1. The foot in touch rule where the ball is ruled out of play despite being inside the line.
2. The need for "the hit" at a scrum. Why not have the packs form up in the engaged postion and allow no movement until the ball is put in straight?
3. Numbers at the line out.
4. Difference between "knock on" and "charge down".
5. Which parts of the body are allowed to propel the ball forward without incurring a "knock on"? Seems to vary from ref to ref.
6. The "two bites at the cherry" allowed (a) when a quick penalty is taken before the defence has time to retire.
(b) when a drop goal is attempted after penalty advantage is signalled by the ref.
1. Unlike football, when any part of a player's body touches the side-line, the ball is deemed out of play. This makes sense when a player is running down the touchline - and the same rule is carried forwards to when a kick is fielded, so if the player catches the ball with a foot over the touchline, then the ball is deemed to have gone out on the full.
2. This has been debated quite a lot. I personally don't understand the need for the hit. I'm not entirely sure why it was introduced, but I remember Cymro saying something about it a bit ago.
3. The numbers at the lineout is dictated by the team throwing in. The opposition team must put in the same amount of players into the lineout themselves. Numbers are reduced sometimes when attacking teams want to put some forwards out in midfield, or are having difficulty securing ball, where a shortened lineout can simplify things.
4. This must seem a little odd to newcomers. A charge-down is basically blocking a kick, whereas a knock-on is losing control of the ball. It's actually quite hard to explain, I'm sure the rules on the IRB site do it better.
5. Only the hand and forearm counts as a knock on. The only reason that it may appear to vary from ref to ref is because it's often difficult for them to tell in the split second it happens. Watching on tv, we have the benefit of replays and multiple angles, the ref doesn't.
6 (a). A penalty can be taken quickly if it is taken from the correct location (some ref's are more fussy than others here). If the ref wasn't looking, or he wants a word with a player he might call it back. If a further penalty is awarded (after already taking a quick penalty), then this subsequent penalty cannot be taken quickly. The whole purpose of this is to speed the game up.
6 (b). A missed drop goal after a penalty if awarded is simply deemed not enough of an advantage. It's a pot-shot with nothing to lose. If it goes over, then it results in less time wasted by setting up the penalty etc. which allowed the game to flow a little more. So everyone wins (except maybe the opposition team).