New laws to make rugby safer, simpler and more fun to watch will be trialled during the domestic Mitre 10 Cup and Mitre 10 Heartland Championship competitions this year.

New Zealand Rugby is working with World Rugby on the trial which introduces amendments to the laws governing tackling and the ruck area – renamed the ‘breakdown' – plus the roll out of a new points system.

A screenshot from a video posted online today explaining the new tackling and breakdown laws being trialled by New Zealand Rugby this year. Image: NZR/YouTube

Eight provincial unions, including the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, have already elected to implement the law trials during their current premier club rugby season.

The law trials seek to have tighter and safer controls around the tackle and breakdown, and will be implemented during the Mitre 10 Cup which starts August 18 and the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship which kicks off on August 27.

While a different scoring system will be trialled during the Heartland Championship and sees eight points awarded for a penalty try with no conversion kick required, six points for a try, and two points for penalties, conversions and drop goals.

NZR general manager rugby Neil Sorensen says the chance to test new laws is a unique opportunity for New Zealand to influence the global game.

'We are particularly keen to trial these laws as we believe they will help make the game safer to play, will be easier to understand, and as a result more entertaining to watch,” he says

'NZR has a strong desire to revise the laws around the breakdown to improve safety and was leading the process, with significant changes to laws 15 and 16.”

The trials will not be applied to all competitions but would be managed to provide a clear picture of the impact of the law trials on the game, adds Neil.

New Zealand coaches and referees have already begun preparing for the implementation of laws proposed for the Mitre 10 Cup and Heartland Championship competitions this August.

Neil says the NZR will continue to watch the laws being trialled by provincial unions to assess the impacts.

'These particular trials may not be the answer, but it is important we look at new ways of improving the game, especially around ensuring the safety of our players on the field,” he explains.

'We will examine the match data and see if they have had the desired effect of creating a safer and more entertaining game of rugby. We will then make our recommendations to World Rugby.”

Investec Super Rugby is already trialling one other law trial which allows a team to kick for and take a lineout if they are awarded a penalty after time is expired.

There was an earlier proposal to consider the use of two referees in games, however, after conversations with World Rugby it will not proceed in this round of law trials.

The trials are part of a cyclical law World Rugby reviews laws every four years, and most recently, this has involved input from All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and Chiefs coach Dave Rennie.

Following a robust review by World Rugby's Laws Representative Group, the law trials may be considered for a global trial in 2017 and possible adoption in 2018.

For more information about the law trials visit: http://www.allblacks.com/News/28962/faqs-law-trials-2016