Today, I'm joined by New Zealand Rugby's Mike Hester to chat about their law variations for the 2023 rugby season. They include a lower tackle height, a restriction on scrum halves and for the pack as a whole. All three are important for all referees and match officials across Aotearoa.

Mike is NZR's Game Participation Manager, and he tells me about:

• His background as an elite referee - in football!
• His shift into game participation
• The shape of New Zealand rugby and the challenges they face
• The tackle height changes in New Zealand for 2023 and what's behind them
• Other changes in the game - scrum half restrictions, 1.5m push
• Future consultation on changes to the breakdown
• Referee recruitment and retention in NZ - this is the research Mike mentions about the early refereeing experience of community referees

More on the changes: New Zealand Rugby game innovations 2023

Contact Mike via LinkedIn

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