Play-the-Ball Rule Change for 2026

Rule Change for 2026, well, not exactly more of a re-interpretation of the rules. In the 2025 Ashes series, much was made of the slow play-the-balls in the British game. The trend from the lawmakers is always to try and make the game quicker with less wrestling and rolling away from the tackle. The coaches always try to make the game slower by practising wrestling and then the three man pile on, hopefully with the tackler trapped on his back. Arms and legs often get entangled in the process and players have increasingly been in the way of the play-the-ball, also slowing down the game.

Phil Bentham the head of match officials, has stated that the whole process will be cleaned up in the 2026 season. This will bring the Northern Hemisphere game more in-line with the Southern Hemisphere game.

Who will benefit most from this law change? The answer in a crude metric will be the dummy-halves, who will have more opportunities to run from the dummy half position. I have compiled a list of the top runners from the 2025 stats. This will obviously exclude the new hookers who have signed for clubs for the new season. The list contains the top 20 players:

20. Liam Horne - A utility player in the pack managed 25 runs. Now partnering Edwin Ipape at the Leigh Leopards

19. Cade Cust - Half back/make shift Hooker 30 runs. Expected to spent more time in the number 9 position next season.

18. Andy Ackers - second-string hooker at Leeds last season will see more action at Bradford. Managed 31 runs.

17.Jordan Rapana - Surprise for a utility back to feature in this list at 33 runs. Now retired from the game.

16. Judah Rimbu - In just 10 games, he managed to scout 34 times. Returned to PNG mid-season.

15. Harvey Smith - the new kid on the block at Wakefield. with 27 appearances and 38 runs.

14. Brad O'Neill - not renowned as a dummy runner, managed 40 runs

13. Tristan Sailor - the very definition of a utility player, also managed 40 runs

12. Zac Cini - Centre/Winger ran 40 times from the dummy half for Castleford

11. Joe Mellor - Converted half back managed 43 runs in a very poor Salford side. Now signed with Bradford

10. Alrix Da Costa - One of a handful of players to remain at Catalans Dragons made 52 runs

9. Amir Bourouh - The Hull FC hooker ran 54 times

8. Jared O'Connor - Starting hooker for Leeds Rhinos ran 73 times

7. Kruise Leeming - The Wigan livewire ran 76 times

6. Zac Woolford - The highly rated Giants hooker got on his bike 78 times

5. Liam Hood - The Wakefield veteran who managed 78 runs, has switched clubs to Castleford.

4. Danny Walker - Suffered a severe mid-season injury and still managed 79 runs

3. Daryl Clark - Former man of steel, is the first player to run over 100 times, with an impressive 114 runs

2. Edwin Ipape - The livewire Leigh Hooker darted 115 times.

1. Jez Litten - Little Jeremy is the top-rated Hooker and 2025 Dream team number 9, having managed to run 125 times.

Depending how much the new interpretation of the refereeing of the play-the-balls goes, it looks extremely beneficial on paper for Hull KR, Leigh, St Helens and Warrington. Also benefiting will be the Wigan pair at 7 and 14 in the hit parade. Wakefield will be happy with Harvey Smith and the new incumbent, Tyson Smoothy. Leigh have a new pairing with a total of  155 runs between Liam Horne and Edwin Ipape.