Rarest rules people don't know

Be honest, you have watched a game of rugby where some of the referee calls just left you gobsmacked and perplexed.

Well, we are here to tell you that there are laws pertaining to the oval ball that very few of us know. There are some unknown Laws that rear their head once in a while, sometimes only picked up by referees a handful of times across an entire season.

So what are those rare and bizarre rugby rules that most people just know of or have never heard of?

We went in search of the most unknown rugby rules so next time the referee’s hand goes up, you might know better what on earth is going on.

Time frame for a penalty or free kick

According to law 20, part five of the World Rugby rule book, “a penalty or free kick must be taken without delay”.

However, there is no specific time frame in which a penalty or free kick must be taken.

Therefore, it is at the total discretion of the referee.

Australia recently learnt this the hard way against the All Blacks.

Australia led 37-34 in the 79th minute when they were awarded a penalty through Lalakai Foketi five metres out from their goal line.

Referee Mathieu Raynal allowed 25 seconds of celebration before he told fly half Bernard Foley to play on. Foley chose to kick for touch. After 31 seconds, Raynal whistled time off. Seven seconds later, he started again, telling Foley in the noise of the moment to play on.

But before Foley could kick, Raynal whistled again — 39 seconds after the penalty had been awarded — and signalled a free kick to New Zealand.

According to law 20, part five of the World Rugby rule book, “a penalty or free kick must be taken without delay”.

However, there is no specific time frame in which a penalty or free kick must be taken.

Therefore, it is at the total discretion of the referee.

So while Raynal was technically correct in his decision, the obscurity and rarity of such decisions being made — and particularly in the final minute of a tense game — is what has sent the rugby community into an uproar.

The flying wedge

Back in the day, this used to be a familiar sight.

The type of attack known as a ‘Flying Wedge’ usually happens near the goal line, when the attacking team is awarded a penalty kick or free kick. The kicker tap-kicks the ball and starts the attack, either by driving towards the goal line or by passing to a team-mate who drives forward. Immediately, team mates bind on each side of the ball carrier in a wedge formation. Often one or more of these team mates is in front of the ball carrier.

As well as being virtually impossible to stop, it was also hugely dangerous for defenders attempting to halt the mass stampede.

So, under Law 9.22, teams must not use the “flying wedge”, with binding on before contact deemed dangerous and illegal.

Scoring a try while in touch

We all know a try won’t be allowed where a player’s feet go into touch before he gets the ball down over the try line.

But, under law 21. 9, a player can actually score a try when he is in touch or touch-in-goal.

As long as they are not holding the ball, they can reach out to ground it when it’s over the try line even if their feet are in touch.

That really is one for clued-up attackers to remember.

Scoring against the post

Players used to be able to score a try by grounding the ball against the base of the post protectors, where the padding and the ground met.

But, in 2020, the law was changed by World Rugby, who outlawed the practice because it gave an unfair advantage to the attacking side.

Teams defending their goal-line have to stay behind that line and, with post protectors now very chunky for player welfare reasons, it was becoming increasingly difficult for teams to legally defend this area, as they had to come out and around the pads.

So a change was made.

The amendment to Law 8 reads: “The post protector is no longer an extension of the goal-line and therefore Law 8.2 (a) now states ‘a try is scored when the attacking player is first to ground the ball in the opponents’ in-goal’.

The move to change the law was also motivated according to World Rugby by “in some extreme cases, post protectors have been lifted or moved by defending teams, leaving the posts exposed and therefore increasing the risk of injury”.

Teams can’t ‘cavalry’ charge in rugby

When a tap penalty happens in a rugby game, the teams are not allowed to bind in a group before they run into contact in a cavalry charge formation. This would be incredibly dangerous and against the spirit of the game.

Drop not allowed

If you opt for a scrum from a free kick, you cannot score a drop goal from the first phase (Law 8.29).

The team awarded a free-kick (including where they opt for a scrum or line-out instead) cannot score a dropped goal until the ball next becomes dead or until an opponent has played the ball, has touched it or has tackled the ball-carrier. Any such kick is deemed to be unsuccessful and play continues.

Which in effect means at least one phase has to occur between a free-kick being taken and a drop goal being attempted, just tapping the ball is not sufficient.