Survey Summary

All surveys have revealed strong support for the ELVs in their various guises across competitions played in Australia or played in the southern hemisphere with Australian involvement (Super 14).

Thirteen of the initial 23 Experimental Law Variations have already been adopted for global experimentation following the IRB Council meeting on May 1.

However, one ELV that failed to win approval for August 1 trials worldwide – but remains on selective experimentation in various competitions – has the backing of Australian players and their compatriots elsewhere in the southern hemisphere.

According to the surveys, the reduction of sanctions from penalty kicks to free kicks where possible has had a significant and positive impact on the playing of the game.

The collective Players Associations survey of 264 professional players in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa was carried out following the 2008 Super 14 competition.

Eighty five percent of respondents claimed the ELV regarding sanctions had a positive impact. A further five percent claimed it made no difference to the game.

The ARU survey of club players, coaches and match officials in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth showed 80.2% supported the implementation of the reduced sanctions from penalties to free kicks where possible. Another 11% was undecided.

There was similarly widespread support for two other ELVs that do have global experimentation status.

The 5m offside line at the scrum was deemed positive for the game by more than 87% of Super 14 players and by 93.4% of respondents from the survey taken across Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth clubs. From the survey of participants in last year’s Mazda Australian Rugby Championship, 76% supported the 5m offside line at the scrum with a further 21% neutral.

The ELV regarding passing the ball back into the 22m and then kicking into touch on the full also had widespread support.

In the Super 14 survey, more than 81% deemed it positive for the game. Of those surveyed from Australian club competitions, 92.9% supported the law variation along with 87% of respondents from the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship.

On a general basis, the Players Associations survey revealed more than 82% of Super 14 players believed the ELVs had a positive effect on the game.