Rugby Laws Q & A

[allblacksfreak]

Have you ever thought why you were penalised for pnching that guy? where does it say in the law book?
Ever wondered if tripping players is legal or not? or what about bridging? Many coaches tell their team to bridge, but is that legal!?

I am now a certified referee, and I will be happy to answer questions regarding the laws of the game.. post it in this thread or if it is urgent, mail me at [email protected]

 

[O'Rothlain]

Can I trip another player? Also, what's the IRB's stance on firearms?

 

[shtove]

The rules don't address punching for the same reason they don't address karate kicks - it's just not part of the game. But isn't there a question over the spear tackle? What is it? And why is it illegal? I guess the answer, "You're not meant to break people's necks" covers both questions. But here's the ****le: Why weren't Umaga and MooMoo punished for their kind attention to BOD in the first Lions test in NZ?

 

[ShowMe]

Can I trip another player?
[/b]

with your hands? sure aka ankletap, with your feet? negative aka foot trip.

Also, what's the IRB's stance on firearms?
[/b]

I understand the IRB have fully revised the laws of firearms on the pitch and have put together a list of common scenarios a player may use a firearm in, observe:

Law 43 section 2.3 (a) states: If the defendant...i mean defender is a frontrower marking an outside back all alone in open space (see open space guideline page31), the frontrower must first assume police pursuit position to the outside back and only then may he/she use a firearm (see list of legal weapons page324) to halt the momentum of the outside back aimed anywhere below the torso - any higher will result in a penalty try to the opposition team.

 

[O'Rothlain]

I understand the IRB have fully revised the laws of firearms on the pitch and have put together a list of common scenarios a player may use a firearm in, observe:

Law 43 section 2.3 (a) states: If the defendant...i mean defender is a frontrower marking an outside back all alone in open space (see open space guideline page31), the frontrower must first assume police pursuit position to the outside back and only then may he/she use a firearm (see list of legal weapons page324) to halt the momentum of the outside back aimed anywhere below the torso - any higher will result in a penalty try to the opposition team.
[/b]

:bravo:
Brilliant...I'm laughing hartilly(sp)!

 

[fcukernaut]

Law 43 section 2.3 (a) states: If the defendant...i mean defender is a frontrower marking an outside back all alone in open space (see open space guideline page31), the frontrower must first assume police pursuit position to the outside back and only then may he/she use a firearm (see list of legal weapons page324) to halt the momentum of the outside back aimed anywhere below the torso - any higher will result in a penalty try to the opposition team.[/b]

Wait a minute there are only 21.16 laws in the rule book! Page 31 talks about Law 8(Advantage) and there aren't 324 pages in the book. How could you lie to us? :lol:

 

[DC]

Law 43 section 2.3 (a) states: If the defendant...i mean defender is a frontrower marking an outside back all alone in open space (see open space guideline page31), the frontrower must first assume police pursuit position to the outside back and only then may he/she use a firearm (see list of legal weapons page324) to halt the momentum of the outside back aimed anywhere below the torso - any higher will result in a penalty try to the opposition team.[/b]

Wait a minute there are only 21.16 laws in the rule book! Page 31 talks about Law 8(Advantage) and there aren't 324 pages in the book. How could you lie to us? :lol:
[/b]

I believe he took that from the Canterbury Bulldogs Fan Conduct Laws actually..

 

[allblacksfreak]

Can I trip another player? Also, what's the IRB's stance on firearms?
[/b]

Law 10.4 (d) tripping A player must not trip an opponent with the leg or foot
penalty: penalty kick

The rules don't address punching for the same reason they don't address karate kicks - it's just not part of the game. But isn't there a question over the spear tackle? What is it? And why is it illegal? I guess the answer, "You're not meant to break people's necks" covers both questions. But here's the ****le: Why weren't Umaga and MooMoo punished for their kind attention to BOD in the first Lions test in NZ?
[/b]

Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking A player must not strike a player with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder head or knee(s).
Penalty: Penalty kick

Law 10.4 © Kicking A player must not kick an opponent
penalty: penalty kick

Spear Tackle is regarded as playing an opponent without the ball

Law 10.4 (f) Playing an opponent without the ball except in a scrum, ruck or maul, a player must not hold, or push, or charge into, or obstruct an opponent not carying the ball
penalty: penalty kick

Technically Umaga n Mealamu was in a ruck.. however you can consider this:

Law 10.4 (e) dangerous tackle A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
penalty: penalty kick

Refs arent super human u know and may not see everything on the pitch... so BoD.. well tough luck...

