New law approved by World Rugby

New law 9.26 – Lifting in open play

World Rugby has today issued a new law to the game, which now makes it an offence to fail to bring a player being lifted to the ground safely in open play. This brings open play law into line with lineout lifting and reaffirms player safety measures being taken across the game. 

In a formal clarification from the World Rugby Council, law 9 – Foul Play now has a new section. New law 9.26 has been added:

Law 9.26
In open play, any player may lift or support a player from the same team. Players who support or lift a teammate must lower the player to the ground safely as soon as the ball is won by a player of either team.
Sanction: Free-kick

In real terms, this usually happens at a restart (kick off/22 drop out) when the ball is in open play – but can also happen from normal kicks in open play. The receiving team lifts a player to ensure they gain possession of the ball. This new law means they cant leave the player in the air in order to ‘create’ a potential collision by the on coming players – they must bring the player to ground straight away. This clip is an extreme way of doing it.. and wouldn’t be FKd.  The Argentina players don’t engage and the SA player isn’t held up to ‘buy’ a penalty. Indeed, the SA prop, is safely returning his own team mate to ground!

This new law comes into effect immediately. 

Note: Updated January 2019. This article now references the law as it is now published rather than as World Rugby first announced it. World Rugby originally announced this new law would be law 9.19, renumbering the following sections. The 2019 Law book (issued here) has just added it as new law 9.26.