ARU boss John O'Neill has previously urged the northern hemisphere to adopt all the ELVs © Getty Images

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News: O'Neill continues to bang ELVs drum

Teams: Australia

The Australian Rugby Union has welcomed an announcement from the International Rugby Board confirming the Experimental Law Variation involving "sanctions" will go on trial in the northern hemisphere.

The southern hemisphere's premier competitions - Super 14 and the Tri Nations series - this year included, with IRB encouragement, the sanctions ELV where most penalties are reduced to free kicks.

It was not on the list of ELVs that were approved on 1 May for global trial from 1 August this year (13 of the original 23 ELVs were included in the global package).

However, the IRB made clear at the time that selected elite competitions in the northern hemisphere would be sourced to trial the sanctions variation.

The IRB has announced today trials will take place in the Espoirs Championship in France, starting this weekend.

The competition is for the second teams of the French Top 14 championship.

It involves fully-fledged professionals and Under 23 academy players.

Following agreement with the Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR) and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), the Espoirs Championship will also be used to trial tackle, ruck and maul ELVs not included for global trial from 1 August.

"ARU has made it clear we consider the sanctions a key element in the ELVs package, so we applaud this breakthrough for the IRB in the northern hemisphere," said ARU Managing Director and CEO John O'Neill.

"We have no hesitation saying we believe the sanctions deliver a better game.

"So we were extremely disappointed the sanctions ELV failed to win support in May for global trialling at all levels.

"We were equally disappointed when northern hemisphere unions failed to offer up competitions where the sanctions could be trialled.

"Let us hope others will now follow the lead of the French."

The Australian Rugby Union Platers' Association (RUPA) has also welcomed the announcement with RUPA CEO Tony Dempsey praising the decision to play the full range of the laws.

"We were disappointed when the sanction law was not embraced by the Northern Hemisphere earlier in the year. The only way to truly form an opinion on the success of the laws is to trial them in their entirety," he said.

"In trialing the full range of the laws including sanctions, the French have shown good initiative, and we hope other nations will follow suit" claimed Dempsey.

"The total ELV package has provided a more entertaining game in the Southern Hemisphere, and the law involving sanctions has been a critical element in its overall success."

The ELVs to be trialled in France's Espoirs Championship in addition to global ELVs:

Sanctions: For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a Free Kick.

Tackle and ruck: If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a Free Kick

Maul: If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a Free Kick

ELVs being trialled worldwide

Assistant Referees

* Assistant Referees can assist referees in any manner required when appointed by a match organiser

Posts and flags around the field

* The corner posts are no longer considered to be in touch in-goal except when a ball is grounded against the post

Lineout and throw

* If a team puts the ball back into their own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain of ground * A quick throw may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team's own goal line * There is no restriction on the number of players who can participate in the lineout from either side (minimum of two) * The receiver in a lineout must stand 2 metres back from the lineout * The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball may stand in the area between the 5 metre line and touch line but must be 2 metres away from the lineout * Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in * The lifting of lineout jumpers is permitted

Maul

* Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down * Remove reference in Law to heads and shoulders not to be lower than hips

Scrum

* Introduction of an offside line five metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum * Scrum half offside lines (must be in close proximity to the scrum as present Law or must retreat five metres)

ELVs to be trialled in an elite Northern Hemisphere competition. Global approved ELVs plus the following:

Sanctions

* For all offences other than offside, not entering through the gate, and Law 10 - Foul Play, the sanction is a Free Kick

Tackle and ruck

* If the ball is unplayable at the breakdown, the side that did not take the ball into contact will receive a Free Kick

Maul

* If a maul becomes unplayable, the team not in possession at the start of the maul receives a Free Kick

ELVs to be referred back to LPG for further analysis and possible experimentation (any future trials yet to be determined)

Lineout and throw

* Incorrect throw (not straight) the sanction is a Free Kick

Tackle and ruck

* Offside line occurs immediately at the tackle * Players who are on their feet can play the ball with their hands * There are two Penalty Kicks warded at the tackle and ruck - offside and foul play * Reference to unfair play added to Law 15 (tackle: ball carrier brought to ground)

Offside

* Players are only put onside after a tackle when they retreat past the tackle or the ball has moved five metres away from the tackle

Kick-off and restart kicks

* Incorrect kick-offs and restart kicks result in a Free Kick for the opposition