World Rugby has responded to the Springboks’ controversial kick-off tactic against Italy in Port Elizabeth.

The Boks began the second Test with a short kick-off that saw Andre Esterhuizen run ahead of Manie Libbok to deliberately concede a scrum. The intention, as coach Rassie Erasmus later confirmed, was to start the match with a set piece.

The move failed to deliver the desired result when Thomas du Toit was penalised for an early shove.

The unusual play prompted a request for clarification under Law 9.7(a), which states that “a player must not intentionally infringe any law of the game.”

World Rugby has confirmed that, in such cases, the appropriate sanction is not a scrum – but a penalty.

“The actions seen in this example show an intentional violation of the kick-off and restart laws,” the governing body said in a statement.

“Laws 12.5 and 12.6 set out the sanctions where the ball unintentionally fails to go 10m or a player overruns their teammate at the kick-off/restart. However, if match officials believe this is done deliberately, then Law 9.7(a) should be applied.”

Former Test referee Nigel Owens has also weighed in, saying he would have awarded a penalty to Italy for what he called a clear, deliberate infringement.

NIGEL: Bok scrum tactic illegal

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