Two codes, one cause: the referees making sense of rugby’s most unusual format

For most referees, consistency is everything. Learn the laws, apply them, and make sure 30 players operate within the same framework for 80 minutes. The 745 Game asks them to do something entirely different.

In association with our partners at ACME Whistles, we caught up with two giants of refereeing from both the RFL (League) Ben Thaler; and RFU (Union) Luke Pearce who have been tasked with overseeing the game this weekend that combines elements of both sports.

Created to unite the worlds of Rugby Union and Rugby League in support of the fight against Motor Neurone Disease (MND), the annual fixture blends elements of both codes into one hybrid spectacle.

Think of it as rugby union and rugby league meeting halfway.

But while fans may be intrigued by what happens when league players line up alongside union stars, spare a thought for the men holding the whistles.

"It's a mixture of both codes," explained Ben Thaler. "The idea that Ed and Rob had originally with Doddie was to mix the rules of rugby union and rugby league together. It’s fast paced where the ball was in play a lot more making it a great game for the spectators as well."

The hybrid laws are unlike anything seen elsewhere in rugby. The game is played 13-a-side, with six forwards and seven backs. Teams receive six tackles before a turnover, just like rugby league, but also retain uncontested five-man lineouts and uncontested scrums. Players can steal the ball one-on-one before the tackle is completed, while the tackled player must still present the ball and an attacking player must step over it before play continues. Two referees officiate every game, one focusing on the tackle area and the other policing offside lines.

For Pearce, however, the finer details of the law book are almost secondary.

"The rules are there to give the game structure," he said. "But our job is to create an experience where everyone is safe but that's still going to be entertaining."

If that sounds relaxed, it is by design.

Unlike elite professional rugby, where every penalty is scrutinised and every decision analysed from multiple angles, 745 is intended to be a celebration of rugby and a fundraising vehicle first and foremost.

However, that doesn't mean that there is a lack of intensity. "This is the third year of the event, so we have some experience now as to what it’ll be like, and I've noticed that the physicality is still 100% there," said Pearce. "The lads are turning up to raise money for charity, no doubt about it. But they are also there to represent their codes and put in the big hits as well. Most of these players are probably 35-plus and have had hell of a career, but they're still not shy of standing their ground."

One of the most distinctive features of the game is the presence of two referees. While it sounds unusual to union supporters, the approach has clear practical benefits when dealing with a format that fuses two codes.

"We copy the model the NRL used to have," explained Thaler. "One's around the ruck, and one's keeping them back five metres. We want them to play. You could stand there and penalise everything and blow scrums every two minutes, but the aim is to keep it flowing and the ball in play because that's what people come to see."

Pearce added; "It sounds daft, but over the last two years it’s a game that’s been played with common sense," he said. "No one's out to hurt each other. They'll put the odd shot on because they quite enjoy that, but everyone knows where the line is."

Beyond the novelty of the laws, both men believe the game's greatest achievement is the way it brings together two codes that historically spent much of their existence apart.

"The one thing that you see the similarity of, and it's not really to do with the rugby, is the camaraderie off the field," said Pearce. "Everyone's there for one reason – to support the charity. You're just trying to make the best it can be."

Thaler agrees; "It really shows that both sports can come together," he said. "It’s about humanity. About people, and decency, and illness, and trying to raise awareness. I just think it's something really special."

That sense of perspective runs through every conversation about 745.

While the hybrid laws generate headlines and the unusual sight of union legends tackling league greats draws crowds, both officials are clear about the real reason the game exists.

"I think it's more grounding than anything else," said Pearce. "We sometimes treat sport as the be-all and end-all. There are bigger things in life than when you blow your whistle and you're right or wrong. At this game, every single person is trying to raise some cash for the people who are suffering terribly with this disease."

For Thaler, whose own family has experienced a devastating neurological condition, the connection is deeply personal.

"If it's the only thing that I referee every year, I'd be more than happy," he said. "The camaraderie, the fun, the respect people have for each other is brilliant."

Ultimately, that's what makes 745 different. Yes, it's a hybrid rugby match. Yes, it's an experiment that blends two sets of laws and requires two referees to keep everything moving. But through the eyes of the officials charged with making it work; the laws are almost the least important part.

The whistle may start the game, but it's friendship, unity and a shared determination to fight MND that truly keeps 745 moving forward.

Box out…

This is where the game most resembles rugby league.

Yes, but only before the tackle is completed.

The game keeps scrums from rugby union but removes the contest.

Yes, they're in too.

Teams can also bring on a specialist goal kicker solely for kicks at goal.

This is a clever blend of both codes.

Imagine rugby league's speed and tackle count mixed with rugby union's scrums, lineouts and tactical kicking, all played by legends from both codes to raise money for the fight against MND.