Laws and Interpretations

[elementfreak]

There are two laws that apply to the ball travelling 5m. 18.23.b says the ball must reach the 5m line before being played. My interpretation is that if the player reaches into the 5m area the ball has not travelled 5m and therefore a scrum or lineout option to the opposition.

OK, but what if the defending team reaches into the 5m area. The laws say that a player may not block the throw, this is a penalty. So what happens then?

Another bugbear of mine is when the thrower has his feet on the line. The laws state the thrower must have both feet outside the field of play. Is standing on the line outside the field of play? The sidelines are not in the field of play so if your foot does not encroach into the playing area then OK. But some of the throwers have half of their size 12 boots in the field of play.

What happens when a winger steps on the line when running the ball? He's judged to be out of the field of play, therefore the line is fine for hookers IMO.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ by that logic the thrower would only need part of one foot to be on the line, wouldn't he? I don't think that's what the Law intends.

 

[dru]

^ by that logic the thrower would only need part of one foot to be on the line, wouldn't he? I don't think that's what the Law intends.

This interpretation seems to be what plenty of forwards do defending on the line.

WoB, I don’t think it is what is intended either.

 

[Strewthcobber]

^ by that logic the thrower would only need part of one foot to be on the line, wouldn't he? I don't think that's what the Law intends.

The player throwing in the ball stands on the mark of touch with both feet outside the field of play. The thrower must not step into the field of play until the ball has been thrown.

On the line, probably ok. Over the line, not ok. I think refs let a lot of this stuff through to make sure a game of rugby occasionally breaks out.

 

[wamberal]

The player throwing in the ball stands on the mark of touch with both feet outside the field of play. The thrower must not step into the field of play until the ball has been thrown.

On the line, probably ok. Over the line, not ok. I think refs let a lot of this stuff through to make sure a game of rugby occasionally breaks out.

Brian Moore used to break this law every time he threw the ball into the lineout. Stood right on the line, then took a step forward into the field, then threw the ball. Used to drive me mental. (Some might say that I have never recovered).

 

[Dan54]

What's the ruling on a player binding onto a team-mate not in possession of the ball or involved in a ruck or maul therefore it's just the two of them? Does that not constitute what we used to call a flying wedge? Happened Sunday morning when Irish prop latched into his 8 who then received the ball & they went over the line together but were held up.

From the same match, re: Kearney's disallowed try was he not playing the ball on the ground? Didn't matter as they were under penalty advantage anyway but I'd have been spewing had that been given as a try.

I think you can bind onto another player as long as it not in front of ball carrier.
Glad you mentioned the Kearney one to WOB, as I couldn't understand why they kept looking for knock on when he had played it on ground.
Other one I wondered about was when Ioane tried to pick up the ball on the rub for a break out, was called a knock on, but the plaer that also plaed for it so he knocked it on was on knees, so once again I had thought maybe illegal.