The FNB Varsity Cup, presented by Steinhoff International will once again lend itself to experimentation with the 2010 tournament set to feature eight players on the bench in a bid to combat uncontested scrums.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) in August sanctioned a new law which will allow teams to name 23 players in a match-day squad at domestic level only.
Only seven replacements, however, may still be used.
An eight-man bench means that all matchday squads in the 2010 Varsity Cup will now have a minimum of two props and a specialist hooker on the bench - and thereby new, enlarged 23-man playing groups - as part of an experiment in conjunction with SA Rugby.
André Watson, South African Rugby's manager of referees, told varsitycup.co.za: "This ruling still needs to be ratified, officially, at a meeting on Monday, but hopefully we will get the green light for eight-man benches in the 2010 Varsity Cup.
"Not having uncontested scrums will only benefit the game of rugby union and we're thankful that the Varsity Cup have allowed us the possibility of experimenting with this concept."
The Varsity Cup is no stranger to testing new concepts under Watson's - and SA Rugby's - watchful eye.
The 2008 tournament saw the introduction of white cards - a ruling which allowed the captains to question one of the referee's on-field decisions in the final, via a time-out - and it allowed Watson and co. to see if that concept had any future in the game.
"The Varsity Cup is a great competition in so many ways," added Watson, "they're always open for suggestions and it's a great level of competition to test new concepts (like this).
"The best thing about an eight-man bench is that it basically rules out uncontested scrums, while - at the same time - it doesn't limit the coaches' options when it comes to the rest of his replacements."
The 2010 Varsity Cup tournament kicks-off on February 1.
- SOURCE: RUGBY365
The International Rugby Board (IRB) in August sanctioned a new law which will allow teams to name 23 players in a match-day squad at domestic level only.
Only seven replacements, however, may still be used.
An eight-man bench means that all matchday squads in the 2010 Varsity Cup will now have a minimum of two props and a specialist hooker on the bench - and thereby new, enlarged 23-man playing groups - as part of an experiment in conjunction with SA Rugby.
André Watson, South African Rugby's manager of referees, told varsitycup.co.za: "This ruling still needs to be ratified, officially, at a meeting on Monday, but hopefully we will get the green light for eight-man benches in the 2010 Varsity Cup.
"Not having uncontested scrums will only benefit the game of rugby union and we're thankful that the Varsity Cup have allowed us the possibility of experimenting with this concept."
The Varsity Cup is no stranger to testing new concepts under Watson's - and SA Rugby's - watchful eye.
The 2008 tournament saw the introduction of white cards - a ruling which allowed the captains to question one of the referee's on-field decisions in the final, via a time-out - and it allowed Watson and co. to see if that concept had any future in the game.
"The Varsity Cup is a great competition in so many ways," added Watson, "they're always open for suggestions and it's a great level of competition to test new concepts (like this).
"The best thing about an eight-man bench is that it basically rules out uncontested scrums, while - at the same time - it doesn't limit the coaches' options when it comes to the rest of his replacements."
The 2010 Varsity Cup tournament kicks-off on February 1.
- SOURCE: RUGBY365
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