6N, week 2, part 2

Part 2 Incidents

There has been so much to talk about this week after the ten big matches last weekend that we shall keep this one short. After all we did discuss the big issues of the penalty try and the sending off at length.

On the matter of allowing a replacement on for a player sent off so that the match can continue as 15 vs 15, we have some cautionary words from our Wise Man of Cheltenham.

"On the question of replacing red or yellow carded players, I am very cautious. If the sanction hurt the player but not the team, then an unscrupulous coach or player could risk deliberate foul play in order to incapacitate a key opponent. We all know that key players are targeted – we just need to make sure it is done within the ethos of the game.

"There is some merit in the weaker proposal allowing a red carded player to be replaced after 10 minutes playing time.

"Would it help the game if yellow cards could also lead to a ban?  Not sure – I have only just thought of that."

I suppose cheats cause the laws!

1. Off-side at a kick

England are under pressure and from behind his goal-line Charlie Hodgson kicks a long way downfield. When he kicks the main body of his forwards is about 15 metres in front of him. As the ball flies over their heads, some start moving downfield. The kick is not out and Paul Griffen of Italy recovers the ball a metre or two inside the England half. He then moves down and kicks the ball towards the right-hand touch-line.

The referee penalises England for being off-side.

The commentator remarks that players must retire if they are within 10 metres of the player playing the ball, "but once a player has run 10 metres, all bets are off".

No England players were within 10 metres of Griffen. He did run about five metres. But before he got the ball the England players ahead of Hodgson were moving downfield.

Law 11.1 (c) Off-side and moving forward. When a team-mate of an off-side player has kicked ahead, the off-side player must not move towards opponents who are waiting to play the ball, or move towards the place where the ball lands, until the player has been put on-side.

It had nothing to do with 10 metres or what Griffen did. It was about being off-side and moving towards the place where the ball landed before being put on-side.

The option is a penalty where the player moved forward or a scrum where Hodgson kicked.

2. Too late for tries

England bash and bash at the Italian line and eventually go over the line in a heap.

The referee says: "I was too late getting there." And he refers the matter to the television match official.

The referee was late getting there but was also on the far side of the falling heap of players from the ball.

Perhaps referees are less keen to get into in-goal than they used to be because the TMO will help. Perhaps the best thing is to be where the ball is and stay with the ball.

3. Scrum crash

England puts the ball into a scrum. As they have done before, they crouched higher than their opponents and then came down and in on the Engage signal.

The referee awarded a free kick to Italy.

Commentator: "I don't understand this from referee Deaker. He says You've just come down – crash. That's what you're supposed to do."

This year the referees have been told to manage the scrum with a definite pause between Hold and Engage. The idea is that the two front rows are facing each other at the same level and stationary. Then he will call engage. This is to prevent an unfair advantage for the side which delays crouching down and then thrusts in to get a shove on.

So the sequence is: Crouch and Hold. Pause. Engage!

4. Not straight

Steve Thompson of England helps Fabio Ongaro of Italy into touch when Ongaro had the ball. Thompson picks up the ball and throws in quickly. The referee stops him giving that overhead signal that says the ball was not in straight. He says the ball was not in straight. ]

He allows England another throw.

Commentator: "If you try that and it doesn't go in straight, why do England get another throw?"

The commentator has a point.

Law 19.2 (e) At a quick throw-in, if the player does not throw the ball in straight so that it travels at least 5 metres along the line-of-touch before it touches the ground or another player, or if the player steps into the field-of-play when the ball is thrown, then the quick throw-in is disallowed. The opposing team chooses to throw in at either a line-out where the quick throw-in was attempted, or a scrum on the 15-metre line at that place. If they too throw in the ball incorrectly at the line-out, a scrum is formed on the 15-metre line. The team that first threw in the ball throws in the ball at the scrum.

The commentator is right.

But if the touch judge has kept his flag aloft because a line-out has already been formed, as he is required to do and as he did, then the line-out will happen, as happened in this case.

5. Dubious tighthead

Italy feed a scrum. Their pack is under pressure and the ball is caught in the tunnel. Martin Corry, packing on the left flank, swings a left foot round and attacks the ball which then comes back to England.

OK?

Law 20.9 (f) Locks and flankers: Staying out of the tunnel. A player who is not a front-row player must not play the ball in the tunnel.
Penalty: Free Kick

6. Knock-on off-side

Italy kick off and England get in a bit of a muddle. The ball goes forward off Harry Ellis towards Martin Corry who picks up the ball with Ludovico Nitoglia of Italy at his back.

Scrum?

If the ball came forward off Ellis's hands it would seem that Nitoglia could have got to the ball. That would have meant that Corry had denied Nitoglia advantage. Knock-on + advantage denied = penalty.

If the ball had come off Ellis's knee, then it was simply off-side, and so a penalty.