ANZAR referees boss Lyndon Bray says the way the Super rugby competition is officiated will help keep it the best competition in the world.
The competition kicked off last night in Christchurch and Bray said there were four key areas referees would be focusing on this season: scrum, lineout, tackle ball area and space across the field.
Bray said those four areas had come about through meetings by the coaches of the 15 teams throughout the three countries in Sanzar.
The referees were trying to find the balance between allowing continuity for the attacking teams and letting the defence into the contest for possession.
The focus on the tackle ball area will look at making sure the tacklers, especially the second tackler of a player, rolls clear, not backing through the ruck into the opposition's halfback.
Players should look to move out sideways from a ruck to avoid contact with the halfback.
''Obviously, we want the ball to be available at speed . . . that is the whole mantle of our game. We want the team in possession to be able to clear the ball quickly but also the ball has to be available as a contest for possession.''
He said turnovers at ruck time were a vital part of the game and a high percentage of tries in the competition came from ball won at turnovers.
Renewed emphasis would be placed on making sure that the halfback was not interfered with in clearing the ball.
More time would be given to teams to clear the ball when a maul collapses.
At the scrum there had to be a clear gap between the binds, no movements between the packs when they have engaged and packs had to be pushing straight.
Teams had to ''earn the turn'', Bray said, so teams could not pull back at the scrum and had to drive in straight to start turning the scrum.
Lineouts would focus on protecting the players in the air and the lifters and making sure defenders are not coming in from the side in trying to stop the maul.
The offside line of 5m from the scrum and 10m from the lineout would be vigilantly enforced.
Players sniping around the side of the ruck would be policed harshly to allow those clearing the ball more room.
''The message we got from coaches is they really strongly want this enforced. They want the area cleaned up to get more space across the field.''
