As is their custom, the IRB have again made their annual tinkering with the laws of rugby.
Some, like Law 3 that deals with the number of players in the scrum, are relatively inconsequential, while the changes to when the ball is in touch in Law 19 may cause a few headaches for referees.
If uncontested scrums are ordered (because not enough suitably-trained front row players remain on the field) scrums must still have eight players. Front-row designated players must still play in the front row but the No8 is allowed to pick the ball up from the base of the scrum.
Penalty tries awarded because a try would probably have been scored, or scored in a better position, if not for foul play by an opponent are now automatically worth seven points - no conversion is required.
This saves time and speeds up the game.
When a referee plays advantage from multiple offences (think a team trying desperately to defend a seige on their tryline) the captain of the other team can now choose the most advantageous of the penalty marks where those offences happened to take the penalty kick or scrum.
So, if the original offence was close to the corner post but further offences occurred (eg offsides) as the team lost ground, the skipper could choose to take the penalty kick for offside in front of the posts, even if that offence occurred back on the 22m line.
The two most important changes relate to penalty kicks awarded after time is up in a half, and to when the ball goes into touch.
To take the easier change first, if time is up and the referee awards a free kick or penalty kick, any resulting lineout from the ball being kicked directly into touch would still have to take place.
However, if the kicker tap kicks the ball to himself first and then boots into touch, time would be up as the ball had been played first.
So, if the team behind in points was awarded the penalty kick, they might choose to kick the ball directly into touch for the lineout and chance to score more points, maybe even win the game.
The team ahead on the scoreboard would most likely take a tap kick before kicking the ball out.
Changes to what happens when the ball goes into touch could cause some initial confusion this year, especially in deciding which team will throw the ball into the lineout.
This season, if the ball has reached the plane of touch - a vertical line extending from the ground upwards - when it is caught, then the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch and his team would have the throw into the lineout.
If the ball has not reached the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, then the catcher is deemed to have taken it into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.
So, catch the ball with one or both feet over the touchline after it cross the plane, and the kicker is deemed to have put it out.
However, if the ball has not reached the plane of touch when it is caught or picked up, even if the catcher has one or both feet in touch, then they are deemed to have taken it over, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.
This is in direct contrast to the rulings in previous seasons.
As in previous seasons, a player with both feet in the field of play can catch the ball after it has crossed the touchline and play continues.
They can also knock the ball back into the field of play, as can a player in touch, provided the ball has not crossed the touch line.
But in another change, a player could jump from the field of play and knock the ball back after it has crossed the line.
Such a player can also catch the ball after it has crossed the touchline and throw it back infield, often over the shoulder.
This includes cases where the ball has crossed the touch-in-goal line as well.
A player who is attempting to bring the ball under control is now deemed to be in possession so can now be legitimately tackled, whereas before the tackler could have been ruled as tackling the player without the ball.
Lastly, in a major change to Law 4 "Players' Clothing" a player is now allowed to wear goggles.
I think this is related to players who usually wear contact lenses (or maybe are patrially sighted), but before all you players go rushing into your nearest swim store, the goggles have to bear the World Rugby approval mark.
Anyone seen one of them lately?