Laws - S14 Wk 9 - incidents

As always there are some incidents worth discussing in the Super 14 just past.

We have given some statistics already.

Let’s start with the one from wayback.

Morne Steyn of the Bulls kicks from within his 22 a long way downfield. The ball goes directly into touch about ten metres outside of the Sharks’ 22. The ball bounces and Percy Montgomery of the Sharks collects it about five metres outside of his 22. He runs back inside his 22 and throws in to himself. He then kicks the ball a long way downfield where Fourie du Preez tries to catch it at the touch line and then spills it over the touch-line for a line-out to the Sharks.

There is nothing untoward in all of that and nothing really to discuss. After all Montgomery is entitled to throw the ball in behind the place where it went out. But what about taking the bgall back inside the 22?

Paddy O’Brien has said that what Montgomery did was OK. “He is entitled to do what he did and the line-out would be where the ball crossed the line of touch as the talking the ball back into your own 22 applies only when you take it back in the field of play.”

1. Call it once

“In the multitude of words there shall not once sin but he that refraineth his lips is most wise.”

The Book of Proverbs said that. The writer may not have had rugby referees in mind but it is good advice for them, too.

In the match between the Chiefs and the Blues at Waikato Stadium, the referee laid down his wise policy for brevity when he said to the Blues captain: “I’ll call it once and then it’s a penalty.”

When Warren Britz of the Sharks came fairly crudely in at the aide with the Force on the attack, the referee said: “At the tackle an opportunity for quick ball. Yellow card.”

The good refereeing communicators, it seems, are all brief and to the point in law.

Which makes lone question this business of being unacceptable.

2. Off my ample chest

Lucky Mulipola of the Highlanders kicks the ball a long way downfield where it bounces at the Cheetahs fullback, Bevin Fortuin. Fortuin flings his arms wide and his chest forward to meet the awkward ball. The ball bounces forward off his chest and Fortuin picks it up and passes to Kabamba Floors who sets off on a run.

The referee lets play go on.

OK?

Yes. A knock-on is off the arms or the hands, not the chest, head, knees and so on.

3. Off-side!

Butch James of the Sharks passes to his left but Scott Fava of the Force intercepts and, being tackled, passes to Matt Giteau. Giteau darts but is tackled from behind by Adrian Jacobs. On the ground Giteau immediately plays the ball back some way. There Waylon Murray of the Sharks picks up the ball.

Play goes on.

OK?

Murray was not a tackler. He was behind Giteau. It looked wrong but it emphasis the point that there is no off-side line at a tackle.

Law 15.6 (c) At a tackle or near to a tackle, other players who play the ball must do so from behind the ball and from behind the tackled player or the tackler closest to those players’ goal-line.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

Near: within one metre.

4. Advantage or not?

James Hilgendorf of the Force kicks down to his left. The ball bounces and Francois Steyn, the Sharks’ fullback gathers the ball and is in touch. From touch he throws in quickly for himself to catch the ball. He catches the ball but chasing Ryan Cross of the Force tackles him as Hilgendorf is there immediately and Digby Ioane soon afterwards. There is not a Shark in sight.

(There is a clip of this on www.sareferees.co.za)

It’s a tough call but Steyn gathered the ball a fraction before the touch line and then his left foot touched ground in touch. That meant that it would be a throw-in to the Force.

But could advantage be played for Cross caught Steyn in a position most advantageous to the Force and had the support of two other Force players? At least they would surely have forced a penalty.

Law 8 deals with advantage.

Law 8.3 WHEN THE ADVANTAGE LAW IS NOT APPLIED

(a) Referee contact. Advantage must not be applied when the ball, or a player carrying it, touches the referee.

(b) Ball out of tunnel. Advantage must not be applied when the ball comes out of either end of the tunnel at a scrum without having been played.

(c) Wheeled scrum. Advantage must not be applied when the scrum is wheeled through more than 90 degrees (so that the middle line has passed beyond a position parallel to the touch-line).

(d) Collapsed scrum. Advantage must not be applied when a scrum collapses. The referee must blow the whistle immediately.

(e) Player lifted in the air. Advantage must not be applied when a player in a scrum is lifted in the air or forced upwards out of the scrum. The referee must blow the whistle immediately.

A throw-in by the wrong team does not fall into one of those five exclusions.

5. Crossing collision

The try that wasn’t. The Lions attack on their right and get close to the Brumbies line. The ball comes back to Janno Vermaak but three Lions overrun him, two crucially – Brian Mujati and Heinke van der Merwe. The Brumbies are fanned out on defence. Mujati gets in the way of Mark Gerrard as Vermaak moves to his left and Van der Merwe is in the way of Chisholm. Vermaak then runs behind Van der Merwe and Chisholm moving forward runs into Van der Merwe. This stops Chisholm from getting to Vermaak who slips through the gap and dives over to score a “try”. The referee penalises Van der Merwe.

