Law discussion: PT & YC

Referees do not make laws but they are required to apply those others have made.

In Sydney the Waratahs were penalised five metres from their line. Lima Sopoaga, the Highlanders' flyhalf must, shaped to kick for touch but instead tapped and charged at the line. Much bashing ensued and then Aaron Smith passed to burly Patrick Osborne to his left and under the posts with support. The Highlander  fought to get through as Waratahs defended. Osborne got slightly in front of the group and was looking to ground the ball when Jacques Potgieter of the Waratahs came round to stop him.

The referee referred the incident  to the TMO. At first they tried to determine if a try was scored or not. Replays suggested that Osborne could have been just short of the line.

Replays also showed the Potgieter's right arm had made contact with Osborne's head.

The referee and the TMO agree that what Potgieter had done was foul play and that it had prevented the probable scoring of a try.

The referee then called Potgieter and the Waratahs' captain, Dave Dennis, and issued Potgieter with a yellow card and awarded a penalty try.

Two of the commentators, Rod Kafer and Kearns, agreed that the yellow card was a wrong decision.

Kafer said: "It's a tough call – a really tough call. Sopoaga will knock this over. It's really a tough call on Jacques Potgieter. He was just in the action of trying to get the ball from a player diving at the ground, Very, very difficult not to make contact with his head. I can understand the penalty try, yes, but the yellow card – that's not the right call."

Rugby football is a game that includes physical contact. Players who play the game accept that they may well have to endure physical contact. They contract to accept that possibility as part of playing the game. It's part of the Mode of Play.

Law 7 Mode of Play

PLAYING A MATCH

Any player may tackle, hold or push an opponent holding the ball.

But this is governed by laws against dangerous play. This includes what is contained in Law 10, including Law 10.4 (a).

Law 10.4 DANGEROUS PLAY AND MISCONDUCT

(a) Punching or striking. A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knee(s).

Sanction: Penalty kick

Trying to stop an opponent from scoring a try is a wholly laudable effort but it must be done within what rugby ball allows. One of the things rugby football does not allow is to strike a player with the arm. Doing so is foul play and the end does not justify the means.

How the referee deals with foul play is up to him. He can penalise, penalise and give a talking to, penalise and issue a yellow card, penalise and issue a red card. Which he chooses is up to him.

But not entirely up to him – not when there is a penalty try.

Law 10.2 A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that would probably otherwise have been scored. A player who prevents a try being scored through foul play must either be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off.

'Cautioned and temporarily suspended" is a single package, a yellow card.

Law 10.6 YELLOW AND RED CARDS

(a) When a player has been cautioned and temporarily suspended in an International match the referee will show that player a yellow card.

The referee has no option but to award a penalty try when foul play prevents a probable try.

And he must do one of two things to the perpetrator – either caution and send to the sin bin or send off entirely, in other words either a yellow card or a red card.

The law says that the referee MUST do one or the other.

In this case the referee was doing what the law told him he had to do. It was a right call.