Law discussion: The line-out option
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: @rugby365com‘s law guru Paul Dobson takes a look at an incident during the match between Reds and the Lions.
The Lions of Johannesburg played the Reds of Queensland at Ellis Park on a day of heavy rain. Early in the second half the Lions put pressure on the Reds’ scrum, and the Reds are penalised. The lions kick out for a five-metre line-out.
Pieter Jansen of the Lions throws in. Up goes Marvin Orie to catch the ball. Before he comes down, the Reds push in under him. The referee indicates a penalty and plays advantage. When no advantage accrues, the referee returns to the infringement and sends Reds’ prop Josh Nasser to the sin bin for his act of “undermining” Orie.
Elton Jantjies of the Lions shapes to kick for touch, but the referee stops him, saying: “You don’t have to kick. It’s a line-out infringement and so you can just take the line-out.”
Is that so?
Law 20 OPTIONS AT A PENALTY OR FREE-KICK
4. A team awarded a penalty or free-kick at a lineout may instead choose a lineout or a scrum at the same mark.
The referee was right.
This is a relatively new piece of law.
