World Rugby

The fund led by the international federation will finance capital projects such as the rebuilding of the Tonga Rugby Union's offices and high-performance gymnasium as well as the rehabilitation of rugby grounds across Tonga.

In addition to its initial pledge, World Rugby will set-up a process to facilitate donations by member unions, regions, rugby bodies and individuals and empower its global family to support the return of rugby in Tonga.

Erasmus controversially used the role to pass on advice to his team during the British and Irish Lions' series and autumn Tests last year.

"The number of people who aren't players interrupting the flow of the game was getting out of hand," said World Rugby's Mark Harrington.

Head coaches and directors of rugby are explicitly banned from carrying water.

The new rules also state that water carriers will be allowed to come on to the pitch only twice in each half. At other times they must remain in a technical zone on the touchline.

Saracens are credited with creating the new loophole known as ‘crabbing’, a cousin of caterpillar rucking – which still remains legal.

With the caterpillar technique, players join rucks single file, leading to a queue of players behind a ruck. It allows nines to box kick without fear of being charged down by opposition defenders, as they are simply too far away from the scrumhalf to do anything.

Developed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the plan vows to develop “new protocols” for all sports, ranging from the grassroots to the elite level, while a research forum will be set up to address what it sees as “knowledge gaps” in the current system.

“The plan sets out steps that will be taken to improve understanding, awareness, prevention and treatment of concussion in sport in grassroots, educational and elite settings,” the DCMS said in a statement. “This will be through a combination of improved research and the use of new technologies.

Australia secured the Olympic women’s rugby sevens title at the rescheduled Tokyo 2Games earlier this year, where they overcame France in the final.

The two teams will renew their rivalry in the pool phase of the Dubai Sevens at The Sevens, which returns after the 2020 to 2021 series was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia and France will be joined in Pool A by Brazil, Spain and the United States.

“We’re super excited to be here," said Demi Hayes, Australia’s team captain.

It will now permit an international player to transfer once from one union to another subject to demonstrating a close and credible link to that union via birthright.

A three-step criteria will be applied for a player to change: The player must stand down from international rugby for 36 months, the player must either be born in the country to which they wish to transfer or have a parent or grandparent born in that country, and a player may only change union once. Each case will be subject to approval by the World Rugby regulations committee to preserve the integrity.

The tournament will take place at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on the 18th and 24th of February, 2022.

Scotland, Samoa, Colombia, and the winner of the Hong Kong versus Kazakhstan play-off will fight for the final remaining spot at the Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand, which will now take place between October 8 and November 12, 2022.

Currently, once a player represents a nation at test level, they’re tied to that country for life unless they undergo a convoluted method to switch allegiances involving playing in a number of Olympics sevens qualifying tournaments.

Later this month, World Rugby will vote on whether to change the laws to allow players to change allegiances after sitting out a mandatory stand-down period of three years, provided that the player, their parents or their grandparents were born in the country they are looking to switch allegiances to.

Tonga face England at Twickenham on Saturday missing around 20 players because of travel restrictions while dozens more of Tongan born or second generation stars are representing other countries. Under World Rugby Regulation 9, players cannot represent another nation after they have been capped for another country. Charles Piutau, the outstanding Bristol Bears full back, last represented New Zealand before the 2015 World Cup and has repeatedly expressed his desire to switch allegiances to Tonga.

Currently only permissible for women, law 4 will be extended to all participants with immediate effect, enabling the wearing of tights or leggings that meet criteria outlined under the law.

The announcement on the use of leggings has been made on welfare and accessibility grounds and reflects the growing worldwide use of World Rugby regulation 22 compliant artificial surfaces at both the elite and community levels, which have played a role in increased rugby accessibility and participation.