Law Discussion - where it lands

It’s not a big matter in the context of the match but one which the commentators on the match between Sale Sharks and Cardiff Blues made a meal of.

Ben Cohen of Sale Sharks catches the ball near touch on his left. He races forward and chips. Gethin Jenkins of the pink Blues leapt high and as he came down he made contact with Cohen who fell. The ball landed in the hands of Leigh Halfpenny, the Blues’ wing.

The referee stopped play. He discussed the matter with both his assistants and then penalised Jenkins.

Place became important to the commentators.

When Cohen kicked he was about nine metres in from touch. When Halfpenny caught he was about eight metres in from touch. The referee gave the penalty 15 metres in from touch.

Commentator 1: “It’s a penalty to Sale Sharks.”

Commentator 2: “Yes, where the ball landed.”

There were replays interspersed the following conversation.

Commentator 2: “The ball didn’t go straight out. It landed in the field of play. The penalty should be where the ball landed. I didn’t think it did. I might be mistaken here. The ball landed in the field of play. It should be where the ball lands.”

Commentator 1: “15 metres in – that’s not where the ball landed.”

Commentator 2: “That would suggest that it had gone straight out and you get it from 15 in.”

Commentator 1: “Shake off all the confusion. The end result is a penalty for Charlie Hodgson and Sale.”

Commentator 2 at yet another replay): “He chips this. The penalty is where the ball lands. There’s the ball. There’s the penalty – a much tighter kick than Charlie gets.”

The kick hit the upright and stayed out.

Commentator 2: “Two wrongs don’t make a right but I feel justice has been done.”

Commentator 2 had a long career in international rugby, which adds authority to what he says.

Let’s look at law.

There is reference to a (d) which reads that it is illegal for any player “who is not running with the ball wilfully to charge or obstruct and opponent who has just kicked the ball.”

That is what Jenkins is penalised for.

More law: The place for the penalty shall be

(b) For an infringement of (d) the non-offending team shall have the option of taking the kick  at the place of infringement or where the ball alights and if the ball alights
*in touch the mark is 15 yards from the touch line on a line parallel to the goal lines through the place where it crossed the touch line, or
*within fifteen yards from the touch line, it is fifteen yards from the touch line on a line parallel to the goal lines through the place where it alighted.

Yards gives it away. This quote goes back to 1972. In other words for the whole of the commentator’s life, let alone his playing life, that has been the law – the law that the referee correctly applied here. It’s not new law. It was not even new law in 1972.

The essence of the law is the same now.

Law 10.4 (n) Late-charging the kicker. A player must not intentionally charge or obstruct an opponent who has just kicked the ball.
Penalty: The non-offending team may choose to take the penalty kick either at the place of infringement, where the ball lands, or where it was next played.
Place of infringement. If the infringement takes place in the kicker’s in-goal, the penalty kick is taken 5 metres from the goal line in line with the place of infringement but at least 15 metres from the touchline.
The non-offending team may also choose to take the penalty kick where the ball lands or is next played and at least 15 metres from the touchline.
Where the ball lands. If the ball lands in touch, the mark for the optional penalty kick is on the 15-metre line, in line with where it went into touch. If the ball lands within 15 metres of the touchline, the mark is on the 15-metre line opposite where it landed.

NB If the ball lands within 15 metres of the touchline, the mark is on the 15-metre line opposite where it landed.

The referee was right, the commentator wrong.

Early in this spate of criticism of the referee’s decision, Commentator 2 said: “It’s very difficult to criticise the touch judges and referees but they’ve been very poor tonight – really poor in the contact area.”

It is difficult to criticise the touch judges and referees if you do not know your laws well enough for it is by the laws that we should judge them. If we do not know the laws well enough, it is better to be circumspect.