Oct 10,2024
Currently a player must have the referee's permission to take a quick free (Rule 2.6 "With the Referee's consent, a free kick may be taken immediately").
Introducing a Solo & Go whereby if a player is fouled, he may immediately take a Solo & Go, will significantly speed up the game and present many advantages to the team in possession.
Éamonn Fitzmaurice's rationale
"The idea is to speed up the game. We know that often times play can be delayed and it slows down the game and allows the defensive team to get back in structure.
"With the solo and go, the player can elect to take a quick solo, move on in a forward or sideways direction, to get play underway straight away as quickly as possible.
"Players will have to be tuned in. From the defending players point of view, they have to get back four metres straight away.
"The key point is that the solo and go has to be taken immediately. If it isn't taken immediately, it just reverts to a normal free kick, under the current rules. So you'd imagine the defensive player would stand back to four metres and if the solo and go is taken, they'll be in a position to engage with the player.
"If it becomes a free kick, then they'll move back 13 metres, as is currently the situation.
"The players that have tried it have been delighted, loving it and trying it in different situations. It just makes the game quicker.
"In fact, in some of the games players are probably taking it where it made more sense to actually take the free kick, but they were anxious to try it. There's been no negative feedback at all from any of the players or management teams."
