In a recent victory, where South Africa edged out the All Blacks 33-26, mauls directly contributed to two of their three tries, thanks to Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende's efforts. These scores underscored the effectiveness of the updated maul guidelines issued by World Rugby in June, aimed at refining how this element is refereed.
World Rugby’s adjustments specify that defending players who find themselves beyond the ball within a maul must now disengage and rejoin from the rear, promoting a fairer contest. Previously, defenders could remain part of the maul even if they moved ahead of the ball, as long as they maintained their bind, which could unfairly halt the maul’s progress.
"There is no change in law. The guideline – which applies to new competitions starting from 1 June 2026 – helps clear up those messy situations when the contest for possession/space has been won," explained a statement from the governing body. Players and referees are encouraged to ensure continuous play by managing how participants engage with the maul.
"Yes, but for New Zealand as well, they’re very hard to stall,” Erasmus replied when asked whether the Boks have benefited from the update.
His counterpart, former Springboks lock Victor Matfield, also praised the impact of the new maul guidelines, suggesting they are revitalizing this aspect of the game. “It was classic Rassie,” he commented, referring to Erasmus' strategic use of the maul in recent tests.
Erasmus further elaborated on the broader implications of the guideline, noting,
"So well done to World Rugby. When it was seven or eight-man mauls, in the past you could stop it with the four going around and dragging the maul back. Then there was no space for the backs to attack, but now you have to commit to the maul and the vacuum is open."
The modifications have not only increased the number of tries from mauls but have also led to higher overall scoring in matches. “The amount of tries we’re seeing currently is not just from all tries; it’s actually that vacuum that it creates because two loose forwards and the hooker can’t stand out; they must join them all, and now there's space for the backline again,” Erasmus analyzed.
Despite more strategic kicking in games, the ball in play has increased, as observed in recent matches where dynamic play has been prevalent. “Just an interesting thing: the ball in play in the previous match where New Zealand scored six tries, and we won, was 29 minutes. This weekend it was again a higher ball in play, but everybody says there’s more kicking. More kicking makes more ball in play,” Erasmus noted, highlighting the tactical evolution in play.
In conclusion, the shift in maul guidelines by World Rugby appears to have enriched the game significantly, fostering more open play and enabling a fair contest, much to the advantage of teams who excel in structured forward play. The strategic depth added to rugby by this adjustment not only enhances the spectator’s experience but also challenges teams to refine their playbooks.
