World Rugby Clarifies Refereeing Laws With Coaches
World Rugby met with leading Test coaches in London to clarify how several laws will be refereed, including tackles, scrums and mauls.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Other Sports
World Rugby met with leading Test coaches in London to clarify refereeing interpretations of several laws. The meeting addressed hip-drop and knee-drop tackles, which World Rugby recently outlawed, along with the brake-foot requirement at scrums and the interpretation of maul laws.
Why it matters
Hip-drop and knee-drop tackles were outlawed for safety reasons, and the brake-foot law is designed to provide stability and reduce axial loading on the head and neck. Clearer interpretations aim to help players, coaches and referees apply the laws consistently across international rugby.
The players
World Rugby
World Rugby is the international governing body for rugby union, responsible for setting and interpreting the laws of the game worldwide.
Rennie
Rennie is a rugby figure who said hip-drop tackles will be refereed strongly and that brake-foot refereeing will not change much before the World Cup.
The details
A tackler using a hip-drop pulls the ball-carrier toward the ground with bodyweight before landing on the player's legs from behind. Under the brake-foot law, hookers keep one foot forward in the middle of the scrum tunnel during the Crouch and Bind phases, and the foot can only be fully withdrawn after the referee calls Set.
Timeline
Saturday: All Blacks face Scotland at Murrayfield.
Before the World Cup: brake-foot refereeing is expected to remain largely unchanged.
Season Trajectory
World Rugby's recent outlawing of hip-drop and knee-drop tackles set the stage for this clarification meeting, which aims to standardize how these rules are applied before the World Cup. The consistent refereeing of these safety-driven changes will shape how teams prepare their tackling and scrum techniques across the international calendar.
Players and fans will see hip-drop and knee-drop tackles refereed strongly, with the brake-foot requirement at scrums expected to stay largely as it is before the World Cup. Understanding these interpretations helps viewers follow how officials will call tackles and scrums in upcoming international matches.
The takeaway
Clearer refereeing interpretations of tackles, scrums and mauls help players and coaches prepare for safety-focused enforcement. Watching how officials apply the brake-foot law at Murrayfield on Saturday offers a practical view of these changes in action.
What happens next
The All Blacks face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, and brake-foot refereeing is expected to remain largely unchanged before the World Cup.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Other Sports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SA Rugbymag.
