www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... oduced-in- Quote new rules for 2017 Scrums All defensive players outside the scrum, other than the scrum halves must retire ten metres or more behind the mark where the scrum is formed and shall remain until the ball has emerged correctly from the scrum. This previously stated that defensive players outside the scrum had to retire five metres or more from the scrum. Goal Line drop out The previous rule of a player being able to straddle the dead ball line or touch in-goal line and be awarded a 20m restart has now changed. Where the ball is stationary in the in-goal area comes into contact with a player in touch, in goal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. The ball must have bounced on the ground either on or over the dead ball line/touch in goal line for a 20m restart to be awarded. 20 metre restarts An additional rule is now included in the 20 metre restart law that the initial tackle affected on the team taking the 20-metre optional restart shall be a zero tackle. 40/20 kick The changes regarding the 40/20 law now clarify where and when the tap kick will be taken. It specifies that the tap kick will be taken 20 metres in from the touchline where the ball first crossed the touchline but no closer than 10 metres from the goal line. Markers Provides clarification on the position of markers once a tackle is complete. '" your opinions on these changes

www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... oduced-in- Quote new rules for 2017 Scrums All defensive players outside the scrum, other than the scrum halves must retire ten metres or more behind the mark where the scrum is formed and shall remain until the ball has emerged correctly from the scrum. This previously stated that defensive players outside the scrum had to retire five metres or more from the scrum. Goal Line drop out The previous rule of a player being able to straddle the dead ball line or touch in-goal line and be awarded a 20m restart has now changed. Where the ball is stationary in the in-goal area comes into contact with a player in touch, in goal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. The ball must have bounced on the ground either on or over the dead ball line/touch in goal line for a 20m restart to be awarded. 20 metre restarts An additional rule is now included in the 20 metre restart law that the initial tackle affected on the team taking the 20-metre optional restart shall be a zero tackle. 40/20 kick The changes regarding the 40/20 law now clarify where and when the tap kick will be taken. It specifies that the tap kick will be taken 20 metres in from the touchline where the ball first crossed the touchline but no closer than 10 metres from the goal line. Markers Provides clarification on the position of markers once a tackle is complete. '" your opinions on these changes

Don't fully understand the goal line drop out one. But absolutely hate the current ruling of putting foot over line to earn restarts, do hope something about that.

have i misread it or have they changed that terrible rule?

That's what I thought, got rid of the straddling the line and making the ball dead which Hardaker was so good at.

I like the 7 tackle set in conjunction with this, punishes aimless kicks to the in goal. Obviously we've followed the NRL in this, but I wish we'd also use their 'shot clock' rule as well.

Whichever set of rules the game are played to, it should be the same around the globe.

Think it's basically returning to how it was when the ball is only deemed dead when it goes out or touches the line. So the end of this rubbish FB can make it dead by having a foot out nonsense.

I would think that only adds another 1-2m as its from the mark not the back of the scrum.

Have they also introduced the tap restart after a successful 40/20 kick instead of a scrum?
I like the change to the dead in goal rule & the introduction of an extra tackle after a kick goes dead in goal.
I wish they'd restate the need to touch the ball with the foot at the play the ball.

Yep - you now take a tap after a 40/20 but no closer than 10m from the goal line.

Even though he's on the rules committee, I'm not sure why we need a picture of Jon Wilkin on our home page? If they want to annoy people they may as well go all out and put a picture of Ryan Atkins on there.

I think we can all agree on this - it's absolute madness that we don't have 1 set of rules across all formats of the game.

These changes do pretty much bring us in line with the NRL.

It would help if the sport was actually played as the rules state, if you look at the actual rules of the game, the play the ball should be totally different:
You are supposed to play it with your foot
All tacklers are supposed to roll away as soon as the tackle is completed (not peel off)
But, you are supposed to wait for the tacklers to clear the rook before you play the ball
You are also tactically allowed to drop the ball and then play it with your foot, which by the laws of the game is not a knock on
I believe that in the English laws of the game, it still talks about only ONE marker, not 2

Need to change the rules or stick to them

Unrelated to these changes, but still a pressing concern in the sport imo:
The video ref should be restricted to balck and white decisions only, as in grounding, touch lines, offsides (even though they have inexplicably being called wrong in the past), knock ons and possibly high tackles if the ref is considering sending someone off.

That means no more 5 minutes spent trying to decide on an obstruction or double movement, its only logical the ref should decide obstruction, as if he doesn't see anyone obstructed, then there probably was no obstruction, regardless of if a player went behind someone (usually about 3 meters away from the defender) or not.