The International Rugby Board has announced a crackdown on scrum infringements and illegal tackles ahead of this weekend's internationals.
The IRB has met with top referees whose main concerns at test level include reset and collapsed scrums and illegal, off-the-ball tackles.
Its promising stricter policing of illegal clearing out of players off the ball at the ruck as well as illegal tackles in open play.
And it says an analysis of a selection test matches over the past three years has identified increased infringements in scrums.
It says there's an an average of 18 scrums in matches and 18 collapses or resets.
The analysis also shows scrums take up an average of 16 per cent of match time and sometimes up to 25 per cent.
