Rugby: Coaches altering plans for six-point try and breakdown law changes

Tries like this scored by Canterbury's Patrick Osborne are set to be worth six points. Photo / Getty

Provincial rugby coaches are already reworking selection ideas and plans for next year's series after alterations to the breakdown laws and the value of tries and penalties.

Harbour coach Steve Jackson expects there will be more emphasis on attack after it was today announced that tries will be worth six points and penalties reduced to match the value of conversions.

He expects teams will try to hold onto possession for even longer periods and information from trials in South Africa and Australia pointed to high scores and teams going for all out attack inside the 40m zone instead of kicking for goal.

Changes around breakdown laws 15 and 16 would eliminate the tackle and possession-pinching work from such experts as Richie McCaw and David Pocock.

The law changes would encourage attack and get players in better positions at the breakdown rather than absorbing heavy blows around their neck and head.

"I suppose the guys who were good jacklers and stealers around the ruck will have to change their games as well," Jackson said.

If World Rugby ratify the law variations, tacklers will have to roll away and their teammates will have to take up space and drive over the ball. Jackson thought mauls might become more prevalent with an even greater emphasis on strong scrums.

One of the difficulties would be getting Super rugby players to alter the way they have played throughout that series before making the transition to the provincial series.

There were also plans to use twin referees but until sides got used to that at training, Jackson was unsure about that effect.

"I hope they won't slow the game down and will make more decisions rather than having to go to the TMO.

"I understand one will try and look at the breakdown and the defensive line and there has been talk about a metre back from the breakdowns so there are going to be a lot of learnings for a lot of players.

"I'm not too sure if game needs two refs but we don't know until we try. Who has more influence, the attacking ref or defensive one?"

Jackson was sure he would need to use different types of loose-forwards who were ball carriers, link players and tacklers.