain the sport flowing together with dashing up the ‘use it’ name by referees on the breakdown, eradicating repeated scrums choices, increasing the remit of the shot clock, a evaluation of the offside regulation from kicks, and discover strikes to offer the scrum-half with higher house and safety on the base of scrum, rucks and mauls.
Language and presentation of the sport: a renewed ardour and urgency to give attention to building rugby’s consideration share through a fan-focused view of how the sport is marketed, a constant strategy to presentation of the game throughout all media environments and a give attention to the moments within the recreation that basically interact followers.
Women’s recreation: a devoted give attention to the ladies’s recreation and adapting legal guidelines, recognising the distinctive traits, strengths and alternatives that exist to draw a brand new viewers.
Player welfare and wellbeing: a player-driven strategy to advances in welfare, together with a elimination of the ‘croc roll’ and inspecting the breakdown.
Disciplinary course of evaluation: streamlining the game’s disciplinary and sanctioning processes to assist effectivity, consistency and fan understanding.
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Halfpenny backed to make an influence
Rhys Patchell has backed his old Scarlets and Wales room-mate to make a big effect for the Crusaders throughout his damage rehabilitation.
Halfpenny performed simply quarter-hour of his new workforce’s pre-season conflict in opposition to Munster earlier than he was taken off and had his arm put in a sling. Crusaders later confirmed he was to be out for 3 to 4 months with a chest damage in an enormous blow to the British and Irish Lion.
But Patchell, who can also be out in New Zealand with the Highlanders, says that in rehabilitation, Halfpenny could have a big effect on these round him by imparting his knowledge and expertise on to them.
“My old mate Halfpenny has done himself in for a little while but hopefully it won’t be too long until he gets on the field,” Patchell instructed RugbyCross.
“We’ve been good mates, or I believe we’re good mates, you may ask him and he thinks I’m an absolute clown however nah we’re all good. We used to room collectively on a regular basis at Scarlets and with Wales.
“He’s in good spirits. He is again with the Crusaders now which is superior. His timeline for getting match would enable him to play in Super Rugby.
“You don’t get 101 caps, three British Lions Tours with out being in all probability probably the most diligent skilled ever and discovering 25 hours in a 24 hour day. He’ll be doing the whole lot that he can.
“Even if he’s not capable of get on the sector for a time frame together with his rehabilitation he’ll be contributing to the surroundings up the highway, I’ve no doubts.
“Maybe at some point, we might have a window, 48 hours, for one of us to either drive up or drive down.”
Owens wades into Italy penalty debate
Nigel Owens says Italy’s much-discussed last-minute penalty in opposition to France ought to have been retaken.
The Italians introduced themselves to inside a kick of what would have been a historic win over France. However, Paulo Garbisi may solely information his penalty in opposition to the put up.
His effort got here after the ball had by some means fallen off the tee, with Garbisi dashing to place the ball again for concern of getting timed out on the shot clock.
There was additionally a French cost for Garbisi to take care of, and the incident has been the topic of a lot debate ever since, with some claiming the penalty ought to have been retaken.
It’s a view seemingly shared by Owens, who instructed the latest episode of Whistle Watch:“The large speaking level in fact was the top of the sport, 13-all, historical past within the making, ball comes off the put up.
“But what occurs round that? Okay, we have now the ball falling off the tee. That is just about irrelevant in a penalty what the opposition can do.
“Now the opposition can cost a conversion as soon as a participant signifies that he’s going to start out his run-up. A penalty you may’t. You can’t cost a penalty till the participant has made contact with the ball.
“So we have now a French participant arising as a result of the ball has fallen off the tee. The French participant comes up in all probability to not cost it, he comes up as a result of he can see the ball falling off the tee and now thinks he can cost. He can’t.
“What ought to have occurred right here, what the sport administration and smart resolution ought to have been right here was to say, ‘Look, the ball had fallen off the tee, stop the clock, replace the ball, send the French player back and let the player reset to take his kick again rather than him think he has to because the clock is running’.
“But the key thing here, as a lot of you have been discussing, is if you felt that the French players were encroaching illegally and the kicker misses the kick, then in law it’s quite clear – the kick is to be retaken, another penalty awarded 10 metres further on.”
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France name up New Zealand-born lock for Wales showdown
Emmanuel Meafou could possibly be in line to win his first Test cap for France after being named in Fabien Galthie’s 34-man squad for the Six Nations match in opposition to Wales.
The 25-year-old was born in Auckland and raised in Australia, and joined the Toulouse academy in 2019, changing into a French citizen in November final yr.
Teammate and fellow lock Thibaud Flament has additionally been drafted in, whereas No.8 Gregory Alldritt, who captained France of their opening two matches, returns to the squad after recovering from a thigh damage that stored him out of final week’s recreation in opposition to Italy.
La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy and Toulouse centre Pierre-Louis Barassi are among the many backs.
FORWARDS: Abadie Esteban (RC Toulon), Aldegheri Dorian (Stade Toulousain), Alldritt Grégory (captain) (Stade Rochelais, Atonio Uini (Stade Rochelais), Baille Cyril (Stade Toulousain), Boudehent Paul (Stade Rochelais), Colombe Georges-Henri (Stade Rochelais), Cros François (Toulousain Stadium), Flament Thibaud (Stade Toulousain), Lamothe Maxime (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Marchand Julien (Stade Toulousain), Mauvaka Peato (Toulouse Stadium), Meafou Emmanuel (Stade Toulousain), Ollivon Charles (RC Toulon), Priso Dany (RC Toulon), Roumat Alexandre (Stade Toulousain), Taofifenua Romain (Lyon OR Rugby), Taofifenua Sébastien (Lyon OR Rugby), Tuilagi Posolo (USA Perpignan), Woki Cameron (Racing 92)
BACKS: Barassi Pierre-Louis (Stade Toulousain), Barre Léo (Stade Français), Bielle-Biarrey Louis (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Depoortere Nicolas (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Fickou Gael (Racing 92), Gailleton Emilien (Section Paloise), Gibert Antoine (Racing 92), Hastoy Antoine (Stade Rochelais), Le Garrec Nolann (Racing 92), Lebel Matthis (Stade Toulousain), Lucu Maxime (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Moefana Yoram (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Penaud Damian (Union Bordeaux Bègles), Ramos Thomas (Stade Toulousain)
