"The trial will involve 13 ELVs that have been undergoing practical on field experimentation in approved tournaments around the world over the last two years," says IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset.
"The Laws Project Group will closely monitor the global trial over the next 12 months with the assistance of Member Unions. Then, next year, Council will review all the ELVs that will have undergone trials before deciding if all or any of the ELVs should be accepted into full Law."
To save any confusion, here's a list of the ELVs in full. These are the facts. We'll leave the opinions up to you.
Individual Experimental Law Variations
Match Officials
1 Assistant referees are able to assist the referee in any way that the referee requires.
Maul
2 Remove reference to head and shoulders not being lower than hips.
3 Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.
Touch and Lineout
4 If a team puts the ball back into its own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch, there is no gain in ground.
5 A quick throw in may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team's own goal line.
6 There is no restriction on the number of players from either team who can participate in the lineout.
7 The receiver at the lineout must be 2 metres away from the lineout.
8 The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the 5-metre line and the touch line but must be 2 metres away from the 5-metre line.
9 Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.
10 The lifting of lineout players is permitted.
Scrum
11 Introduction of an offside line 5 metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.
12 Identification of scrum half offside lines.
Corner Posts
13 The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch-in-goal except when the ball is grounded against the post.
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