IRB rules on scrumhalf offside
On 7 August the International Rugby Board’s Designated Members issued a ruling on the scrumhalf and offside at a scrum. It is an important ruling and contrary to recent practice.
The ruling nullifies the answer given to a reader in Duty Ref 208. Marius Jonker answered the question but at the time he was unaware of the ruling made the previous Thursday. referees are required to referee according to the ruling.
The Italian Rugby Federation asked about the position and movement of the scrumhalf of the team putting the ball into the scrum. The ruling states that the scrumhalf of the team that wins the ball in the scrum is allowed to move beyond a metre from the scrum to receive a pass from the No.8.
This is an important ruling.
The full Italian question and the ruling are below. The Designated Members are a committee of the IRB whose task it is to deal with law queries. From time to time they make rulings, as they have now. They have also made other rulings which we shall publish.
Rulings have often been a problem, firstly because they presuppose inadequate law-making and secondly because they are often made so quietly that they get passed by.
The IRB text:
ELV Ruling 2, 2008
August 7, 2008
The FIR has requested a Ruling from the Designated Members with regard to
ELV Law 20.12 (d) and (e).
ELV Law 20.12 – OFFSIDE AT THE SCRUM
(d) The scrumhalf whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move to the opposite side of the scrum and overstep the offside line for that scrumhalf that runs through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum.
(e) The scrumhalf whose team does not win possession of the ball must not move away from the scrum and then remain in front of the offside line for that scrumhalf that runs through the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the scrum.
The above considered we [Italaian Federation] submit the following queries:
(1) Is the scrumhalf whose team has won possession of the ball allowed to move away from the scrum, from the throw-in side without crossing the offside line that runs through the ball or from the opposite side without crossing the offside that runs from the hindmost foot of his team’s hindmost player in the scrum so he can receive a pass from his team’s number 8 playing the scrum, provided the same number 8 does so with no delay whilst the scrumhalf moves away from the scrum?
(2) Must the scrumhalf whose team has been awarded the scrum remain at a distance no greater than 1 metre from the scrum on both sides, namely the throw-in side and the opposite, until his team’s number 8 plays the ball from his feet in the scrum?
Ruling:
The Designated Members have ruled:
(1) The scrumhalf of the team who has won possession of the ball is allowed to move away from the scrum without crossing the offside line that runs through to the hindmost foot of the hindmost player in the scrum so that the scrumhalf can receive a pass from the No.8.
(2) The scrumhalf of the team who wins possession does not have to stay at a distance of no greater than 1 metre from the scrum as indicated in (1) above, but the scrumhalf of the team that does not gain possession must stay close to the scrum.
