Rugby League World Cup rules: Field goals, set restarts, captains challenge and concussions

The Rugby League World Cup will see a number of distinct on-field rule variations to those used in the NRL.

While the NRL have constantly tinkered with their rule book over the years, International Rugby League has always seen differences to the global premier domestic competition in Australia.

Here are the key rules that are either different from the NRL, or appearing at a World Cup for the first time.

Field goals

In the NRL, the two-point field goal has been brought into the competition in recent years. This is to reward players with an extra point who are able to boot a field goal from outside their own 40-metre line.

It's a tactic that has been rarely used, but it has happened, with a number of notable instances of the two-point field goal.

This, however, will not apply during the World Cup.

Under International Rugby League rules, all field goals will be worth a single point, which means there will be no miracle two-point field goals to save games during the biggest international tournament the sport has to offer.

The two-point field goal hasn't made it to the English Super League's rule book, meaning their players will not have any differences in this part of the game.

Set restarts

The set restart is one rule in the NRL which has made it all the way to the Super League, however, it is officiated slightly differently between the two competitions, who have both looked to speed up the game in recent years.

It's a sentiment that the IRL agree with, as the issues of fatigued forwards and the need for a more entertaining product come into view.

In the NRL however, penalties are awarded for ruck infringements if the incident occurs within a team's own 40-metre zone.

This will not be the case at the World Cup, with six again for ruck infringements to be ordered at any point on the field, as is the case in the English Super League.

Captains challenge

The captains challenge is another rule which will feature in the World Cup for the first time.

As is the case in the NRL, each team will get one unsuccessful challenge per game, with it to be available in all men's and women's games throughout the tournament.

Concussion and 18th man

Maybe the biggest difference in rules between the NRL and World Cup will come off the field in the return to play after a concussion.

While the NRL's return to play policy is possible for a player to pass through in just six days, that is not the case in the World Cup (and Super League).

A concussion will automatically rule a player out for a period of 11 days, which could be a major problem to nations if multiple concussions occur to key players with only 24-man squads to pick from.

The 18th man, as is the case in the NRL, will be able to be activated should three players be lost to concussion in the same match.