The International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) is to introduce new regulations in an attempt to standardise the type of protective clothing players will be permitted to wear. At a meeting in Dublin yesterday, the chairman of the IRFB, Vernan Pugh, pointed out that the current laws allow players to use very limited protection - mouth guards, shin guards, scrum caps and, occasionally, pads or sponge rubber strapped to the body. Bandages or dressings to cover a bleeding wound sustained during the match are also permitted.
"We know there has been and continues to be widespread contravention of Law 4 (players' dress) and are moving to address the situation," said Pugh.
"Proposals will be brought forward for the council's consideration at the annual meeting in January. The new law will be strictly enforced, and will include provision for severe penalties where unions and their players are found to have contravened Law 4," he added.
Law 4 specifically prohibits the use of some equipment, such as shoulder pads of the harness type, braces or supports which include any rigid metal, gloves or padded under garments.
The IRFB have consulted with both medical experts and protective clothing manufacturers and will be recommending standards that will be applied to the design of head guards and shoulder and upper body protectors.
Pugh said it was unreasonable to expect referees alone to police Law 4, and said all protective clothing will have to conform to specifications set by the IRFB.
In addition to the amendments to Law 4, the law governing the scrummage (Law 20) has also been revised in an effort to create greater stability in the scrum. It is hoped that this change will also ensure space is maintained around the scrum which will facilitate attacking play at the set pieces.
The relevant sentence from Law 20 will read: "Any player, who is not a front row player, when participating in a scrummage must bind with one arm around a lock forward."
Other news to emerge highlights the third Women's World Cup, which will be held next May in Holland. The 16-team tournament line-up has been based on recommendations from the IRFB's women's advisory committee, and includes defending champions England, winners in Edinburgh in 1994, and the USA, who won the inaugural championship in Cardiff in 1991.
Ireland will also compete, along with Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Wales and hosts Holland. The number is up from the 1994 entry of 11 nations.
The chairman of the English RFU finance committee, Colin Herridge, has resigned because of the continuing conflict within the union. Herridge said he believed the conflict within the organisation would continue over the coming year to the great detriment of the union.
