The Rugby Football League today confirms amendments to laws and playing conditions that will be introduced for the Betfred Championship and League One, the Challenge Cup and the 1895 Cup in the 2019 season.
These changes will be implemented from mid-January – meaning fixtures played over the Christmas and New Year period will be played under the laws as they applied in the 2018 season (although clubs will have flexibility on interchanges, as they are non-competition fixtures).
The RFL have acceded to the majority view of the Championship and League One clubs that Golden Point extra time should not be introduced for regular league fixtures – meaning matches can still be drawn at full-time.
Further details will follow about the implementation of a number of other amendments to laws and playing conditions for the Betfred Super League, which will also be applied at other levels, and these will be announced early in the New Year.
Amendments
Applies in Betfred Championship, Betfred League One, the Challenge Cup, and the 1895 Cup.
1. Free Play: Free Play will revert to regular advantage. The referee is the sole judge of what constitutes an advantage, be it tactical or territorial.
2. Interchange: Each team will be allowed to make a maximum of eight interchanges from the four replacements that are named on the official team sheet. In the event of a Golden Point game (see below), each team will receive an additional two interchanges, alongside any unused interchanges.
3. Golden Point For Play-Off matches in the Championship and League One, and in all Challenge Cup ties, and all matches in the new 1895 Cup, Golden Point extra-time will be played. In all cases, extra time will be played in periods of five minutes, with the game ending when a point is scored.
Interchange rules are explained above. For league matches in the Championship and League One, a match with scores level at full-time will be drawn, with each team taking one competition point.
