The law changes and amendments in full are as follows:



Players carry on running or pass the ball after the referee has called ‘held.’

Players often struggle to hear the referee call held in an upright tackle. The award of a penalty is often seen as harsh. To allow the team to retain possession and continue with a play the ball the following Law should be amended.



Amendment - Section 11 – Law 6: Verbal instructions to resolve doubt.

If any doubt arises as to a tackle, the Referee should give a verbal instruction to ‘play on’ or shout ‘held’ as the case may be. If the referee is of the opinion that the player in possession could not hear the ‘held’ call before passing or running off with the ball he should instruct the player to play the ball at the point where the player was when ‘held’ was called unless it occurs after the fifth play the ball in which case a handover will apply.



Touching the corner post when in possession is not touch in goal.

Because the corner flags do not always stay upright it is felt that they could have an adverse effect on the game if they are not erected correctly. Some of them lay at an angle which could both help and hinder a team in defence. Currently if they are touched at any time while in possession then they are considered touch in goal.



Amendment - Section 9 – Notes 2 – Corner Post

A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch-line and a goal line is in touch in goal if the ball touches it when no one is in possession. If a player carrying the ball comes into contact with the corner post during general play then they are not touch in goal. It is a duty of the touch-judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game.



Interchange to be reduced from 12 from four named players to 10 from four named players.



Amendment - Section 4 Law 2 (a) - Substitutes

Each team may nominate a maximum of four replacements before the start of the game. Their names along with those of the players must be given to the referee before the start of the game. A maximum of 10 interchanges will be allowed from the 17 named players.



Standardise method of conversion and penalty goals



Amendment - Section 6 Law 6 – Goal how scored

A goal is scored if the whole of the ball at any time how scored during its flight passes on the full over the opponents’ cross bar towards the dead ball line after being kicked by a player (and not touching or being touched in flight by any other player) in any of these circumstances:–



(a) by a place kick or a drop kick after a try has been scored and counts two points



(b) by a place kick or a drop kick when a penalty kick has been awarded and counts two points.



Standardise when players are in touch and gone touch in goal or dead in goal

The times when players are classified as in touch or not is quite confusing in different areas of the field. The new law will standardise when a player is in touch or has taken the ball dead. Where the ball has bounced in the field of play any player who plays it will need to be in the field of play otherwise they will be deemed as having taken the ball into touch, touch in goal or dead. Players must let the ball touch the ground (which includes the touch line, touch in goal line and dead ball line) or an object in touch for it to be classed as in touch if the ball has first bounced in the field of play. If the ball is caught on the full from a kick by a player who is in touch then the kicking team will be deemed as having taken the ball into touch, touch in goal or dead.



Amendment - Section 9 Law 1 Ball in touch

The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch-line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play.



The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and while off the ground touches the ball providing the ball has not bounced in the field of play. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play.



Amendment - Section 9 Law 2 (a) Touch in Goal

The ball is in touch in goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in goal-line, or any object on or outside the touch in goal line.



Addition - Section 9 Law 2 (b) Dead in Goal

The ball is dead in goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the dead ball line or any object on or outside the dead ball line.



Addition - Notes to Section 9 4. Ball dead and in touch

Where the ball which has bounced or has been passed in the field of play or the in goal area comes into contact with a player in touch, touch in goal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead or taken into touch by that player. Where the ball is played at from a kick that has not bounced in the field of play by a player who has at least one foot on the touch-line or in touch then the ball is deemed to have been made dead or taken into touch by the kicking team.



Dead Ball Line Restarts

Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out.



The following law changes apply to Super League Academy (Under-20) and Super League Cup (Under-1icon_cool.gif competitions:



Interchange to be reduced from 12 from 4 named players to 8 from 4 named players.



Section 4 Law 2 (a) - Substitutes

Each team may nominate a maximum of four replacements before the start of the game. Their names along with those of the players must be given to the referee before the start of the game. A maximum of 8 interchanges will be allowed from the 17 named players.



Introduction to 2012 refereeing protocol:

“To ensure the game of Rugby League remains an attractive spectacle and to enable the match officials to best manage the conduct and flow of matches, referees will be encouraged to exercise their judgment where players infringe the rules. Intentional or reckless foul play; and persistent or deliberate technical infringements in order to gain an advantage will not be tolerated, however referees will be asked to assess the impact of these infringements on the conduct and flow of the match and act accordingly. Where possible, and where no direct advantage has been gained, play should be allowed to continue to ensure that the flow and conduct of the match is uninterrupted and stoppages are minimised.”

Are they not changing the forward pass rule?



Namely, if the ball is passed at an angle greater than 90 degrees, its a forward pass.......

Nice to see they have given the touch judges something to do.

I can see the [iPlayers carry on running or pass the ball after the referee has called ‘held.’ [/i causing some confusion. Most players are going to develop hearing problems and most fans are going to be up in arms when they feel their team has been unfairly penalised when the opposition are being seen to 'get away with it' (though I suppose that is what happens currently anyway).



The only other change I would have liked to have seen is where a player bats the ball into the field of play just before it goes into touch (to stop a 40-20 for example) but then goes into touch himself before coming back on and fielding the ball. IMO if a player goes into touch to keep the ball in play then he shouldn't be allowed to touch the ball again until the ball has been touched by someone else.

2 point drop goals after a try - can see this speeding it up for teams that are chasing a game.



I would have liked a shorter time for kicks to be allowed. I understand the kicker has a minute currently, but sometimes these things take forever and the refs need to keep on top of times. Effectively, If a try is scored with 3 mins to go, I'd like to see the restart begin at 2 mins to go at the latest, keep the game to 80mins.



I'm not saying rush the kicker, but rather, stop the clock!

*edit... misread your post.

TBH after reading though the more technical ones (ie whats in touch etc) I find myself thinking what has really changed. The "drop or place kick" after a try is already available but most teams actually go for the place (ie tee) kick as a rushed "drop goal" type convertion can easily be scuffed. I think the main reason for the law changes actually relates to a clarification of when the goal is scored after confusion in a RU match when the ball was actually blown back over the bar during a kick.

No it wasn't. You could drop kick a penalty and it would count as two points, but a conversion ALWAYS had to be a place kick.

They should simplify the game to attract more people, 6 tackles to score a try and anything goes, thats for both attack and defence. No forward passes, everything else is ok. Contested scrums with the old favourites making a return like scrotum grabbing and kicking your opposite number in the knackers.



Just bin the rule book, its a boring read anyway and a waste of paper.

Don't like the corner post rule changing. Part of the art by wingers was getting the ball down before crashing into the corner post. Think of the excitement and skill level involved in Ryan Hall's recent effort(s) for England. Not a fan of this and think we have just followed like sheep to the Aussie game.



I think drop outs should have an enforced time limit otherwise a penalty is awarded. Too many teams use this as a way to get their breath back disadvantaging the attacking team who have them on the back foot. 1 minute should do the job.



And finally they still forgot to include the rule where punching a Wiganer is legal.

a blatant oversight due to the RFL being in wigan's back pocket grrr!

I disagree with you here Thelonius. I find this type of play quite skillful at times and, for me, I don't believe that it should be 'penalised' It's just too easy for defending players to allow the ball to go into touch knowing that they'll get the ball from the scrum anyway.

I don't think anything would be gained by a player failing to hear the 'held' call and carrying on only to be brought back; it would only slow the PTB down. However, if they didn't come back to the spot where they were tackled would they then be penalised for moving off the mark? I think they should have just left it as it was.



The corner flag rule change is ridiculous as well. Hitting the flag should still mean you are in touch, that is why it is there!