World Rugby executive committee member Brett Robinson says the organisation is investigating whether laser beams could be used to police the offside line.

Robinson, who made 16 Test appearances for the Wallabies between 1996 and 1998, is Australia’s representative on World Rugby’s executive committee and says rugby needs to push defensive lines back to ease the battle on the gainline.

‘I know there have been all sorts of trials about having the defensive line set a metre behind the last player’s foot in the ruck,’ he told the Sydney Telegraph.

‘We have even been pursuing whether technology could be more aggressive around managing the offside line. Laser beams, in other words.

‘It’s all the levers you can look at to use to create more space in the game – fatigue, managing the offside line, ball-in-play time. Giving forwards too much recovery time simply reinforces the power element.’