The amendment to Law 19.10b outlaws the practice of front-rows placing their heads onto opposition players’ shoulders between the call of ‘bind’ and ‘set’ on engagement, and is effective immediately following approval by World Rugby’s Executive Committee after a recommendation of the international federation’s Rugby Committee to adopt key outcomes from the recent Laws Review Group (LRG) meeting in London.

Research has identified increased level of axial or rotation loading on front-rows’ cervical spines during the current scrum engagement sequence.

Law 19.10b now states:
The front-rows crouch with their heads to the left of their immediate opponents’, so that no player’s head is touching the neck or shoulders of an opponent.

The sanction for not confirming to the amended law will initially be a free kick, but repeated infringments will lead to a penalty being awarded.