World announces immediate law amendment following contentious Wales try

World announces immediate law amendment following contentious Wales try

World Rugby has changed a rule governing restarts in the wake of George North’s contentious try for Wales in their 13-6 win over England in Cardiff on Saturday.

The change stipulates that a match can not be restarted, once it has been paused to allow for a player to leave the field due to an HIA or a blood bin, until that player has been replaced.

 
 
 
 
The amendment has arisen following the events of this weekend’s test match between Wales and England. George North scored Wales only try of the test in the 32nd minute when England had just 13 men on the pitch. Anthony Watson was making his way off the pitch for a sinbinning while Willi Heinz was also being escorted from the field for an HIA at the time.
 
 
 
 
Wales had a penalty and Dan Biggar reacted quickly to cross kick to Josh Adams and moments later another kick went George North's way with the winger crossing for the try.

 
 
 

The score drew plenty of outrage both during and after the match, which Wales won 13-6. With England head coach Eddie Jones later remarked that referee Pascal Gauzere should have got a “yellow card” for allowing play to restart before the replacement had taken the field.

The global governing body said the amended rule meant play would only be able to restart once temporary replacement players had taken the field.



“World Rugby has announced an immediate amendment to Law 3 to stipulate that a match cannot restart until a player leaving the field of play for a blood injury or Head Injury Assessment (HIA) has been temporarily replaced,” it said in a statement.


“The amendment, approved by the international federation’s Executive Committee, codifies an area that was previously at the discretion of the referee.”

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