More use of 18th player and penalties to 'tidy up the ruck' as law changes confirmed for 2024 season

Rhinos' Morgan Gannon receives medical attention during a game. The RFL want to reduce the number of lower limb injuries next year. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

The amendments could see more use of squads’ 18th player and will see penalties replace set-restarts in certain areas as match officials attempt to clean-up the ruck.

The changes were recommended by the RFL sport’s laws committee and have now been approved by the RFL board.

Scrum Penalties: Teams awarded penalties from scrums may now take the option of resetting the scrum. That option was previously only available for early detachment. The laws committee recommended the change to encourage attacking play from scrums, by disincentivising deliberate concession of penalties.

Referees - including Ben Thaler, pictured during Leeds' home game against Wakefield last season - will be urged to tidy up the ruck in 2024. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com.

Restarting the tackle count (six again): If a defensive team infringes within the 40-metre area of the team in possession, the referee will award a penalty rather than restarting the tackle count. The laws committee felt some teams were deliberately conceding six-agains early in the tackle count to gain a tactical advantage.

As part of this, match officials will put particular emphasis on cleaning up the ruck area. Players, coaches and match officials have agreed to see greater sanction for flops, hands on the ball and to ensure ball carriers regain their feet on the mark and make a genuine attempt to play the ball with the foot. Ahead of the season work will take place to improve these areas and match officials will be expected to sanction these infringements more firmly.

18th player: The 18th player which teams have named in their matchday squad for use in case of head injuries will now be activated following two failed head injury assessments, rather than three, or when a player is deemed ineligible to return to the field by any injury (not only to the head) caused by serious foul play which has led to an opponent being dismissed or sent to the sin-bin.

Reckless endangerment: Following an increase in the 2023 season in the number of tackles that have caused serious lower limb injuries, the laws committee recommended a new category of misconduct as part of the dangerous contact charge, defined as ‘recklessly endangering the safety of another player by making reckless contact to the lower limb(s) of the ball carrier where they have not made a controlled attempt to make a tackle’.

Indicators for this charge/law breach are when the tackler is off their feet at the point of contact with the ball carrier; failed to attempt to wrap their arms around the ball carrier as the tackle was made; made contact with the legs of the ball carrier on or below the knee; put their own head in front of the ball carrier; in the opinion of the referee the player is not looking at the ball carrier when going into or on contact and approach to contact is out of control.

Green Card: will continue to be used in Betfred Super League, but not the Championship. It will only be shown to players on the defending team and can no longer be applied to the ball-carrier.