COUGAR fans will have to get used to new rules when the professional Rugby League season gets underway in the New Year.

A two-day meeting of the Rugby League International Federation in Sydney introduced a number of new regulations.

The game in Britain will revert to the non-scoring side kicking off to restart play after a score and anew rule is to be introduced to reward tactical kicking.

Under the new regulation players finding touch in the opposition 20 metre area when kicking from within 40 metres of his own tryline will be awarded the resulting scrum.

There will still be differences between the game in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Australian and New Zealand clubs will he allowed unlimited substitutions, but British clubs will continue with six changes from four named substitutes.

The unlimited substitution rule will operate in international matches.

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