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A proposal to extend the video referee's powers for the next World Cup has been put on hold. International Rugby Board referees manager Paddy O'Brien wanted those match officials to be able to look at footage leading up to tries to see whether there had been a knock-on or a player had put his foot in touch down the field.
However his idea was rejected yesterday because there had been an agreement about a freeze on all law changes for the World Cup unless it involved a safety issue like the scrum engagement.
O'Brien had pushed for an extension of the video referee's authority, although he did not want that to include possible forward passes or offside rulings because of the problems with camera angles.
"The laws will stay as they are except for the scrum change which involves safety," O'Brien said. "But after the World Cup there will be a conference to discuss the laws we have been trialling at Stellenbosch."
O'Brien was certain the contentious tackled ball law would be revised to allow players arriving at a ruck to use their hands as long as they stayed on their feet.
"Too often now if Richie McCaw and George Smith arrived you would hear a referee calling to one or other or both, hands off," said O'Brien. "The whole area is still bugging people. You can see them all looking around and wondering what penalties were for. Spectators can't understand from the grandstand nor can many experts and that has to be a problem."
Rucking was still possible but it was a dangerous tactic as referees would sinbin players who used their feet on opponents.
"Players these days are amazing at how they shift bodies away from contact and that has become the modern game."
The offside line at the breakdown would come under close scrutiny but O'Brien did not think the lawmakers would allow any players to slide into rucks.
"It is still a game about staying on your feet. "We will look at the effects of having backlines standing 5m back from scrums but there will be great debate about whether that changes the game too much."