 

[ShowMe]

<div class='quotemain'>

Law 43 section 2.3 (a) states: If the defendant...i mean defender is a frontrower marking an outside back all alone in open space (see open space guideline page31), the frontrower must first assume police pursuit position to the outside back and only then may he/she use a firearm (see list of legal weapons page324) to halt the momentum of the outside back aimed anywhere below the torso - any higher will result in a penalty try to the opposition team.[/b]

Wait a minute there are only 21.16 laws in the rule book! Page 31 talks about Law 8(Advantage) and there aren't 324 pages in the book. How could you lie to us? :lol:
[/b]

I believe he took that from the Canterbury Bulldogs Fan Conduct Laws actually..
[/b][/quote]

so what yall tryin to say?
I made this up?

[homer voice]thats it! im not talking to you anymore...everyone shoosh!...ssshh!...including me...ssshhh!...who made that noise...[/homer voice]

 

[BigTen]

"...Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking A player must not strike a player with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder head or knee(s).
Penalty: Penalty kick.." allblacksfreak.


Does that mean that you could strike a player with your buttocks and get away with it? Coz if you can that would be sweet.

 

[allblacksfreak]

"...Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking A player must not strike a player with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder head or knee(s).
Penalty: Penalty kick.." allblacksfreak.


Does that mean that you could strike a player with your buttocks and get away with it? Coz if you can that would be sweet.
[/b]

Law 10.4 (g) Dangerous Charging a player must not charge or knock down an opponent carying the ball without trying to grasp that player.

So BigTen, unless ur ass crack is so big that it can grasp DC's mom u may not strike anyonewith ur buttocks!

 

[Caledfwlch]

whats the course like to becoming a ref, and will the new scrum laws negate the power of the ALL BLACKS

 

[allblacksfreak]

The course is quite simple and easy actually... to get to my level which is level 1(u can ref actual league games with it, depending on ur union) you need to do a "introduction to officiating" which is usually a one or 2 days course.. where u will learn all the basics n stuff...
after that, u get to do ur level 1 refereeing... during the course u will run through the whole law book and discuss them in details, do on field practicals sessions, it is a lot of fun! you will then get to sit an exam! u will have to pass above 75% if i'm not wrong to be awarded your certs... however, u will need to ref games and gain ur reffing hours to get full certification... this is all done with the discretion of your referee trainer...


New Scrum laws... sad thing is i havent had the chance to look at it..
but i think i remember hearing its gonna be more like the u-19 version where they have "crouch, hold, touch engage" call and they cant push more than a few metres?
if i am correct, i think the All Blacks would still rape anyone's butt...

 

[Caledfwlch]

yea its like the u 19 scrum, i think woodcock and hayman would still dominate.... might take some time to get used to the rules though

 

[allblacksfreak]

I took a good read about this new law...
I think its not gonna affect teams with top scrummaging pack... neither will it affect those who has none...

 

[Lá Bombonera]

Would you please explain "the ruck" in detail? Like what we should pay attention to, and why there is such a rule, how to act in a ruck and what is forbidden?

 

[lettsylegend]

The ruck is where a player is tackled and at least one player from each team competes for the ball which is now on the floor... using only their feet to rake the bal back to their side.... The first player their may attempt to pick up the ball wiht his hands but he usualy receives pretty severe treatment for the opposite pack.

During play both sets of back must be behind the back foot of the ruck on thier respective sides which is defined as the furthest part of a player who is involved in the ruck....

Some things you can't do in a ruck...
- Tackle the player and make no attempt to role out of the way, hence slowing up the oppositions ball.
- Stamping on a player who has been caught on the wrong side, particularly on the head and joints
- Using your hands to force the ball back onto your side
- Holding onto the ball (as the player being tackled) which slows the release and denies your opponents the opportunity of a turn-over...This particular offence is probably the most common and occurs when a player runs away from his support and becomes isolated.
- You must also enter the ruck from the previously defined back-foot... otherwise your are coming 'in at the side'
- It is also illegal to dive of your feet in search of a turnover

All of these offences result in a penalty, referees (particularly the Welsh ones) ahve varying interpretations of the brake down area but have recently be advised by the RFU to award penalties quickly should a player attempt to slow down the ball illegally in any way and award yellow cards (sin bin) for any such play near the try-line.

A maul is basically a ruck in which the tackled player doesn't fall to ground and instead both packs try to push the opposision backwards
- in this situation it is illegal to pull down the maul
- mauls are a common source of tries for the forwards
- it is pratcially impossible to defend agaisnt a well formed maul

I admit that this explanation may be slightly crude but i hope it gives you some understanding of the ruck...
wow.. long post for me!

