Rugby overhauls laws mid-season with Premiership to follow Champions and Challenge Cup changes

The Champions and Challenge Cups will adopt four new law trials midway through the pool stage of the competition, with the Premiership following suit later this month for the 11th round of league fixtures.

From round three of the Champions and Challenge Cups, which will take place over the weekend commencing January 10, matches will allow skewed line-out throws provided that the defensive team does not jump to contest them.

European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has also confirmed there will be 30-second limits on setting up line-outs and scrums, and a reduction from a limit of 90 seconds to 60 seconds for conversions.

Finally, scrum-halves will receive greater protection at scrums, rucks and mauls. After ratification by World Rugby last November, these changes will be rolled out in competitions that begin in 2025, meaning that they will feature during the Six Nations.

Telegraph Sport understands the Premiership will take on these law trials from round 11, which begins on January 24.

Greater protection for scrum-halves will see defenders penalised for making a tackle on an opponent if they are part of a ruck or a maul. At scrums, defending scrum-halves will not be able to advance beyond the centre line of the tunnel.

Coaches anticipate these changes will increase the value of scrum-halves who possess a running threat, given that those players will be presented with more space in which to operate.

The line-out throwing change will alter the wording of law 18.23 so that it now reads: “If the non-throwing team does not lift a team-mate to compete for the ball, then play shall continue. If the non-throwing team lift a team-mate to compete for the ball, then they shall be offered the option of a line-out or scrum.”

Like the other law changes, this was in play for the 2024 Rugby Championship. Sources suggested to Telegraph Sport at the end of last year that the line-out tweak could see an increase in trick plays because defences may opt to stay down to stop the maul rather than jumping to contest the throw.

Karl Dickson will take charge of Glasgow Warriors’ meeting with Racing 92 on January 10, the first Champions Cup game to feature these new laws.

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