USA RUGBY REFEREE RESOURCES
USA Rugby has a section of resources for referees that is useful for referees and clubs alike.
Info like the links to the Game Mgmt Guidelines, the current rules around what protective equipment is allowed to be worn, and various forms.
Click here for USA Rugby Referee Resources page.
We also post to our Facebook page interesting articles, so check there for links!
Click here for SWRRS Facebook page.
World Rugby Resources are very useful! The Laws of the Game site has all the Laws, supporting info, plus an online exam you can take any time to test your knowledge! There’s also a Application Guidelines site that lists all the updates around application of current laws that have come from World Rugby working groups that guide how the USA Rugby Game Mgmt Guidelines get written and also guide how we are refereeing here in the SWRRS.
2026 Updates
Nothing new for the 2025-2026 season. The World Rugby Laws of the Game doc and app have been updated to include all the language from the global law trials of recent years.
2025 Updates
USA (and Global) Law Changes as of 1/1/2025.
USAR post: https://usa.rugby/news/world-rugby-law-changes-set-to-implement-on-january-1-20241210
World Rugby resource: https://passport.world.rugby/laws-of-the-game/laws-news/global-law-trials-1-january-2025/
On 14 November 2024, World Rugby Council agreed to implement the following Global Law Trials for new competitions/leagues starting after 1 January 2025. In short, they include:
Quicker conversions
A new set time to form a lineout (in line with 30 seconds at the scrum)
Cleaner play away from the ruck/maul/scrum
Not straight at uncontested lineout = play on
The following were not approved for progression:
One stop maul
Mark from a kick off/restart
20 minute red card replacement - decision deferred to 2025
The following are the new law wordings which will come into effect on 1 January 2025. From that date, they will be reflected in World Rugby's digital laws content.
Timings
Rationale: Shorter stoppages in play
Conversion reduced to 60 seconds
Law 8.8d. c. Takes the kick within 60 90 seconds (playing time) from the time the try was awarded, even if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again.
8.8a deletion - consequential change (kicker can now use any ball).
The kicker:
a. Uses the ball that was in play unless it is defective. Sanction: Kick disallowed
Clauses b, c, d then relettered a, b, c
Lineout formation time addition - 30 seconds
Law 18.12 Teams form the lineout within 30 seconds of a mark being made. without delay
Sanction: Free-kick.
Cleaner play at set piece
Rationale: Protect the 9 to enable more ball in flow from base of ruck, maul and scrum.
Ruck: New 15.18
15.18: A player who is, or was part of the ruck may not play an opponent who is near it (within 1m), and who is attempting to play the ball away .
Sanction: Penalty
(Current 15.18-19 renumbered)
Maul: New 16.18
16.18: A player who is, or was part of the maul may not play an opponent near it (within 1m), and who is attempting to play the ball away.
Sanction: Penalty
Scrum: 9 stays at tunnel
19.30a Once play in the scrum begins, the scrum-half of the team not in possession:
a. Takes up a position near the scrum, no further than the centre line of the tunnel. with both feet behind the ball and close to the scrum but not in the space between the flanker and the number eight
Lineout not straight
Rationale: remove unnecessary additional stoppage
18.23a Amend sanction if ball not thrown straight with no competition.
18.23 The ball must:
a. be thrown in straight along the mark of touch towards a lineout player;
Sanction: If the non-throwing team does not lift a teammate to compete for the ball, then play shall continue. If the non-throwing team lift a teammate to compete for the ball, then they shall be offered the option of a lineout or scrum. If the lineout is chosen and the ball is again not thrown straight, a scrum is awarded to the team that originally threw in the ball.
Prior Years Archives (for a trip down memory lane!)
2024
September 1, 2024 - USA Rugby is adopting a number of World Rugby trials as well as new laws as of the start of the new season on Sept 1, 2024.
The new edition of the USAR Game Mgmt Guidelines has been posted on this page as well as a 1-pager guide from USAR for the new tackle height law trials.
