Referees to penalise dummy-half passes

NRL players who deliberately pass the ball at defenders in the ruck to draw a penalty will have the tables turned on them, under a new interpretation of the law to be implemented immediately.

The NRL confirmed on Thursday they had launched a crackdown into the act of dummy-halves passing the ball into defenders, which had infuriated fans in recent weeks.

Under the new "spirit of the game" interpretation, referees will penalise any dummy-half who "deliberately passes the ball into a defending player caught in and around the ruck who is not actively taking part in the play".

"What we have seen recently is a bad look for the game, and in simple terms, not in the spirit of the game," NRL head of football Brian Canavan said.

AAP