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World Rugby has, with immediate effect, altered Law 8.2(a). The change means that it will no longer be possible to score a try by grounding the ball against the post protector. Such tries have not been overly common, but they have occurred from time to tim, including at in multiple Rugby World Cups.
The World Rugby Council amended the law today at the institutions teleconference meeting. It did so following a recommendation by the international federation’s Rugby Committee and specialist Laws Review Group.
The amended law means that:
The post protector is no longer an extension of the goal-line and therefore Law 8.2 (a) will read: A try is scored when the attacking player is first to ground the ball in the opponents’ in-goal.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said:
“World Rugby’s mission is to make the game as simple, safe and enjoyable to play as possible. 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.”
A case in point of the rule change is that of Mamuka Gorgodze for Georgia against Tonga in RWC 2015. In scoring, the Lelo touched the ball down against the post.
Another example is that of Thierry Dusautoir from the RWC 2011 Final. On that occasion the French captain dotted down the ball while not being tackled. He did so marginally to the right of the post.