WORLD RUGBY LAW CHANGES
World Rugby Council agreed to law changes in three areas covering:
Offside in front of a kicker
Summary: anyone in front of kicker now has to actively retreat. Can no longer just stand still and wait to be put onside by a teammate or by the opposition. Offside until a teammate put you onside or now only when the opponent kicks the ball or intentionally touches the ball without gaining possession (eg charge down). No longer can the opponent passing or running 5m put you onside. May be penalized for loitering if no active retreat.
Eliminating the crocodile roll
Summary: must lever the jackler by driving backwards. No lateral twist, pull or roll. And still can't drop weight onto or target lower limbs. This is a penalty.
Removing the scrum option when a Free Kick is awarded
To speed up the game, when a free kick is awarded, there is no scrum option, just the kick option. Can still opt from scrum from a penalty. Free kick at a lineout may choose another lineout.
Click here for the full World Rugby release info.
TACKLE HEIGHT USA LAW TRIAL DETAIL
The tackle height law variation is only applicable to "open field play".
The definition of "open field play" is key to this law. Players in low velocity situations around rucks and mauls are operating at low body heights, in addition to performing actions such as diving to the try line. These are not open field play situations.
9.13 - Tackler. It is now a dangerous tackle penalty when running in open field play and the tackler makes contact above the base of the sternum of the ball carrier.
9.11 - Ball Carrier. It is now a dangerous play penalty for the ball carrier in open field play to lower and lead with their head into an opponent which prevents a tackler from being able to make a legal tackle.
Play On Mitigation: If the ball carrier lowers body position immediately prior to contact and the tackler makes contact above the sternum there is no tackle height sanction against ball carrier or tackler. Other dangerous play parts of the Law are still applicable (e.g. direct contact to neck/head & head contact process).
MARCH 2024 - REINFORCEMENT OF CURRENT LAW
Outcomes from the Shape of the Game conference in Feb 2024 reinforce the following areas.
Ending a ruck / dealing with caterpillar rucks
When the ball has been won in the ruck and is available to be played, the referee calls "use it" and the ball must be played away from the ruck within 5 seconds.
If a foot is used to bring the ball to the back of a ruck, this meets the definition of "using it" and the 5 sec count begins.
If the ball doesn't leave the ruck in time, it is a scrum to the opposition.
Brake Foot
Must be in place for "crouch" and "bind", then can be withdrawn after the "set" call and before the strike of the ball.
2023
March 2023 - Head Contact Process Update
Refer to World Rugby clarifications on the assessment process:
https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/guidelines/26
January 2023 - Law Application Guideline Update
Outcomes from the Shape of the Game conference in Nov 2022 looked at ways of speeding up the game, reducing unnecessary stoppages and ensuring a safe spectacle was created for players, match officials and spectators alike.
Speeding Up The Game
Try conversions - take within 90 sec of awarding the try.
Penalty kick at goal - take within 60 sec of signalling intent to kick at goal. Scrum to opponent if too slow.
Teams must be ready to form a scrum - within 30 sec of the mark being made. Free kick if too slow.
Delay into lineout or general time wasting = free kick.
Water Carriers
Are allowed on the field when tries are scored. No formal water break (hot weather excluded).
Negative Player Action
Referees will be asked to be strong on negative player actions. For example, trapping players into ruck, and first arriving players (the jackler) not aiming to play the ball.
Players are reminded about their responsibilities not to hold the ball or walk off with the ball at penalties – this reduces attacking options by the non-offending team and slows the game down unnecessarily and will be sanctioned.
Players on the ground
Players who put their hands on the floor at tackles, rucks and mauls are subject to sanction, although judgement can be used if the player is using the ground briefly to maintain their own balance and stability.
Relevant Law:
Off feet: Players are off their feet when any other part of the body is supported by the ground or players on the ground.
On feet: Players are on their feet if no other part of their body is supported by the ground or players on the ground.
Tackle law 14.8a: Other players must: Remain on their feet and release the ball and the ball-carrier immediately, and 14.8b Remain on their feet when they play the ball.
Ruck law 15.12: Players must endeavour to remain on their feet throughout the ruck.
Maul law 16.9: All other players in a maul must endeavour to stay on their feet.
Deliberate Knock-On
Players must endeavour to catch the ball. Referees are asked to show good judgement when deciding if a player has a reasonable expectation of catching and gaining possession, and then in determining a sanction. There is no formula for determining a Yellow Card sanction in these situations (15s is treated differently to 7s).
