The French Rugby Federation (FFR) have asked the sport's ruling body the International Rugby Board (IRB) for clarification on the new rules which are to be brought in starting with next weekend's Six Nations matches.

According to Rene Hourquet, President of the Central Commission of referees, the FFR's technical committee, comprising among others new coach Bernard Laporte, are concerned about the interpretation of the rules particularly regarding the offside law involving the tackled player and the tackler.

France has sent its observations to the IRB and demanded an urgent meeting with the Six Nations experts. They are expecting the final rules to be revealed on February 2.

However, it appeared that the French demands would fall on deaf ears as Stephen Baines, the IRB chief executive, said there would be no second thoughts on the new rules.

Baines, though, did add that the law changes which were due to be sent to the unions on Saturday by the IRB had been delayed until Monday.

"There can be no second thoughts, and final drafting will be completed over the weekend for issue to unions from Dublin on Monday," Baines said.

The IRB announced the new rules including the introduction of the sin bin for the Six Nations Championship last Friday.

They also brought in sweeping changes to the scrum and line-out designed to open up the game following widespread criticisms expressed at the recent World Cup.

The experimental changes will be reviewed by the IRB at their annual meeting in March.

The revised laws will be in place for the knockout stages of the European Cup and next month's Super 12 and subsequent Tri-Nations Series in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The sin bin, where players are sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes after committing offences not serious enough to warrant dismissal, has been used for some time in domestic league rugby but has not yet been implemented in cup competitions.

The changes affect the laws relating to the tackle, scrum, lineout and foul play and will also apply, with the exception of the lineout in the Under 19 game, at all other levels of rugby within those nine unions.

The other 82 IRB member unions worldwide will be able to introduce the changes by simple notification to the IRB.