One of the key recommendations from the recent Law Review Group (LRG) meeting in London was an adjustment to the scrum law (19.10b) on player welfare grounds to outlaw the practice of front row players placing their heads on opposition shoulders, which has been determined to increase the axial (or rotational) loading on player’s necks.
Based on detailed research and evaluation by NZR, RFU, PRL, RPA and IRP, the minor adjustment to law was approved by World Rugby’s Executive Committee last week by email with immediate implementation.