 

[allblacksfreak]

Well, I'm going to take my time answering this....

A ruck is a phase of play where one or more players from each team,
who are on their feet, in physical contact, close around the ball on the
ground. Open play has ended.

Rucking. Players are rucking when they are in a ruck and using their
feet to try to win or keep possession of the ball, without being guilty of
foul play.

16.1 FORMING A RUCK

(a) Where can a ruck take place. A ruck can take place only in
the field of play.

(B*) How can a ruck form. Players are on their feet. At least one
player must be in physical contact with an opponent. The ball is
on the ground.

16.2 JOINING A RUCK
(a) All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must have
their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips
Penalty: Free Kick

(B*) A player joining a ruck must bind onto the ruck with at least one
arm around the body of a team mate, using the whole arm.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(C*) Placing a hand on another player in the ruck does not constitute
binding.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(d) All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must be on
their feet.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

16.3 RUCKING
(a) Players in a ruck must endeavour to stay on their feet.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(B*) A player must not intentionally fall or kneel in a ruck. This is
dangerous play.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(C*) A player must not intentionally collapse a ruck. This is dangerous
play.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(d) A player must not jump on top of a ruck.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(e) Players must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their
hips.
Penalty: Free Kick

(f) A player rucking for the ball must not ruck players on the ground.
A player rucking for the ball tries to step over players on the
ground and must not intentionally step on them. A player rucking
must do so near the ball.
Penalty: Penalty Kick for dangerous play

16.4 OTHER RUCK OFFENCES

(a) Players must not return the ball into a ruck.
Penalty: Free Kick

(B*) Players must not handle the ball in a ruck.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(c*) Players must not pick up the ball in a ruck with their legs.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(d) Players on the ground in or near the ruck must try to move away
from the ball. These players must not interfere with the ball in the
ruck or as it comes out of the ruck.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(e) A player must not fall on or over a ball as it is coming out of a ruck.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(f) A player must not take any action to make the opposing team
think that the ball is out of the ruck while it is still in the ruck.
Penalty: Free Kick

16.5 OFFSIDE AT THE RUCK

(a) The offside line. There are two offside lines parallel to the goal
lines, one for each team. Each offside line runs through the
hindmost foot of the hindmost player in the ruck. If the hindmost
foot of the hindmost player is on or behind the goal line, the
offside line for the defending team is the goal line.

(B*) Players must either join a ruck, or retire behind the offside line
immediately. If a player loiters at the side of a ruck, the player is
offside.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

(C*) Players joining or rejoining the ruck. All players joining a
ruck must do so from behind the foot of the hindmost team mate
in the ruck. A player may join alongside this hindmost player. If
the player joins the ruck from the opponents’ side, or in front of
the hindmost team mate, the player is offside.
Penalty: Penalty Kick on the offending team’s offside line

(d) Players not joining the ruck. If a player is in front of the
offside line and does not join the ruck, the player must retire
behind the offside line at once. If a player who is behind the
offside line oversteps it and does not join the ruck the player is
offside.
Penalty: Penalty Kick on the offending team’s offside line

16.6 SUCCESSFUL END TO A RUCK

A ruck ends successfully when the ball leaves the ruck, or when the
ball is on or over the goal line.

16.7 UNSUCCESSFUL END TO A RUCK

(a) A ruck ends unsuccessfully when the ball becomes unplayable and
a scrum is ordered.
The team that was moving forward immediately before the ball
became unplayable in the ruck throws in the ball.
If neither team was moving forward, or if the referee cannot decide
which team was moving forward before the ball became
unplayable in the ruck, the team that was moving forward before
the ruck began throws in the ball.
If neither team was moving forward, then the attacking team
throws in the ball.

(B*) Before the referee blows the whistle for a scrum, the referee allows
a reasonable amount of time for the ball to emerge, especially if
either team is moving forward. If the ruck stops moving, or if the
referee decides that the ball will probably not emerge within a
reasonable time, the referee must order a scrum.

I actually typed all those.. I got it from the law book though.. but it is pretty simple, ruck has plenty of laws written for it for such a simple thing...

 

[Bullitt]

An easier way to determine what is and isn't lawful re: rucks;

What the ref doesn't see is lawful, what the ref does is against the laws.

 

[PeeJay]

16.2 JOINING A RUCK
(a) All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must have
their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips
Penalty: Free Kick
[/b]

Does that mean that "bridging" over the ball is technically illegal?