EDSLVs Deliver Safer, Faster, More Engaging Community Rugby After Three Years

After three seasons under the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Experimental Domestic Safety Law Variations (EDSLVs), new evaluation data confirms the game innovations are delivering strong safety benefits and making rugby more continuous and enjoyable for community players nationwide.

Key findings from experimental law variations:

• Ball-in-play time increased by around five minutes per match across men’s and women’s community grades in 2025.
• 70% of participants said the 1.5m scrum push limit made scrums safer, with only 5% of scrums resulting in resets.
• Over 80% of players supported the offside at scrum law, citing quicker, cleaner ball and improved attacking opportunities.
• More than 60% of participants believe the lower tackle height is safer for tacklers, while nearly 70% say it is safer for ball carriers.
• More than 80% of participants said playing on from not-straight lineouts improved game flow and reduced stoppages.

After three seasons under the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Experimental Domestic Safety Law Variations (EDSLVs), new evaluation data confirms the game innovations are delivering strong safety benefits and making rugby more continuous and enjoyable for community players nationwide.  

The core goal from the start was to increase ball-in-play time, reduce stoppages, and make the game flow more naturally, while simultaneously enhancing player safety.  

The law variations are experimental: they’re trialled, reviewed, and adjusted to ensure they meet these dual objectives in real-world community matches.  

The 2025 trials saw a measurable rise in ball-in-play time, supporting a more dynamic and continuous style of rugby that players and spectators find more engaging.  

Reduced tackle height, one of the most significant EDSLVs, continues to be widely credited with improving safety for both tacklers and ball-carriers. Across community grades, many participants report greater confidence in contact situations and fewer high-risk collisions.  

Scrum and breakdown changes (including capped scrum-push distances, adjusted offside lines, and modified halfback rules at the scrum) have helped reduce reset scrums and penalties, easing congestion, reducing stoppages, and producing cleaner ball delivery.  

Player and community feedback remain strongly positive, with many saying the game feels safer, fairer, and more enjoyable under the new laws.  

Mike Hester, Head of Rugby Participation and Development at NZR, said: 

“After three years of implementing these laws, the message is clear, they’re working. Players are safer, games are flowing better, and the experience for everyone involved has improved. This is exactly the direction we want community rugby to move in. These findings reinforce that smart, evidence-based law variations can strengthen the game without losing what makes rugby special.” 

The EDSLVs have struck the balance between safety, fairness and continuity, making the game more accessible and sustainable for clubs, players and referees. 

With faster ball movement and fewer stoppages, matches are more engaging and offer more playing time and opportunity for skill expression and helping retain player interest and foster growth at grassroots levels. 

The consistent application across 26 Provincial Unions signals a unified commitment to evolving the game in line with modern expectations of safety and entertainment value.