The new rugby rules that are used at the Under 20 World Cup

An Under 20 World Cup under the banner of the new rules. It is not the first time that the World Rugby U20 Championship has led the way, testing and introducing innovative solutions to the regulations; However, the 2024 edition will see many new features, some already definitively approved, others to be tested. Here they are all.

Let’s start with the rules already recently introduced by World Rugby, the ones that we will see not only during the Under 20 World Cup but also at the 2024 Summer Nations Series. There are 3 changes to the regulations, desired by the international body with a view to “making the game safer and more attractive with the desire to favor offensive play by having the ball in play for as much time as possible”.

Read also: Nigel Owens on World Rugby’s new rules: ‘More likely to create more problems than solve them’

U20 World Cup: the 3 new rules already definitively approved by World Rugby

– Players onside or offside from an “open” football situation: in foot battles from one side of the pitch to the other, players who are offside will no longer be able to be brought back into play when – as now – the player receiving the ball travels five meters forward or passes the ball to a teammate (the so-called Dupont Law). To get back “into the game” and not be considered offside they will have to make an attempt to go back, creating playing spaces for the receiving team. This should reduce the amount of “rugby ping-pong”.

– Elimination of the option to choose “scrum” on a free free kick: after obtaining a free kick you will no longer be able to ask for a “scrum”. The options remain the play with the foot or the touch of the ball to start a hand action. The main objective is to reduce downtime, considering that the preparation of the two packages often requires a lot of time; furthermore, it would be impossible to choose this option to physically “wear out” the opponent and risk more injuries.

– “Crocodile roll”: it is officially recognized as a dangerous and foul action on twist or the rotation of the player in a contested position in the ruck. A gesture which, however, by placing all the weight on the opponent’s knee, led to frequent injuries to the joint itself. Anyone who does so will be punished with a penalty borne by him and the team to which he belongs.

U20 World Cup: the experimental rules

Those listed below are experimental rules that we will see applied during the Under 20 World Cup and in some other competitions (such as U20 Trophy and Pacific Nations Cup), but not at the 2024 Summer Nations Series. If their validity is ascertained, they could already be introduced in the autumn testing window in November.

– Experimentation on the use of “automatic” sanctions and timed expulsions (20 minute red card).

– 30 second Shot Clock for setting up the scrum and constructing throw-ins and a maximum of 60 seconds for conversions, with a reduction of 30 seconds compared to what is currently foreseen, aligning the timing with that of free kicks.

– Protection for scrum-halves near scrums, rucks and mauls: the actions of the number 9 cannot be challenged by opponents if he is near scrums, rucks or mauls. In the event of a scrum, the offside line for the opposing number 9 will be set exactly in the middle of the scrum itself.

– Ability to call a mark inside your own 22 meters directly from the kick-off, to promote more offensive actions

– The ball must be played after the first stop of the maul (and not after the second as currently happens)

– Continuation of the game in the event of a crooked throw in a throw-in, provided that the throw-in is not contested by the two teams

To these we would like to point out the introduction of a new TMO protocol. Change already tested in the test matches on Saturday 22 June (South Africa-Wales and Fiji-Barbarians), provides that the Television Match Office can intervene regarding infringements, such as forwards and forward passes, from the beginning of the offensive action which it then led to a scoring. Until this moment the TMO could intervene up to a limit of 2 phases before a possible try was scored.

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