SOME of the most innovative changes to the game of rugby union will be on show at Dubbo later this year after the National Rugby Championships (NRC) announced a new set of rules at the competition's official launch at Sydney yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The inaugural nationwide competition, which acts as a third tier below Super Rugby and the Shute Shield, begins next week and Dubbo will play host to the match between the NSW Country Eagles and the Perth Spirit on October 18 but it will be a very different game to the one which rugby fans have come accustomed to.
The biggest change is to the points system, which reduces penalty goals and drop goals to two points rather than three while a conversion increases from two to three. Tries will remain at five points.
Other key changes include a team being able to kick for touch and continue with a lineout from a penalty awarded after time has expired, time limits for scrum formations and kicks at goals and instead of a bonus point awarded for scoring four tries, the winning team will be awarded a bonus point for finishing a match three or more tries ahead of their opponents.
There will be other rule changes which will be trialled during the NRC with the key focus from the Australian Rugby Union being a game which is more attacking and entertaining to viewers.
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver was in attendance at yesterday's launch and said the initiative of involving fans in the rule changing process through online forums would be beneficial for the sport.
"While maintaining the integrity of the game, we want to see a more creative style of rugby being played where risk and attack are rewarded," he said.
"We also want to see more continuous play and less time wasted. Involving fans in this process has been a terrific way to re-energise the passionate rugby fan base and ensure the Buildcorp NRC has the interests of Rugby supporters at its core."
In other NRC news, the NSW Country Eagles have recently announced a Development Squad which will train alongside the main squad and cover any injuries suffered during the campaign.
Dubbo Kangaroos stars Filisione Pauta and Peter Nau have both been rewarded for their outstanding representative form with places in the squad, along with four other Blowes Clothing Cup players.
In a great boost for the local competition, Orange City's Gus Brotherton, Bathurst Bulldog Hayden Tidswell and Parkes pair Amoni Vea and Dan Ryan will all travel with the main Eagles squad.
The competition begins next Thursday with Brisbane City playing the Sydney Stars while the Eagles open their campaign with a match against the Greater Sydney Rams before matches at Orange's Wade Park on September 20 and Dubbo's Caltex park a month later.
