Matches at all levels will be slightly different this year after the IRB decided to trial a selection of Experimental Law Variations (ELVs), brought in to speed up the game and make it easier to referee. Thirteen ELVs are being tested; some are controversial and others sensible.

So that you aren’t scratching your head too often — and to protect referees from unjustified abuse from the sidelines — we asked Ed Morrison, the RFU’s head of elite referee development, to explain all:

ELV 1 Assistant referees are able to assist the referee in any way that he requires. Ed says: “Qualified touch judges will now be called assistant referees — although everyone will probably still call them touch judges. It’s really just about defining their role and giving referees more information.”

ELV 2 Removal of requirement for players’ heads and shoulders to be higher than their hips in maul. Ed says: “I’ve never seen this happen in my life anyway. Like ELV 3, this will not be trialled below Under-19 level.”

ELV 3 Players can legally pull down a maul. Ed says: “It was felt that a maul was legally undefendable, but hopefully we’ll still see as much mauling. The important thing is that you will only be able to pull down a maul by grasping a player between his shoulder and hips.”

ELV 4 If the ball is passed back into the 22, it may not be kicked directly to touch for a gain of ground. Ed says: “This will open up the game slightly by not giving the defending team too big an advantage. It should encourage tactical kicking.”

ELV 5 A quick lineout can be thrown backwards. Ed says: “This will increase the likelihood of a a quick throw and allow teams to attack from deep. The ball must travel at least five metres.”

ELV 6 There is no restriction on the number of players from either team in the lineout. Ed says: “This is designed to allow teams to be flexible about their lineout tactics. There is still a minimum of two players from each team but they don’t have to match.”

ELV 7 and 8 The receiver at the lineout must be two metres from the lineout and the opposing hooker must be two metres from the five-metre line. Ed says: “Receiver usually means the scrum half who gets the ball from the lineout. This helps the referee to identify who he is; he can’t move until the ball leaves the hooker’s hands. It also helps the referee to ensure that the opposing hooker doesn’t come in to support a player in the lineout. Infringement means a free kick.”

ELV 9 Lineout players may grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in. Ed says: “We all know that this was going on anyway, but the horse has bolted and it’s good that we let this happen. They can’t pre-grip below the shorts from behind, or below the thighs from in front.”

ELV 10 The lifting of lineout players is permitted. Ed says: “Technically, a jumper could only be supported in the past, but we all know that it was a grey area. Now, lifting is permitted but not until after the ball has left the hands of the hooker.”

ELV 11 Introduces a five-metre offside line behind the hindmost feet of the scrum. Ed says: “This is designed to increase the space available for an attack by having all the forwards committed at the scrum and ten metres between the back lines. Punished by a penalty.”

ELV 12 Identifies offside lines for the scrum halves. Ed says: “Because of ELV 11, there are now restrictions on where the non-ball-winning scrum half can go. He can follow the ball in the scrum but must stay behind the ball, or he can move to the old offside line at the back of the scrum but not move away from the scrum, or he can move back behind the new offside line five metres from the scrum.”

ELV 13 Corner posts are no longer touch-in-goal unless the ball is grounded against them. Ed says: “This will allow a try if the player’s body clips the post as he dives in at the corner and simplify the job of the television match official. I had to disallow a try last season in a match between Ospreys and Bourgoin because the ‘scorer’ had brushed the post with his shoulder.”