Tri-nations to discuss implementing new laws for 2008 tournament

Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will look at introducing experimental law variations (ELVs) for this year's Tri-nations tournament. The International Rugby Board (IRB) said yesterday that 13 of the 23 ELVs, many of which are being trialled in...

Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will look at introducing experimental law variations (ELVs) for this year's Tri-nations tournament.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) said yesterday that 13 of the 23 ELVs, many of which are being trialled in this year's Super 14 competition, would be adopted for a 12-month global trial starting from August 1.

The main aim of the ELVs is to reduce stoppages and promote more free-flowing rugby, while also making the game simpler to understand for spectators.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and Australia Rugby Union (ARU) said yesterday they would discuss the introduction of the new laws for this year's Tri-nations within the next month.

"We'll discuss the Tri-nations options with New Zealand and South Africa," ARU Chief Executive John O'Neill said in a statement.

The NZRU also said the introduction of the new rules would be discussed shortly, with Chief Executive Steve Tew suggesting a decision could be made within a week. The Tri-nations begins on July 5 with New Zealand hosting South Africa in Wellington.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.