It appears as though the launch of six-point tries and two-point penalties may not be as set in stone as thought.
A report this week quoting New Zealand Rugby general manager rugby Neil Sorensen said six-point tries and two-point penalties would be introduced in next year's national premier domestic competition.
But the gun appears to have been jumped.
Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said the union had agreed to trial laws concerning the ruck and maul in the Mitre 10 Cup next year but the points trial was to be carried out in the Heartland Championship and women's national provincial championship.
The laws, which would be trialled by the 14 teams in the Mitre 10 Cup, concerned the always contentious and sometimes confusing breakdown and the rolling maul. These were about the tackler and what he could and could not do around the tackle.
The new breakdown law has the offside law a metre behind the hindmost foot at a breakdown. There is no gate and teams can win the ball by blowing over it collectively.
In rolling mauls, the ball can be moved backwards hand-to-hand once the maul has formed. A player is not allowed to move or slide to the back of the maul when he is in possession of the ball.
Kinley said many provinces wanted to be able to apply the rules in premier club competitions so players could get used to them before the provincial competition.
New Zealand Rugby was now awaiting feedback from World Rugby on whether the trial over the new breakdown laws could be used in club competitions. This should be known some time next month.
The issue of increasing points for scoring a try and decreasing for kicking a penalty was still up in the air. Provinces were giving their opinions and had until the end of next month to state a view to NZRKinley said Otago was not in favour.
A trial in Australia had shown more points scored but also more lineouts and scrums.
Many tries came from lineouts where penalties were kicked to the corner and goalkickers were not such a valuable part of the game.
Doubts over the new laws also surround the ability to get turnovers and to penalise in the breakdown.
