The trial at all levels of the game will involve 13 of the 23 ELVs that have been undergoing experimentation in approved tournaments around the world over the last two years.

"The Council's decision to implement a global trial of Experimental Law Variations represents an important milestone for the future of the game. It vindicates the process that was adopted by Council in 2004 for future Law amendments.

"The Council congratulated the Law Project Group on its unprecedented work over the past two years," said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

"It was also agreed that the sanctions ELVs (reduction of sanctions to free kicks from penalty kicks where possible) that were not approved for global trials would be further trialed in a selected elite Northern Hemisphere competition in the 2008/09 season.

"The Southern Hemisphere will continue to play under the various ELV program environments that exist in that part of the world at present. It would be unfair to change the playing environment under which countries in the south are currently playing in competitions such as the Super 14.

"Not one of the Council representatives was against the global implementation of an ELV program of some description. Many of the ELVs received unanimous approval as they had clearly shown potential to be beneficial to the Game thus meriting a further trial at all levels around the world.

"The Laws Project Group had recommended a global trial of all of the ELVs but there were differing opinions between the Council Members on some of the ELVs in the area of the tackle and ruck, maul, sanctions and offside. The key point here was that the Members did not dismiss these ELVs outright but believed that further consideration and trials were necessary."