#3. BRAKE FOOT
The law trial is driven by the collective commitment to ensure player welfare is paramount across the sport. Scrum stability and in particular the hooker ‘brake foot’ is the focus of the trial. Both hookers will be required to ensure one foot, the ‘brake foot’, is extended towards the opposition during the crouch and bind phases of the engagement sequence, with a resulting free kick if the “brake foot” is not applied
Having consulted with the International Players Association, leading players, including international hookers, scrum coaches and match officials, World Rugby will work with Six Nations Rugby to introduce this trial for its first execution in a competitive match environment.
Both Six Nations Rugby and World Rugby are looking to understand whether this minor adjustment can have a positive impact on the number of scrum collapses and resets and potentially welfare outcomes, by aiding hooker stability.
