Chris Pollock: NZR Referees boss on the introduction of new scrum and lineout laws for the Rugby Championship 2024

Rugby Union is set to kick up the speed with the introduction of a couple of new laws. 

A 30 second time limit will be introduced for scrums and lineouts to be set, these new changes being trialled in this weekend’s clash between the All Blacks and Argentina.  

NZR Referees boss Chris Pollock told Mike Hosking they tested the changed in Super Rugby this year and he thinks they got a pretty good result in speeding up the game. 

He said that everyone wants the ball in play and the more action we can see, the better the game. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rugby union about to speed itself up a little bit.
We've got a trial of new laws that will take
effect in the All Blacks clash this weekend continue throughout
the Rugby Championship. So thirty second limit to be introduced
for scrums and lineouts to be set. The n Z
referees bos Chris Pollock as well. It's Chris, very good
morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Morning Mike. How are you very well?

Speaker 1 (00:18):
Thank you? You like it? Does it make sense?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah? We look, it does make sense. We've tried these
and through rugby this year we've got a pretty good
result of spinning the game up. I think we'll get
the same international rugby as the metro officials teams stick
to those timings.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
Is there any difference between Super Rugby and International rugby
in terms of setting the scrum or doing a line out?

Speaker 2 (00:42):
I don't think in international rugby we've stuck to those times,
whereas religiously this year and Super week time and then
we had our guys accountable to that to make sure
that we were sticking to the times. And yeah, I
think we've got a lot better outcome, right.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Damian McKenzie of course famously pinged on the kick does
anyone get pinged on a line out or a scrum?

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well, that's the theory. If they go over the thirty seconds,
they will, it'll be it'll be a free kick.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
And what's the referees warning? Does it go guys five seconds,
watch out tens or whatever?

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, so the referee will make a mark and say
chock locks on and then basically they've got thirty seconds
to get formed up. And if they're not done on
next thirty seconds by Tommy's crouched, then he'll make a decision.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Okay. Is harder for the line out to assemble or
the scrum?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
I think they'll both be straightforward. As soon as the
balls out, the refereel make a mark and everyone's got
to get to it. A line out of time and
the same thing, if everybody should be there when he
makes the mark for a scrum, we go.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
How much angst is this hole? There's not enough rugby
being played at any given time. How much is ankst
driving this whole conversation.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
I think everybody wants ball and play, whether that be
around scrum, whether it be around shots to goal or
tier mode decisions. The more actual we can see the
bit of the gamers, so that's what's driving a lot
of it, and I think we've just lost our way
over the last couple of years, but hopefully getting back
to it.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Good stuff. Chris go Well, appreciate it very much. Chris
Pollock referees boss. For more from The Mic Asking Breakfast,
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