2022
GLOBAL LAW TRIALS in effect from July 1, 2022
1. Brake foot for hookers.
Hookers will be required to have one foot forward as the scrum sets up (19.10c), which acts as a brake on the scrum until the call of ‘Set’ in the engagement sequence (19.12).
The goal is to remove axial loading on the necks and heads of front row players.
2. Restrictions on on-field presence of water carriers and medics.
Water carriers must stay in the technical zones when not required to be on the field. Players can access water in their technical zone any time they want, or from behind the dead ball line after a try has been scored.
World Rugby publication of Global Law Trials plus Law Updates.
July 2022: Re-emphasis on penalizing side entry to the breakdown
Arriving player priorities:
Detailed first in March 2020 - Refereeing The Breakdown, and refer to Laws 14.6, 14.8c, 15.5, 15.6, 15.16b.
Square up - The attacking support player must enter the tackle zone relatively square facing toward the opposition goal line.
Direction of goal line - An attacking support player must arrive from the direction of their own goal line.
Angle in - An attacking support player who does the above, can only then angle in to clean out an opponent.
Drive not dive - Arriving players must ‘Drive not dive’ to clear out an opponent. Shorten steps and bind, not dive off feet.
Cannot seal off - Attacking support players cannot come off their feet to seal off the contest.
No diving on tackler - Arriving play cannot dive upon the tackler. They also cannot tackle players who are not near the ball or take players too far beyond the breakdown.
Strict on foul & dangerous play - lifting legs above the horizontal, shoulder charging, neck grabs, neck rolls, stamping, head contact.
July 2022: Adoption of 2021 Global Law Trials
All five 2021 Global Law Trials – Goal Line Drop-out, 50:22, jackler protection, banning pre-bound pods in open play (flying wedge) and approving a single latcher – became full law as of July 1, 2022.
Feb 2022 Law Clarification: Ball Carrier is not allowed to hurdle a tackler
WR has confirmed that a ball carrier is not allowed to hurdle over a tackler. You can still dive for a try, but a defender is also allowed to tackle you while you are diving for the line.
Feb 2022 Law Clarification: When the ball is out
If the ball has left the ruck, then the ruck is over, and the ball is out. Providing a player comes from an onside position and does not dive onto the ball if it is within 1m of the ruck, they may play the ball.
2021
Summary of the 5 Law Trials
1: 50:22
If the team in possession kicks the ball from inside their own half indirectly (i.e. it bounces first) into touch inside their opponents’ 22, they will throw into the resulting lineout. The ball cannot be passed or carried back into the defensive half for the 50:22 to be played. The phase immediately prior to the kick (tackle, ruck or maul) must originate inside the defensive half, or an opponent touches the ball inside the half before it is kicked.
2: Goal line drop-out
Play restarts with a goal line dropout anywhere along the goal line:
The ball is held up in in-goal (either team in possession).
Knock-on while in-goal from an attacking player.
Attacking kick from open play (including a FK or PK that was not a shot at goal) is made dead by the defending team in-goal - either grounding in-goal or by carry/kick/knock the ball dead out the back or side (dead ball line or touch-in-goal).
Link to table of In-Goal Permutations.
3: 1-player latch
One support player may pre-latch to a ball carrier prior to contact. If the ball carrier is tackled, this player must observe all the requirements for a first arriving player, particularly the need to stay on their feet and not obstruct an opposing tackler or player trying to contest for the ball. The first opposition player may still attempt to tackle the ball carrier, and will not be considered to have automatically created a maul when they make initial contact.
4: Flying Wedge
Two or more support players may not bind onto a ball carrier prior to opposition contact play. This is dangerous play. (Usually happens near the goal line or in open play.)
5: Cleanout and safety of the ‘jackler’
The ‘jackler’ has now been defined as the first arriving team-mate of the tackler at the tackle. A Penalty Kick has been added for clean-outs which target or drop weight onto this player’s lower limbs. No-wrap hits and ‘neck rolls’ on a jackler are still foul play. Clasping a jackler under their armpits to lever them up and out of the contest (known as a ‘gator roll’) is still legal.