New DSLV Laws Effective 01/01/2014

Congratulations to all the teams on last weeks efforts to field teams in the competition.

The NZRU has made some changes to the Domestic laws of rugby after a lengthy review process. These changes may affect you over the season.

Law 3.3 (a) relates to the number of players that you may have in your team. Essentially if you do not have 15 players you forfeit the competition points. You can however, still play the game.

Law 3.5(c) This law relates to trained front row players. Should you not be able to provide three front row players you also forfeit the competition points. However, you can still play the game wit1h uncontested scrums.

Coaches need to display a significant amount of integrity around both these changes as there is a significant amount of risk to players should we ask a player to take the field in a position that we know is not suitably trained, especially in the front row. This risk is then transferred to the Match Officials who will then make a decision based on safety.

Good luck with your games this week and thanks to Pakanui WEBB, Morgan Wirepa Junior and Senior, Charlie HARRISON and Verdon BARTLETT and everyone else that have provided me with feedback about the last couple of seasons over the last few weeks. Your feedback has been much appreciated and will certainly help us moving forward.