RUGBY league clubs have been asked to consider the removal of scrums when the 2020 season resumes after the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rugby Football League Laws Committee has proposed removing scrums as medical experts believe players would be at far less risk of contracting or spreading Covid-19 without the set-piece for the remainder of the campaign, subject to further guidance from Public Health England.

It is one of a number of rule changes that will be considered by Super League, Championship and League 1 clubs ahead of possible implementation at the RFL board meeting next month.

The RFL is hoping to restart the season in mid-August and run through until November or December.

Other changes mirror those adopted in the NRL, including the restart of the tackle count instead of a penalty after a ruck infringement.

This “six again” rule is seen as having health benefits in terms of increasing the speed of play-the-balls, therefore reducing the number of players in each tackle and the amount of time spent in close contact.

Another change is teams not being penalised for late changes to squads, with the strong possibility of midweek fixtures when the season resumes making it more difficult to make early calls on which players are fit and available.

A new rule had been brought in of punishing teams for making late changes to their 21-player matchday squads by the removal of an interchange, so this would be suspended for the remainder of the 2020 season.

RFL chief executive and chair of the Laws Committee Ralph Rimmer said: "These are major recommendations, but these are unprecedented times, presenting the game with unique challenges.

"The Committee recognised the importance of consulting widely within the game before the recommendations are put to the RFL Board, and that process has already started. But we believe Rugby League is well-served by its agility, in terms of being able to consider and implement such significant changes.

"The recommendation to adopt a number of the rule changes that have been introduced in the NRL in 2020 will also assist in the important process of aligning the rules across both hemispheres."

The RFL’s Laws Committee attendees were:

Ralph Rimmer (RFL Ceo, Chair); Dave Rotheram (RFL Chief On-Field Officer); Emma Rosewarne (RFL Medical Co-Ordinator); Steve Ganson (RFL Head of Match Officials); Matt Barnes (RFL Head of Legal); Dr Gemma Phillips (Hull KR and England doctor, RFL Covid Officer); Professor Ben Jones (Head of Performance, England Performance Unit); Garreth Carvell (GMB – players’ representative); Chris Chester (Wakefield Trinity Head Coach), Dave Woods (BBC – media representative); Robert Elstone (Super League Europe Executive Chairman), Kris Radlinski (Wigan Warriors Executive Director); Paul Harrison (Batley Bulldogs Chief Executive); Carl Hall (Doncaster Chief Executive); Paul Sculthorpe (England Pathways Coach).