WELSH Rugby Union referees boss Nigel Whitehouse is confident that new experimental laws won’t lead to a cheats’ charter in the Principality Premiership, writes Chris Kirwan.

The governing body has sanctioned a trial under the guidance of World Rugby that will see tries rewarded with six points rather than five while penalty goals and drop goals have been downgraded from three points to two.

The aim is to increase ball in play time and encourage creative attacking play, although there are concerns that it could instead lead to a proliferation of driving lineouts, close-range scrummaging series and negative play given that the penalty punishment has been reduced.

“The biggest issue for the referees is going to be the possible negativity of players because of the reduction from three points to two,” admitted WRU national match officials manager Whitehouse.

“I will be expecting strong refereeing but we don’t want a plethora of yellow cards and hopefully we can work together with the coaches in relation to positivity.

“But if it comes to a situation where we are starting to get negative play then I expect my referees to deal with that accordingly and put people off. If it’s cynical they leave the field, simple as that.

“If there’s going to be a spike of yellow cards then we need to know that and that’s the whole point of a trial.”

“I would hope this doesn’t take it down to a nine-man game but we’ve got to analyse the data as we go along,” he continued when asked if it will lead to more emphasis on the tight game than expansive rugby.

Teams can now kick penalties to touch once time has expired and still have a lineout while botched restarts will now result in a free kick on halfway rather than a scrum.

Uncontested scrums must now include eight players while penalty tries are an automatic eight points with no conversion.

The new system will come into place in the Principality Premiership on Saturday and will also be used in the WRU Under-18 League and Challenge Cup. It will not be used in the Swalec Championship and below or in the Swalec Cup.

“I don’t think they are radical changes but they are ground-breaking and I think they will have a positive impact on the Premiership,” said Whitehouse.

“I would assume if everything goes well then this will be brought into law in the next 18 months. This is a showcase for the Premiership and Welsh rugby. We will be in the spotlight.”