New law trials and three cheers – refereeing around the world.
This article appeared in the Glasgow Match Program
By Dan Wallace, PRO, Leinster Rugby Referees.
We have received great feedback and multiple ‘retweets’ and ‘shares’ for recent articles on law misconceptions and also our article on refereeing schools cup rugby. Many thanks for all that. If you haven’t seen the articles they are on our website at www.arlb.ie. Speaking about schools rugby we are delighted to announce the Sean Gallagher will referee the schools cup final with the assistance of Kevin Beggs and Paul Haycock, both former final referees. Best of luck to Sean – the game will be done and dusted by the time this article airs.

Tom Keating (L) and John Carvill (R) (C) Ken Sutton
Also well done to Helen O’Reilly on her first 6 Nations game when England played Italy last weekend – 9th March. Helen had an excellent game and the occasion did not seem to get to her.
Interesting to see that the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup 2013 will provide the backdrop for a revised scrum engagement trial featuring props binding on the “touch” call. The move is part of what the IRB says is its “ongoing commitment to improving issues currently associated with the scrum in elite rugby while promoting the best-possible player welfare standards.” The tournament will provide the necessary evaluation platform to address the revised sequence that is hoped will reduce the impact of the ‘hit’ while increasing overall scrum stability. The “crouch”, “touch”, “set” engagement calls currently being trialled globally are maintained within the Pacific Rugby Cup trial but in a revision to the technique of engagement, props will be expected to bind using their outside arm after the referee has called “touch” in the sequence. The front-rows will maintain the bind and the referee will then call “set” and the two packs will be permitted to engage. In this sequence, with the props bound, the “set” call is not a command to engage, but an instruction that the front-rows may come together when ready.
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