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Implementation of the 20minute red card replacement in elite rugby - August 2025
In November 2024, World Rugby Council approved the introduction of a Global Law Trial to allow a 20-minute red card replacement in elite rugby only. Unions determine what level of rugby constitutes 'elite' in their countries. This Guideline sets out the implementation options of the 20-minute re ... s, not all elite fixtures will have a Television Match Official (TMO) or a Foul Play Review Officer (FPR
T1 Rugby
World Rugby has launched T1 Rugby, the world’s first non-contact sport that fully reflects the uni ... ies and backgrounds, reflecting the international federation’s mission of a global sport for all. Significantly, it is the first non-contact form of the game that reflects the characteristics of rugby, including lineouts, scrums, kicking and a breakdown, while remaining simple to play. It contains many of th
Touch Rugby
s The playing area with cones/markers Introduction World Rugby Leisure Rugby Laws have been designed so that Unions may develop non-contact Rugby. These Laws have been produced so that there are some guidelines and principles in place for Touch Rugby. Unions having jurisdiction over their developmenta ... n, developmental and age grade requirements, but usually matches are played across one half of a Rugby pitc
Tag Rugby
s The playing area with cones/markers Introduction World Rugby Leisure Rugby Laws have been designed so that Unions may develop non-contact Rugby. These Laws have been produced so that there are some guidelines and principles in place for Tag Rugby. Unions having jurisdiction over their developmenta ... l and age grade requirements, but usually matches are played across one half of a Rugby pitc
Laws of the Game
. If you would like to demonstrate your understanding of the laws, the World Rugby Laws exam is ... ons via the top right of the screen to select the best one for you. Please note that not all con
Beach Touch Rugby
Download this document as a printable Adobe PDF fileIntroduction World Rugby Leisure Rugby Laws have been designed so that Unions may develop non-contact Rugby. These Laws have been produced so that there are some guidelines and principles in place for Beach Touch Rugby. Unions having jurisdictio ... d Rugby Laws of the Game Law 2. 2.2 The ball must be size 4. Law 3: Number of Players: The Team 3.
Beach Tag Rugby
Download this document as a printable Adobe PDF fileIntroduction World Rugby Leisure Rugby Laws have been designed so that Unions may develop non-contact Rugby. These Laws have been produced so that there are some guidelines and principles in place for Beach Tag Rugby. Unions having jurisdictio ... d Rugby Laws of the Game Law 2. 2.2 The ball must be size 4. Law 3: Number of Players: The Team 3.
Beach Fives Rugby
1 The ball must conform to World Rugby Laws of the Game Law 2. 2.2 The ball must be size 4. Law ... y wear additional items of clothing as permitted by World Rugby Law 4 and World Rugby Regulation 1 ... d in accordance with World Rugby Law 4 or Regulation 12. (b) Players must not wear footwear unles ... e these two seconds. Sanction: Free kick Law 16: Rucks Rucks do not exist in Beach Fives Rugby. Law 1
Modified forms of rugby
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2025-08 Law Application Guideline - implementation of the 20-minute red card replacement
A new Law Application Guideline has been issued about the different ways the 20-minute red card replacement Global Law Trial can be implemented in elite rugby. It includes an update on the uncontested scrums grid. The guideline can be found here.
2025-07 Global Law Trial - 20-minute red card replacement
d. Addition: Elite Rugby only: For intentional and highly dangerous actions, the player canno ... 0 minutes playing time has elapsed. (Elite rugby only) New definition: Elite Rugby A professiona ... At the World Rugby Council meeting on 21 May 2025, the Council voted to move the 20 minute red card replacement sanction into a Global Law trial for the elite game. The following sets out the la
Definitions
e. E Elite rugby A professional level of rugby, determined by individual unions/competitions wher ... e for the match which may be World Rugby, a union, a group of unions or any organisation approved by a union or World Rugby. Maul A phase of play consisting of a ball-carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet. Misconduct An offence under World Rugby Regulation 1
Law Clarifications
If a World Rugby member union is unable to clarify an aspect of law it may submit a request for a formal clarification in law to the World Rugby designated members. This section contains all such requests for clarifications issued since 2018 when the laws of rugby were restructured and simplified. On occasions, clarifications in law will result in a law amendment. The pre-2018 Clarification
Laws of the Game Exam 2025
The World Rugby Law exam was refreshed in April 2026. Please click here to find the new version This self-check multiple-choice exam is a pre-requisite for many World Rugby and union-specific educational courses for referees, coaches, and match management staff. After completing the Laws exam, you can download your personalised certificate. Registration is free and takes only a fe
Playing Charter
s devised. Rugby union, in common with any activity which attracts the interest and enthusiasm of all kinds of people, has many sides and faces. Rugby is played worldwide by people of all ages fro ... e and ability to participate. Apart from the playing of the game and its ancillary support, rugby embrace ... y and behaviour can be assessed. The objective is to ensure that rugby maintains its unique character bot
Foreword
s of rugby at an appropriate time, offering them more protection from injury. The age and conten ... s and rugby sevens, are complete and contain all that is necessary to enable the game to be played correctly and fairly. Rugby union is a sport which involves physical contact and, as such, presents inheren ... s as authorised by World Rugby. It is the duty of the unions to ensure that the game at every leve
Laws of the Game Exam
