Super 14's new law experiments put the emphasis on attacking rugby

The decision to use the Experimental Law Variations for the Super 14 competition in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa was a hasty one, perhaps borne out of an unentertaining Rugby World Cup.

As a result, SANZAR have decided to leave out three of the most radical changes: Hands allowed in the ruck, collapsing a maul, and removing numbers from the line-out. Those which are left are a mixture of common-sense changes, and laws favouring attacking play.

Some of the more common-sense changes include allowing teams to throw the ball backwards when taking a quick throw-in, rather than the current requirement that the throw be straight, and no longer allowing teams to take the ball inside their own 22 and then kick directly to touch. The intention of the latter law is to encourage counter-attacks rather than aerial ping-pong like kicking duels.

Other laws fall into the "evolutionary" not "revolutionary" category, such as removing the corner flags to make scoring tries in the corner easier and allowing the non-throwing hooker to stand wherever he likes at line-outs. The final evolutionary change is the offside lines are established as soon as a tackle takes place, removing any confusion as to where players may join from and hopefully meaning we will never hear a referee refer to the confusing "gate" ever again.