This episode, Keith walks through the law change proposals coming out of World Rugby in recent weeks. What is going on? What will actually change?  And when?  We talk about where this law chat has come from and the importance of World Rugby’s Shape of the Game meetings and all the elements that are flowing from that event held at the end of February 2024.  More information mentioned in the episode:  1) World Rugby press release: Shape of the Game meeting. 29 February 2024 2) WR Press release 2 – World Rugby reveals phased plan to enhance rugby’s global appeal 3 ..read more

A slight lull in match numbers in today’s list but still plenty of referees out running around this weekend. There’s the latest round of the Svns Series in Singapore with both men’s and women’s league winners being decided ahead of the grand final weekend in Madrid at the end of the month. In Super Rugby, New Zealand’s Dan Waenga (pictured top left) referees in Wellington as the Hurricanes host the Waratahs. In doing so, he becomes the 5th Kiwi to have both played and refereed 50 first class fixtures, an elite group including Glen Jackson and Rebecca Mahoney. In Europe, Mathieu Raynal and And ..read more

Round four of the Women’s Six Nations and we have Maggie Cogger-Orr up from New Zealand (pictured top left) to refeee in Parma, as well as Hollie Davidson in Cardiff and Aurélie Groizeleau at Twickenham. There’s a bunch of Rugby Europe conference matches taking place as well, but then a full phalanx of matches around the cross-border and domestic leagues around the world. Super Rugby Pacific is heading towards it’s centre stages – Reuben Keane (top right) heading west to Perth as the bottom two teams play each other – Western Force versus the Crusaders. In the URC, there’s just five points se ..read more

USA Rugby is the latest Union to announce it is to opt-in to World Rugby’s global law trial lowering the legal height of tackles in community rugby to below the base of the sternum. With one trial exception, this will begin in August for their 2024-25 membership year. The trial is primarily designed to reduce the risk of head-to-head and head-to-shoulder contact between ball carriers and tacklers. According to comprehensive World Rugby research, the risk of concussion is more than four times higher when the tackler’s head is above the ball carrier’s sternum. Like some other Unions, the sternu ..read more

This weekend sees a return of the Women’s Six Nations with one Joy-ful refereeing appointment. It’s Joy Neville’s final match (pictured top left) before she retires after 70 playing caps for Ireland, and then two Women’s Rugby World Cups (inc the 2017 final), with the whistle and a men’s RWC role to boot. She joins World Rugby in the new role of Elite Women’s 15s Match Officials Head Coach in the coming weeks. Go well Joy – great servant to the game! Elsewhere there’s a pretty full list. It’s the final of Super Rugby Aupiki in New Zealand. Tarsh Ganley takes charge there as the Blues play Chi ..read more

Another busy weekend of rugby around the globe, and I thought I’d highlight some new referee names for you this week. Lavenia Racaca (pictured top left) is in Hong Kong this weekend representing Fiji on the Svns Series stopover. It’s one of the biggest 7s events in the world, so sure fun will be had by all, including the match official teams. In Budapest, Belgium’s Adele Robert (bottom right) takes the whistle for the Hungary match with Luxembourg in the Rugby Europe Trophy. Over in Ireland, there’s a new name in the Energia League, as (Dr) Max Weston (bottom left) makes his debut at 1A level ..read more

We’re into round two of the Guinness Women’s Six Nations with Kat Roche heading to Bristol, Sara Cox (pictured top left) to Edinburgh, and Hollie Davidson to Dublin. In Spain, an all Welsh female team of three will be looking after the home side against neighbours Portugal. Good luck Jenny Davies (top right) who leads the team as she becomes the first internationally capped Welsh player to gain the same cap as a referee. In the URC, league leaders Leinster are at home, where Craig Evans (bottom right) will be on hand to officiate. It’s Super Rugby round six and the former champs, Crusaders ar ..read more

Mathieu Raynal at RWC23 (Photo by Michael Steele – via Getty Images) World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont has led the tributes to France’s Mathieu Raynal, who has announced he is to retire from refereeing later this year. Raynal will take charge of his 50th test during the summer international window, becoming the 13th Emirates World Rugby referee to reach the milestone. He will then retire from on-field refereeing, but is expected to stay involved in officiating in some capacity. If he does referee another Test match in the summer, he will become the fourth Frenchman to hit the half century ..read more

The referee, AR and TMO appointments have been announced by EPCR for the Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup round of 16. The matches take place on weekend of 5-7 April. Investec Champions Cup – Round of 16 Harlequins v Glasgow WarriorsReferee: Tual Trainini (FRA) ARs: Ludovic Cayre (FRA) & Flavien Hourquet (FRA) TMO: Eric Gauzins (FRA) Vodacom Bulls v LyonReferee: Luke Pearce (ENG) ARs: Adam Leal (ENG) & Sara Cox MBE (ENG) TMO: Tom Foley (ENG) Exeter Chiefs v Bath RugbyReferee: Luc Ramos (FRA) ARs: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (FRA) & Evan Urruzmendi (FRA) TMO: Patrick Dellac (FRA ..read more

World Rugby has started to roll-out the outcomes from the recent Shape of the Game conference in London earlier in March. Starting with the new Law Application Guideline, World Rugby have set out a five-phase approach to explore, adopt and trial the key outcomes and laws. Not all five are sequential and will run concurrently. Phase 1: Law Application Guidelines reinforcing existing law around scrum, ruck and water carriers This doesn’t create new law so has been done more quickly. The new Law Application Guideline focuses on speeding up play and player safety: Caterpillar rucks – “Use it” cal ..read more