Rugby outlaws tries against post

LONDON • Tries in rugby union can no longer be scored by grounding the ball against the post protector, World Rugby announced on Tuesday.

The law change, which comes into immediate effect, was approved by the global governing body's council.

World Rugby, explaining the amendment to Law Eight, said that with defending players currently obliged to stay behind the goal line, and the post protector's shape and size increasing for safety reasons, it was increasingly difficult for teams to legally defend the area.

They also pointed to "extreme cases", where the padding had been lifted or moved by defending teams to make it harder for their opponents to score tries, thereby exposing players to increased risk of injury.

From now on, the post protector will no longer be considered an extension of the goal line.

"World Rugby's mission is to make the game as simple, safe and enjoyable to play as possible," chairman Bill Beaumont said.

"This law amendment reflects that mission. By stipulating that an attacking team can no longer score against the post protector and therefore must ground the ball in-goal, this gives defending teams a fair chance of preventing a try from being scored."

There had been calls for the law to be amended since last November, when Edinburgh's Pierre Schoeman lifted the post protection almost a metre above the ground in a Guinness PRO14 match with Munster - an incident that was described as "highly dangerous".

Singapore's national co-captain Gaspar Tan, 31, said that the change would make the rules of scoring clearer for those who are new to the game.

He added: "It also makes it fair for the defensive team, making it more manageable for the match officials as well. Most importantly, it (allows) thicker pads for the safety and welfare of players."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE