Over the past weekend, a significant disruption was observed in the Scotland and France Six Nations match due to what has been termed as “Dupont’s law.” Spectators were perturbed by the game evolving into an unending cycle of kicks in the final quarter, resulting in a disappointing atmosphere and ultimately leading to France’s victory.
Dupont’s law is named after Antoine Dupont, a skilled halfback from France, who discovered a way to exploit the offside law to his team’s advantage as a kicker. This law allows kickers to keep opposing players onside until the kick receiver passes the ball or runs five metres, resulting in a group of players camped deep in the opposition half, forcing the receiving team to return the ball unless they want to be easily tackled.
This tedious gameplay has sparked discontent among fans and former Test referee Nigel Owens, who labelled it a “farcical situation”. In response, World Rugby is contemplating a change to this law and will be using the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific season as a test lab for this change.
The tweak that will be trialed in the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific season aims to ensure that players who remain deep in the field stay offside until they have been put onside by a teammate who has come from behind the kicker or the kicker themselves. By implementing this change, Super Rugby hopes to address the negative impact of Dupont’s law and improve the viewing experience for fans.
Mitch Chapman, head coach of national match officials at Rugby Australia, emphasized the importance of creating a better viewing experience for Super Rugby fans and highlighted that the sport is an entertainment product, meant to be fast, colourful, and energetic. This change is aimed at maintaining that core aspect of Super Rugby, which has been a driving factor behind the decision to revise Dupont’s law.
The ability of teams to manipulate laws for their benefit, as seen in last year’s Super Rugby champions, has underscored the necessity for this change. The objective is to open up the game and introduce a more positive brand of rugby to attract more fans to the sport. Additionally, Super Rugby player Tane Edmed supports this rule change, expressing hope that it will promote a more positive and engaging style of rugby that will appeal to a wider audience.
This initiative demonstrates a proactive approach by Super Rugby to address an issue in the game that has been impacting the viewing experience for fans. By making changes to address the negative impact of Dupont’s law, Super Rugby is setting a precedent for other rugby leagues to enhance the game and attract a wider audience.