As we gear up for the 2024 Six Nations, significant changes are on the horizon, building on the innovations introduced during the Summer Nations Series and the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Fifteen referees representing eight nations will preside over the 2024 tournament which starts on 2 February and starts the cycle towards Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
Andrea Piardi will become the first Italian to referee a Six Nations match when he makes his debut in the Wales v Ireland match. England’s Christophe Ridley (Fra v Ita) and France’s Pierre Brousset (Ita v Ire) also debut with the whistle.
There’s a host of AR debut’s as well with Scotland’s Hollie Davidson becoming the first female to run the line in the championship. Also assisting referees for the first time, will be Angus Mabey (New Zealand), Luc Ramos (France), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy), Eoghan Cross (Ireland), Adam Leal (England), Damian Schneider (Argentina) and Morné Ferreira (South Africa).
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The main aim of the changes being made is to speed the game up with the ball in and out of play.
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1. The Shot Clock: A New Tempo for Conversions and Penalties
One of the most noteworthy modifications is the introduction of the shot clock, designed to ramp up the pace of the game and eliminate time-wasting tactics.
Teams will now face the pressure of time constraints, with a mere 90 seconds allotted for taking a conversion after scoring a try.
The urgency intensifies during penalty kicks, where teams have just 60 seconds to execute. In addition, the shot clock imposes stricter time limits on lineouts and scrums, reducing their duration to a brisk 30 seconds. Furthermore, the ball must now be released from the ruck within a mere 5 seconds, ensuring a faster and more dynamic flow to the game.