The 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia will look very different from the tournament in France four years earlier, with some of rugby's biggest laws having undergone a major shake-up.
A 20-minute red card, a ban on hip-drop tackles and even crooked lineout throws being allowed. Rugby is changing, and not everyone is going to like it.
Since South Africa beat New Zealand in the 2023 final, World Rugby has pushed through a series of changes aimed at making the sport faster and safer.
Some have been long overdue. Others risk taking away the very things that make rugby special.
With Australia 2027 now just a year away, we've picked out 10 major changes and given our verdict on each.
1. Hip-drop tackles banned
World Rugby has confirmed that hip-drop tackles will be explicitly banned from 1 November 2026.
The technique involves a defender dropping their body weight onto an opponent's legs while bringing them to ground.
It can cause serious injuries and will now be covered by the laws on dangerous play.
The minimum sanction is a penalty, although more serious incidents could lead to a card.
World Rugby confirmed the decision earlier this month.
RUCK VERDICT: ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
There is no debate for me. Rugby is a physical sport and always should be. But there's a difference between a huge, legal tackle and one that can wreck someone's knee. Good riddance.
2. Knee-drop tackles face tougher rules
Players who drop to one or both knees before making a tackle will face closer scrutiny.
World Rugby says the technique puts both the tackler and ball-carrier at risk.
Referees have been told to punish players who deliberately take themselves off their feet to make a tackle.
This is a clarification of existing laws rather than a new ban.
The guidance took effect on 5 October.
RUCK VERDICT: RIGHT IDEA, BUT BE CAREFUL
Protecting players is the right call. But referees need to get this right. There's a big difference between a reckless tackle and a player whose knee touches the ground during a split-second collision.
3. The 20-minute red card
Few changes have divided rugby fans quite like this one.
Under the 20-minute red-card system, a player sent off cannot return to the match.
However, for certain offences, their team can bring on a replacement after 20 minutes.
Referees can still issue permanent red cards for deliberate and highly dangerous foul play.
World Rugby introduced the system as a global elite law trial in July 2025, with a review scheduled for 2026.
RUCK VERDICT: STILL NOT SOLD
I understand why people support it. Nobody wants a World Cup final ruined by an early red card.
But there's something uncomfortable about a team returning to 15 players after a dangerous incident.
Player safety has to mean more than keeping a match competitive.
4. Conversions reduced to 60 seconds
Goal-kickers previously had 90 seconds to take a conversion.
That has been reduced to just 60 seconds.
The change was introduced to speed up matches and reduce delays after tries.
It also puts more pressure on kickers in big moments.
RUCK VERDICT: ONE OF THE BEST CHANGES
Nobody buys a ticket to watch someone spend an age lining up a conversion.
Sixty seconds is plenty. Simple, sensible and long overdue.
5. Lineouts must form within 30 seconds
Teams have 30 seconds to form a lineout.
Referees can award a free-kick if a team takes too long.
The change is designed to stop sides slowing down matches, particularly when protecting a lead.
It forms part of World Rugby's efforts to reduce wasted time.
RUCK VERDICT: SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED YEARS AGO
We've all watched teams stroll towards a lineout when they're five points ahead with minutes remaining.
It's frustrating, it's boring and it shouldn't be part of the game.
This is exactly the sort of change rugby needed.
6. Crooked lineout throws can be allowed
One of the more surprising changes concerns crooked lineout throws.
Play can now continue if the defending team does not jump to compete for possession.
If the opposition contests the lineout, the throw must still be straight.
The idea is to reduce unnecessary stoppages.
RUCK VERDICT: THE GAME'S GONE?
Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but surely throwing the ball straight is one of rugby's most basic skills?
I understand the desire to keep play moving, but this feels like changing a rule simply because we can.
Sometimes the simplest solution is to make players do their jobs properly.
7. Scrum-halves get more protection at rucks
World Rugby has introduced greater protection for scrum-halves at the base of rucks.
Defenders involved in the ruck cannot target an opponent within one metre who is trying to move the ball away.
The change gives number nines more time and space to distribute possession.
It should also encourage quicker attacking rugby.
RUCK VERDICT: GOOD FOR THE GAME
Anything that helps teams get the ball moving deserves support.
The best scrum-halves should be judged on their passing, kicking and decision-making, not how quickly they can avoid being grabbed at the base of a ruck.
8. New restrictions at the scrum
Defending scrum-halves now face tighter limits on where they can stand.
When standing alongside the scrum, they cannot advance beyond the centre line of the tunnel.
The change gives the attacking number nine more space to use the ball.
It is designed to create cleaner possession and more attacking opportunities.
RUCK VERDICT: HAVE WE GONE TOO FAR?
Here's where I start to worry.
Rugby needs attacking flair, but it also needs a proper contest.
We can't keep making life easier for attacking teams at the expense of good defence.
There's a balance, and I'm not convinced we've found it.
9. Greater protection at mauls
Players trying to move the ball away from a maul also receive greater protection.
Opponents involved in the maul cannot target a player within one metre who is trying to play the ball.
World Rugby has also issued fresh guidance on defenders who end up on the wrong side of a maul.
The aim is to stop players disrupting possession illegally.
RUCK VERDICT: PLEASE KEEP IT SIMPLE
The principle is fine. The problem is explaining it to fans.
Rugby already has enough penalties where nobody in the stadium seems to know what's happened.
If we're changing laws to make the game easier to follow, the decisions need to be clear too.
10. Changes to the TMO protocol
The role of the television match official has also evolved since the 2023 World Cup.
World Rugby has revised its protocols as part of wider efforts to improve the speed and accuracy of decisions.
The TMO can still help referees with key incidents, including foul play and possible tries.
The challenge is getting those calls right without allowing reviews to dominate matches.
RUCK VERDICT: LESS IS MORE
The TMO should be there to catch obvious mistakes, not referee every blade of grass.
We've reached a point where fans sometimes seem afraid to celebrate a try until three different officials have watched it six times.
Get the big decisions right. Then let the players play.
RUCK verdict: Is rugby actually getting better?
I'll give World Rugby credit where it's due.
The tougher approach to dangerous tackles is welcome. So are the measures aimed at cutting down time-wasting.
Nobody wants to spend their Saturday afternoon watching players slowly prepare for lineouts or referees endlessly reviewing minor incidents.
But rugby needs to be careful.
The sport's greatest strength has always been its variety. Scrums, mauls, defence, kicking and attacking flair all have their place.
We shouldn't sacrifice that just to make every match faster.
My biggest concerns remain the 20-minute red card and the decision to allow crooked lineout throws when nobody competes.
Rugby should evolve. It shouldn't forget what made people fall in love with it.