This self-check multiple-choice exam is a pre-requisite for many World Rugby and union-specific educational courses for referees, coaches, and match management staff. After completing the Laws exam, which has 60 questions to answer, you can download your personalised certificate. Registration is free and takes only a few minutes. We suggest you use the Laws site to help you to complete the modul
Law Application Guideline - January 2023
d for implementation in the elite game. These focus areas ensure we retain a safe, speedy spectacle of rugby at Rugby World Cup 2023 and beyond. While some areas are purely a focus for elite rugby (kick timings/sho ... 0 seconds of the mark being made. Sanction: Free-kick. For elite rugby, we encourage broadcaster ... At a Shape of the Game conference in November 2022, all rugby stakeholders in the men’s XV gam
Laws app - what's new
w Application Guideline on the implementation of the 20 minute red card replacement in elite rugby Jul ... What's new in the Laws of Rugby app? The newest update comes first: July 2026 Communit ... d into full law (the GLT designation removed from laws content) Minor changes to law wordings throughou ... e of a maul Minor translation changes New World Rugby Law exam links updated March 2026 Ne
2026-07 Law updates
At World Rugby's Council meeting on 17 June 2026, four of the older Global Law Trials were approved to be moved into full law. The newer law trials remain in play for another season at when they will be reviewed. Therefore the brake foot (for all), and elite rugby water carrier restrictions, 20min red card replacement and the role of the TMO have now become full law from 1 July. &nbs
2026-06 Community Tackle Height law wordings approved
e – shoulder line in elite rugby, or waist/base of the sternum in community rugby. The ball carrier ha
3 Team
s or another front-row player comes on, then contested scrums may resume. 3.17 In elite rugb ... s elapsed. (Elite rugby only). Rolling replacements 3.34 A match organiser may implement rollin ... y necessitating a temporary replacement. In matches which have been approved in advance by World Rugb ... n approved in advance by World Rugby for use of the HIA process, a player who requires an HI
Shape of the Game: Reinforcement of current law - March 2024
s, a scrum should be awarded to the opposing team. World Rugby and its stakeholders will also conside ... x Nations Rugby Scrum – Brake foot In February 2022, following representations from playe ... e to sanction. Water carriers In July 2022, a Global Law Trial was introduced for the elite gam ... r that, in the elite game, water carriers should only come on after the scoring of a try. Water ca
14 Tackle
e a responsibility to tackle below the relevant high tackle sanction line – shoulder line in elite rugby, or waist/base of the sternum in community rugby. The ball carrier has a responsibility to ente
Foul Play
These five questions will all relate to foul play in rugby union.
Key contests areas in the game
These ten questions relate to key contest areas in rugby - Kick-offs, Restarts, Tackle, Ruck and Maul.
Variations - Under-19s and Sevens
The final set of six questions relates to the different laws that apply in World Rugby's Under-19 laws and for Sevens rugby.
9 Foul play
h. A player sent off may not be replaced. Elite Rugby only: For intentional and highly dangerous action
2026-06 Law clarification - Actions of a scrum half when ending a ruck
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the actions of a scrum half when ending a ruck. It can be found here.
6 Match officials
r half.) i. In elite rugby matches, water carriers may only enter when the referee makes play dea ... r of Rugby. b. A person carrying only a kicking tee and one water bottle, (solely for the kicker’s us
General play
These 20 questions will all relate to general play in rugby union - Advantage, scoring, offside in open play, knock and throw forwards, players on the ground in open play, the mark, touch, penalties, free kicks and in-goal.
Pre-2018 Clarifications
The laws of rugby were restructured and simplified for the 2018 law book. Clarifications issued up to the end of 2017 reference the law structure at that time. Clarifications issued from 2018 onwards reference the simplified laws.
2025-06 Law clarification - Diving over a ruck to score
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the actions of a ball carrier diving over a ruck to score a try. This can be found here.
2025-07 Law clarification - Kick-off actions
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the actions of a team deliberately infringing at a kick-off or restart. This can be found here.
2025-07 Law clarification - Offside players when ball is in touch
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the status of an offside player when the ball goes into touch, and a quick throw-in is taken. This can be found here.
2024-09 Law clarification - Tee carrier
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the tee carrier. This can be found here. This is the fourth clarification for 2024 - the other three cover: February - Brake foot May - Conversions June - Crouch in Spanish
IRB Maul Working Group Outcomes - August 2009
d to all match elite match officials and Referee Managers.) Mauls from open play should be referee
Enforcement of current Law - October 2018
At a meeting in September 2018, World Rugby’s Rugby Committee determined that, as in 2015, certain aspects of foul play law needed to be reinforced by match officials: In both the tackle and cleanout as per current law: A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders. Every time the head or the neck is deliberately grabbed or choked, the offending player run
Enforcement of current Law - June 2012
At a meeting in May 2012, the Laws Representation Group (LRG) considered the areas of the Game where, it had been agreed by the LRG/Rugby Committee/IRB Council, Law amendments were not required but that current Law was to be enforced by match officials including: 1. Ball ripped from a ball carry not to be considered a knock-on 2. Offside when the ball is kicked to touch thereb
4 Permitted clothing
4.1 All items of clothing must comply with World Rugby Regulation 12. 4.2 A player wears a jersey, shorts and underwear, socks and boots. The sleeve of a jersey must extend at least half-way from the shoulder point to the elbow. World Rugby recommends all players wear a mouthguard or denta ... r to leave the playing area to change items of clothing, unless they are bloodstained. World Rugb