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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Andy Howell

The revolutionary rugby laws being used on the other side of the world that could change the game for good

Imagine rugby as you've never seen it before.

Matches last 70 minutes, a red card incurs only a 20-minute penalty on the sidelines and a try started from inside your own 22 is worth nine points.

A power try, it is being called.

This could be the future of the game, part of radical law changes being used in a big-money competition played on the other side of the world, and which rugby bosses are monitoring closely.

The new rules are being trialled in the Global Rapid Rugby tournament, which is backed by one of Australia's richest men.

Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest rescued Perth-based Western Force from extinction when the team was axed from Super Rugby and has pitched them into the new tournament.

They played a series of exhibition matches last year and this season beat a star-studded World XV coached by Robbie Deans and Jake White 26-16 in the curtain-raiser to a 14-match Showcase Series.

Teams from Hong Kong, Fiji, Singapore and Samoa will play and host games, with venues in New Zealand and Australia also being used. A £500,000 first prize is proposed for next year amid plans to expand into Japan and the rest of Asia.

The competition has been compared to Twenty20 Cricket, with its innovative rule changes. But significantly it has been endorsed by World Rugby, whose vice-chairman Agustin Pichot is on the board of Global Rapid Rugby.

The World XV that faced Western Force contained World Cup winning All Blacks Andy Ellis, Wyatt Crockett and Corey Flynn, popular former Australia wingers Digby Ioane and Nick Cummins, plus seasoned Argentina back-row star Leonardo Senatore.

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The law changes brought in are designed to speed up rugby and increase ball in play time by 15 per cent.

The changes include a shorter, but more intensive game, alterations to the red-card rule and that power try which would give a team four extra bonus points.

That never-to-be-forgotten Gareth Edwards effort for the Baa-Baas against New Zealand would be an example of that type of score, started inside your own 22 and finished in superb style.

Or Sean O'Brien's score against New Zealand in 2017 - capping off one of the finest tries in British and Irish Lions history and all started by Liam Williams in his own 22.

Other changes include teams who put the ball out on the full from their 22 conceding a line-out from where it was kicked.

Conversely, when a kick taken from between a team's try-line and 10m line and bounces into touch inside the opposition 22, the clever kick will be rewarded with the lineout put-in.

That ruling is designed to keep defending wings deep which could, in theory, create space for the team in possession to whip the ball wide and make an overlap.

With player-welfare and cutting the number of injuries and concussions at the top of World Rugby's agenda, GRR could result in a more safe sport because players will need more speed and stamina, rather than muscle, to cope with higher ball in play time and the predicted increase in pace of matches.

Foul play in regular rugby has brought more sending offs in an effort to curb dangerous tackles.

The number of red cards being dished out has been panned by some traditionalists as having too much influence over the outcome of matches.

GRR believes they have come up with its solution. They want a red card to become a 20-minute penalty, with a team-mate replacing the dismissed player after it has been served.

White, who guided the Springboks to the 2007 World Cup and is in charge of Toyota Verblitz, believes Japanese teams will be queuing up to join GRR following the country's hosting of this year's World Cup.

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He also predicted an influx of South African players.

"There's no doubt in my mind that there are great opportunities with Rapid Rugby," said White.

Former New Zealand and Australia coach Deans said: "The guys are very excited to play the new Rapid Rugby rules, to get outside their comfort zone, express themselves and show what they’ve got.

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"The concept is good. We need more rugby, played in more places and Rapid Rugby is driving that change, which is great."

 
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