Hurdling in rugby

[SixteenSixtySix]

I saw a video of shane williams hurdling a player and another one of the french league some time ago. The frenchie got penalised but don't know about shane's. I'm guessing that hurdling a tackler is an infringement.

What's the official law on hurdling and what's the referee signal?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Depends how high it is, I guess.

You aren't allowed to jump as a ball carrier - but there can sometimes be a fine line between hurdling and jumping.
If it's in the act of scoring I think you are more likely to get away with it.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I remember a few years back Aus vs NZ. I think it was Higginbotham going over for a try jumping over a NZ defender.. could be Read going over vs Aus, can't remember but that got blown up and I remember thinking it looked quite dangerous. The defending player was head on between the (non)scorer and the try line.

Then there was the RWC where that Samaon/Tongan(?) back went into the tackle with clear intention of kneeing the defender in the head. That went horrible! I can't remember the details though. I suppose if you went to hurdle over a guy there is every chance something similar could occur as 1) rugby players aren't hurdlers and 2) the 'hurdle' is a man in motion so..

That said I've seen many players go over tacklers coming in at pace low and from the side though they don't jump as much as lift their legs higher.. I don't know what the exact wording of the law is in this matter though so no help. Just thought I'd bring up the instances above if anyone else can remember details.

 

[MauriSca7]

If I don't wrong it was Rocky Elsom who tried to jump over NZ defender

 

[MauriSca7]

I just watched the video Elsom did it against Fiji not New Zealand

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I just watched the video Elsom did it against Fiji not New Zealand

Elsom!, Yes, that's the one, thanks MauriSca7! No wonder I couldn't track it down; I was leaning strongly towards Higginbotham. Back from 2010, hey, wow, how the time has flown.

 

[MauriSca7]

I was right then,I thought we were talking about 2 different episodes

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I was right then,I thought we were talking about 2 different episodes

Yip, that's the one I had in mind, I was just waayyyy out with the particulars.

 

[goodNumber10]

Depends how high it is, I guess.

You aren't allowed to jump as a ball carrier - but there can sometimes be a fine line between hurdling and jumping.
If it's in the act of scoring I think you are more likely to get away with it.

Is there something in the rules to say you can't jump as the ball carrier?

I seem to recall having this discussion before and that there was nothing to say this was illegal.

It should be in my opinion, my brother had his face ripped open at under 11's by someone hurdling when his studs caught his face.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Pretty sure there is - because you can't tackle someone in the air.

I've seen people pinged for it often enough that I'm sure it must be grounded in some law - even if it's not specifically illegal... some sort of general dangerous play law.

 

[goodNumber10]

i thought the same... i'm just trying to find the old discussion, hang on.

 

[SelimNiai]

This happened in the NFL last night. This in rugby without the helmet could have ended badly.

 

[MauriSca7]

This happened in the NFL last night. This in rugby without the helmet could have ended badly.

I know Antonio Brown personally,he's a very nice person,I really don't know what he was thinking when he did it. I'm shocked