Laws app - what's new

What's new in the Laws of Rugby app?

The newest update comes first: 

November 2026

• Hip drop tackle added to law 9.13 and definitions (all languages) 

• Head Contact Process - November 2026 update added to Law Application Guidelines - brings clarity on breakdown actions

• Translation updates (French)

October 2026

• A new Law Application Guideline concerning knee-drop tackles

• Wordings for Hip drop tackle law change (effective 1 November 2026)

• Translation updates (Japanese, French)

July 2026

• Community tackle height law wordings added to Laws 9, 14 and Game On variations

• Four global law trials moved into full law (the GLT designation removed from laws content)

• Minor changes to law wordings throughout - see news here

• Law clarification relating to players handling the ball when the contest in a ruck is over   

May 2026

• New Law Application Guideline covering players on the 'wrong' side of a maul

• Minor translation changes

• New World Rugby Law exam links updated

March 2026

• New clarification covering disciplinary issues arising from a charge into a ruck 

August 2025

• Law Application Guideline on the implementation of the 20 minute red card replacement in elite rugby

July 2025

• Japanese - Head Contact Process translation updates

• Clarification relating to status of offside player when ball goes into touch and a quick throw-in is taken

• Global Law Trial texts around 20min red card replacements (all languages)

• Clarification relating to deliberate actions at a kick-off

June 2025

• Clarification around diving over a ruck to score a try

• Japanese translations refinements 

May 2025

• Match official signals updated

• Law 1.3e amended to specified minimum perimeter areas

• Definition of Match Official and wordings in Law 6 to include Match Day Doctors and ensure actions towards them are covered in law 

• Translation refinements in Romanian, Japanese languages

• New user experience for downloading the app for first time, and for content updates for existing users

January 2025

• New app launched