NRL trialling rule changes - any good? : Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:21 am
In the NRL's February All Stars game the following rule changes will be trialled:1. POWER PLAY - at a stoppage in each half, each team can call a Power Play, whereby the opposition must immediately drop 2 players for 5 minutes.
2. Ruck infringements which do not halt the play (eg holding down) will not be a penalty, but instead, an immediate wiping of the tackle count.
3. 40/20 rule to be extended to include 20/40
Would you like to see any of these introduced? I can see merit in 2 and 3, but the power play thing is to me a horrible gimmick, artificially altering the balance of play, and I just hate the idea.
Full rule changes:
Power play
- Each team will receive one (1) optional power play in each half of the match.
- Once a team captain nominates to the match referee that they wish to use their power play for the half at a stoppage in play (changeover, scrum etc.), the opposition team must immediately drop two (2) players from the field of play for a 5 minute period (11 players on the field of play).
- If the team who called the power play scores a try during this period, the power play will end immediately and the two players who left the field may return.
- Players returning to the field of play must do so under the supervision of the interchange official.
- The team defending the power play will make the decision which two players leave the field from their team during the power play.
- Once a power play has been called, the opposition team may not call their power play at the same time. If both teams call a power play at the same time, the team about to receive possession will be granted the power play.
- A second clock will appear on the scoreboard showing the time period for the power play.
Changes to penalties in the ruck area
- For infringements in the ruck area by the defending team (holding down, leg pull, hand on ball etc.) which does not result in the breakdown of play (i.e. drop ball), the referee will indicate the infringement followed by immediately restarting the tackle count at the point of the infringement with a zero tackle.
- There will be no kick for touch for these infringements. Play will continue immediately from the point of the infringement.
- Any foul play in the ruck area by the defending team will result in a traditional penalty.
- Any infringement by the attacking team in the ruck area will result in a traditional penalty.
20/40 kicks in play
- A team which kicks the ball from within their own 20m area and can successfully find touch within the 40m area of the defending team will receive the feed to the ensuing scrum.
- Each team will receive one (1) optional power play in each half of the match.
- Once a team captain nominates to the match referee that they wish to use their power play for the half at a stoppage in play (changeover, scrum etc.), the opposition team must immediately drop two (2) players from the field of play for a 5 minute period (11 players on the field of play).
- If the team who called the power play scores a try during this period, the power play will end immediately and the two players who left the field may return.
- Players returning to the field of play must do so under the supervision of the interchange official.
- The team defending the power play will make the decision which two players leave the field from their team during the power play.
- Once a power play has been called, the opposition team may not call their power play at the same time. If both teams call a power play at the same time, the team about to receive possession will be granted the power play.
- A second clock will appear on the scoreboard showing the time period for the power play.
Changes to penalties in the ruck area
- For infringements in the ruck area by the defending team (holding down, leg pull, hand on ball etc.) which does not result in the breakdown of play (i.e. drop ball), the referee will indicate the infringement followed by immediately restarting the tackle count at the point of the infringement with a zero tackle.
- There will be no kick for touch for these infringements. Play will continue immediately from the point of the infringement.
- Any foul play in the ruck area by the defending team will result in a traditional penalty.
- Any infringement by the attacking team in the ruck area will result in a traditional penalty.
20/40 kicks in play
- A team which kicks the ball from within their own 20m area and can successfully find touch within the 40m area of the defending team will receive the feed to the ensuing scrum.
