Rugby’s New Law: Lifting in Open Play

World Rugby has created a new law, for implementation with immediate effect. A World Rugby ‘proclamation’ states: “Acting in accordance with the Bye-Laws and on behalf of the Council, the World Rugby Executive Committee have agreed to create a new…

Will Spencer’s Red Card

The rugby world (or at least the twittersphere) erupted into furore on Sunday after Will Spencer’s red card against Wasps. The Leicester lock was sent off in the in the 40th minute after the referee deemed his shoulder to have…

Ashton Fortunate to Escape Longer Ban

Chris Ashton was yesterday handed a seven-week suspension by the RFU. It came as a result of the red card he received in a pre-season friendly match between Castres Olympique and his new club, Sale Sharks, on Friday 17 August,…

Rugby’s Summer of Crime

This summer, rugby has hit the headlines for many reasons – not all of them good. There have been a trio of incidents which have seen players charged with criminal offences, leaving something of a shadow hanging over the sport…

A Legal Headache: Negligence, Concussion and Rugby Union

A Legal Headache: Negligence, Concussion and Rugby Union | Keep Calm Talk Law The world of Rugby Union is slowly coming to terms with the serious long-term impacts that concussion can have on players. And while practices are changing to…

Challenging the Call: Sporting Governing Bodies and Judicial Review

Challenging the Call: Sporting Governing Bodies and Judicial Review | Keep Calm Talk Law Courts have long resisted extending judicial review to sporting governing bodies, using a strained notion of contract to provide cover where necessary. However, with sport playing…

The law on dangerous tackles: time to get a grip

The law on dangerous tackles: time to get a grip Rugby columnist Ben Cisneros argues that World Rugby's new tackling directive goes too far in its attempts to protect player welfare.