A secret meeting has handed the All Blacks and their Southern Hemisphere neighbours a big on-field advantage before the Rugby World Cup is staged in New Zealand next year.
All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen and coaches from rugby’s nine other top-tier nations met behind closed doors in Dublin last week.
Their aim was to decide what the game’s politicians couldn’t – what rules will be used in international rugby for the next 18 months.
And the good news, from a Kiwi perspective, is that the current “interpretations” being used in this year’s Super 14 have now been set in stone.
IRB chief executive Mike Miller confirmed the news when approached by the Sunday Star-Times.
Miller said: “The rugby world is on the same page again. There is no north-south split as some suggested there would be. This is great news for the game.”
Miller had reason to be upbeat.
The IRB conducted an exhaustive consultation phase during the ill-fated experimental law variation test period last year.
Both hemispheres adopted some and not others, which led to great confusion and politicking as nations jockeyed to enshrine laws which suited their style.
This latest and successful attempt to reach a compromise was deliberately not publicised for fear of a PR-war.
Miller said the coaches – representing the Six Nations teams, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina – discussed the matter and came to an agreement in less than a day. IRB referees boss Paddy O’Brien was also present.
None of the coaches has coached under the new interpretations yet. And now it will be over to O’Brien to bring up to speed the referees he will use in internationals later this year.
Wales, Ireland and England will get their first taste of the rule interpretations in June when they arrive on these shores.
And Miller’s sentiments were echoed by All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith, who anticipated the move a week ago.
“It’s a relief,” he said. “We needed certainty. We now have it.”
Smith and others will also be glad to learn that a new framework has been set which clears the way for the re-introduction of international tours.
The test schedule for the next 10 years was settled at a different meeting in Dublin involving administrators such as NZRU chief executive Steve Tew.
And the June window that has generally featured a one-off and two test series against sides from the Six Nations will, from 2012, feature just the one side which will play three tests plus mid-week games.
Miller said: “Interest has been flat in the June window and we needed to spark some. We think this is the best way to do that.”
We are number 1 and 2 on the Super 14 log so surely the rules suit us?
Winston agree, We are number 1 and 2 this year so if the rules stay the same it suits us.
Okay out of here, catch up tomorrow.
Just hope they sort out the definition when a tackled player are held and when is he not held and can play on.
Sometimes a good tackle becomes a bad tackle when a over eager ref shouts tackler release. If there is still forward momentum by the attacker the tackle is not complete in my opinion. I feel when the attacker is not moving it must be the tackler release. We are moving fast to touch rugby.
3 – Super, Have to agree with you there. That is one problem they must sort out. Has been a problem this year with the tackled player whether he is held or not held and can play.
Touch rugby!!!! hahahaha.
Think sometimes it is also a problem with the refs. Read now on NZ Herald. That the reffing system is here to stay. I would have like neutral refs. One only feels it when your team has had plenty bad calls. Bad calls that can put a team out of the running for a semi. For me is just not good enough. We also have to be looking at the reffing. They all need to ref the same. Not that some of us should be worring, who the heck will ref our team. Then think if it is a certain ref we are done. Also Panel Refs must be just that. Only used if merit refs can not ref. WE had Pro again against the Force???? He is a Panel Ref and a Merit Ref in Mark Lawrence was a assistant. That just never seemed right to me. The Merit Ref should be chosen first always.
Bulls have Dickinson. So really hope he has a good game this Saturday.
I dont really want to talk about it it will be misconstrued but the way the Stormers so called second guy does the fetching is a far fetched story.
They came up with this sort of hens-up throwing the hands in the air showing they released. No come tell me in 80 other matches no one else can do it right. The propaganda around that and the pro work by telling the world look we released works wonders for them. Thats where the refs lose my respect, are they fooking stupid. There is something they miss. You can not tell me they are the only team who gets it right. Look at the master McCaw he get pinged the whole time.
They dont release in time and the second player does not support his own weight.
I wish i could see the Sharks game, i hear they were beaten by the Sharks lose trio. What happened there?
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