Summary of law changes effective June 1, 2004.   

In the United States, these are effective June 1st for 7-a-side tournaments.  For 15-a-side matches (such as the National Championships), the Laws go into effect on June 14, 2004.

 

Prepared by Jay Abom  (edited and corrected by P Watson).

 

 

  1. Law 3 – Number of players – In a match with 19-22 nominated players, a team must have 5 suitably trained front row players and must be able to replace at least one prop and one hooker.  Previously the two replacements could have been props or hookers.

 

  1. Law 3 – Number of players – If a front row player is sent off (red card) or temporarily suspended (yellow card) AND there are no further front row players available from that team, then the referee orders uncontested scrums.  It is not the referee’s responsibility to determine the suitability of trained front row players.

 

  1. Law 5 – Time – The referee has discretion to allow the necessary time to have a seriously injured player removed from the field of play.

 

  1. Law 10 -- Foul play – A player must not throw or knock the ball with his arm or hand into touch, touch in goal or over the dead ball line.   The underlined words were added for clarification purposes.

 

  1. Law 13 – Kick off and restart kicks – If a kick off or restart kick is taken from the wrong place or with a kick other than a drop kick, the receiving team has the option of a rekick or a scrum awarded to it at the middle of the halfway line.  Previously, a rekick was ordered.  If a drop out is taken from the wrong place or with a kick other than a drop kick, the receiving team has the option of a rekick or a scrum awarded to it at the middle of the 22m line.  Previously, a rekick was ordered.

 

  1. Law 15 – Tackle – Amended to clarify that an opposition player who holds a ball carrier and brings that ball carrier to the ground BUT who does not go to ground himself, is not a tackler.  Thus, the laws that apply to “other players” under the tackle law apply to him.  In particular, in order for that player to play the ball, he must do so from behind the ball, the tackled player or tacklers closest to his goal line.  This amendment puts into law a directive issued within the past year.

 

  1. Law 19 – Touch and line out – The receiver may enter the line out and perform any action available to a line out player.

 

  1. Sevens – The number of substitutes/replacements that may be nominated is increased from 3 to 5.  The number that may be actually brought into the game as replacements or substitutes remains at three.  This really has bearing only in events that require teams to name their bench for each game.

LAW AMENDMENTS from April 2004 Council Meeting 

 

These Law amendments come into effect on June 1, 2004, in both hemispheres.

 

 

 

3.5       SUITABLY TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED PLAYERS IN THE FRONT ROW

 

Delete current 3.5(c)

Replace current 3.5(c) with new 3.5(c), as follows:

 

(c)  When 19, 20, 21 or 22 players are nominated in a team there must be five players who can play in the front row to ensure that on the first occasion that a replacement hooker is required and, on the first occasion that a replacement prop forward is required, the team can continue to play safely with contested scrums.

 

Delete current 3.5(d)

Re-letter current (e) as (d), as follows:

 

(d)  The replacement of a front row forward must come from suitably trained and experienced players who started the match or from the nominated replacements.

 

 

3.14         FRONT ROW FORWARD SENT OFF OR TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED  OR INJURED

 

Replace current 3.14 (a) with new 3.14(a), as follows:

 

(a)  If after a front row player has been sent off or during the time a front row player is temporarily suspended, and there are no further front row players available from the nominated team, then uncontested scrums will be ordered. It is not the responsibility of the referee to determine the suitability of trained front row replacements nor their availability, as this is a team responsibility.

 

 

5.4(a)  Injury

 

Add a 4th paragraph, as follows:

 

If a player is seriously injured and needs to be removed from the field of play, the referee has the discretion to allow the necessary time to have the injured player removed from the field-of-play.

 

 

10.2(c)   Throwing into touch.

 

Amend to read, as follows:

 

A player must not intentionally throw or knock the ball with his arm or hand into touch, touch-in-goal, or over the dead ball line.

 

 

13.1    Where and how a kick-off is taken

 

Delete current 13.1 and 13.2 including headings.

Amend heading to read, as follows:

 

13.1    Where and how the kick-off is taken

 

Amend text to read, as follows:

 

(a)  A team kicks off with a drop-kick which must be taken at or behind the centre of the half-way line.

(b)  If the ball is kicked off with the wrong type of kick, or from the wrong place, the opposing team has two choices:

 

To have the ball kicked off again, or

To have a scrum at the centre of the half-way line and they throw in the ball.

 

Renumber consequential paragraphs.        

 

 

13.13  Drop-out incorrectly taken

 

Renumber to 13.12.

Amend text to read, as follows:

 

If the ball is kicked off with the wrong type of kick, or from the wrong place, the opposing team has two choices:

 

To have another drop-out, or

To have a scrum at the centre of the 22 metre line and they throw in the ball    

 

Renumber consequential paragraphs.        

 

 

15        Tackle

 

Amend Definition to read, as follows:

 

A tackle occurs when the ball-carrier is held by one or more opponents and is brought to ground.  A ball-carrier who is not held is not a tackled player and a tackle has not taken place.  Opposition players who hold the ball-carrier and bring that player to ground, and who also go to ground, are known as tacklers.  Opposition players who hold the ball-carrier and do not go to ground are not tacklers.

 

 

19.10    Options available to Players not in the Line-out

 

Amend Exception 2 to read, as follows:

 

Exception 2: The receiver may run into the gap and perform any of the actions available to any other player in the line-out. The receiver is liable to penalty for offences in the line-out as would be other players in the line-out.

 

Delete:

Penalty: Penalty Kick on the 15-metre line.

 

 

3.4       SEVENS     Players Nominated as Substitutes

 

Amend to read, as follows:

 

A team may nominate no more than five replacements/substitutes.