Law 10.1 (b) Running in front of a ball – carrier. A player must not intentionally move or stand in front of a team-mate carrying the ball, thereby preventing opponents from tackling the current ball-carrier or the opportunity to tackle potential ball-carriers when they gain possession.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

The referee was right to penalise Van der Merwe. He was standing in front of Vermaak and thereby preventing Chisholm from tackling Vermaak. Everybody who booed him was wrong.

There is a clip of this on www.sareferees.co.za.

6. Define punch

Victor Matfield of the Bulls drives Anthony Hore of the Hurricanes off the side of a tackle/ruck. Hore does not like this and tugs at Matfield. Francois van Schouwenburg of the Bulls rushes in and shoves Hore away from his captain and lock-partner.

The referee consults the touch judge who says that Van Schouwenburg threw a punch.

Punch: Shorter Oxford English Dictionary: A thrusting blow delivered with the fist.

Fist: The hand clenched or close tightly, with the fingers doubled into the palm, esp. for the purpose of striking a blow.

Van Schouwenburg did not make a fist. Therefore he he did not punch. His hand was open and not even slapping but pushing.

He should not have been where he was or doing what he did, especially as neither Matfield nor Hore seemed inclined to fight. But he did not punch.

7. Marking time

It’s on half-time. Piri Weepu of the Hurricanes lobs a diagonal towards his right. Jaco van der Westhuysen catches the ball and calls for the mark – and runs into touch. The touch judge is about five metres from him.

The referee whistles for half-time.

If a mark is made and the half is done, does the whistle go?

Law 5.7 (e) If time expires and the ball is not dead or an awarded scrum, line-out, mark, free kick or penalty kick has not been completed, the referee allows play to continue until the next time when the ball becomes dead. If time expires and a mark, free kick or penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.

The mark should have been taken.

If the referee did not hear it, could the touch judge have told him?

Yes. In modern times the touch judge is there to help the referee, for he would have been able to hear or at least see the action of the mouth.

The mark was more obvious in ancient times because then the player claiming the mark had to be standing still, his heel in the ground and his toe raised. It’s harder for referees now.

8. Early rising

The Bulls throw in at a line-out five metres from their line. Gary Botha is to throw in and has the ball in his hands. Paul Tito, at the front of the Hurricanes line-out rises high with Anthony Hore to help him. There he stays in the air and Botha throws in. Suspended Tito catches the ball and actually forces his way over the goal-line.

The referee does not award a try but instead awards a free kick against the Hurricanes. The crowd boo.

Law 19.9 (i) Jumping or supporting before the ball is thrown. A player must not jump for the ball or support any player before the ball has left the hands of the player throwing it in.
Penalty: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

Every booer was wrong.

9. Which side of the line?

Andre Pretorius of the Lions kicks diagonally for the corner on his left as Jaque Fourie sets off after it. Gene Fairbanks of the Brumbies scurries back and catches the ball, grounding it in the in-goal.

The referee consults the touch judge and awards a drop-out.

That was fair enough because it was a really tough call. Much easier with a slow-motion replay. Even with a slow-motion replay it’s a tough call.

Does Fairbanks catch the ball in the field of play?

It seems as if his feet are just in the field of play but that the ball is above or over the goal-line as he stretches out to catch it.

Now what do we do about that hybrid?

this freakish incident is not covered explicitly by the law. But we could take an analogy with the touch line.

If the ball is sailing out and has crossed the plane of the touch-line and caught by a player it is not out. If that player then spills the ball into touch, it is his opponents’ throw-in. So if he catches the ball and then steps into touch – as Francois Steyn did in the example above – it is his opponents’ ball.

Perhaps the correct thing here would have been a drop-out. Perhaps. Perhaps it was all too hard in the midst of battle.

10. Evil communications

“Evil communications corrupt good manners.”

We started with Proverbs at this intensely religious time of the year and end with a quotation from the Apostle Paul.

The Lions played the Brumbies, and Jeremy Paul of the Brumbies was to throw the ball in at a line-out. There was Ethienne Reynecke of the Lions mouthing off at him.

He may have been saying complimentary things, but it has been known that hookers say unmannerly things to try to put the opposing thrower off.

Could the touch judge intervene?

Yes, because bad sportsmanship falls under Law 10 which falls within the touch judge’s area of jurisdiction.

Would it be a good idea to flag?

Probably a bit heavy-handed.

Would it be a good idea to whisper in his ear or get the referee to whisper in his ear?

Certainly