World Rugby’s Shape of the Game forum in London has agreed recommendations to reimagine the spectacle and grow rugby’s share of attention within an increasingly competitive global sports and entertainment market.
With the game embarking on a new era of certainty with the introduction of new men’s and women’s global calendars from 2026, including new competitions such as the Nations Championship, and expanded Rugby World Cups, leading figures across the sport are united in driving forwards the entertainment value of the game through fan experience, laws and regulations reform.
Shape of the Game 2024 recommendations
- Speed and flow: focus on aspects which keep the game flowing including speeding up the ‘use it’ call by referees at the breakdown, removing repeated scrum options, expanding the remit of the shot clock, a review of the offside law from kicks, and explore moves to provide the scrum-half with greater space and protection at the base of scrum, rucks and mauls.
- Language and presentation of the game: a renewed passion and urgency to focus on building rugby’s attention share via a fan-focused view of how the game is marketed, a consistent approach to the presentation of the sport across all media environments and a focus on the moments in the game that really engage fans.
- Women’s game: a dedicated focus on the women’s game and adapting laws, recognising the unique characteristics, strengths and opportunities that exist to attract a new audience.
- Player welfare and wellbeing: a player-driven approach to advances in welfare, including removal of the ‘croc roll’ and examining the breakdown.
- Disciplinary process review: streamlining the sport’s disciplinary and sanctioning processes to aid efficiency, consistency and fan understanding.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Shape of the Game 2024 represents an important milestone in defining the future of our sport. It is born from a need and opportunity to grow rugby’s audience by considering how the on-field product and off-field experience can cement long-term growth within a new calendar that delivers long-term certainty of exciting content from expanded Rugby World Cups to new global competitions.
“It is fantastic to see such a strong desire from all stakeholders – players, coaches, match officials, competition owners, unions and regions – to evolve the game to set us up for success, not just at the elite level, but at the community game. I would like to thank everyone for their forward-thinking and collaborative contributions.”
World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin added: “Rugby is in an attention economy. The attractiveness of the product in all its forms, combined with the excitement of the event experience, the content we create and stories we tell, is central to the sport’s growth as a whole.
“We will not look at actions or law tweaks in isolation, rather consider the changes we should make to definitively move the needle to make the game more relevant, attract new fans and deepen engagement with existing fans, and simplify the sport to make it more accessible.”