Refereeing the line-out
Recent referees’ courses in South Africa discussed the refereeing of the line-out where principle of fair contest applied, as in all rugby’s contests for possession.
Some matters were discussed by the National Panel of referees and the Provincial Panel of referees:
1. The assistant referee was to take up his position on the line of touch and the player throwing in – usually the hooker – was to be in front of him, i.e. on the line of touch.
It may well help the thrower if the assistant referee stood with his flag above his head, which is feasible if he bends his elbow slightly. This gives the thrower a single line where can stand.
The thrower should not be allowed to step to the side in throwing. Often the thrower will step towards his opponents’ side and then throw in, the angle aiming at the inside shoulder of his jumper. It has the appearance of being straight but the angle makes it harder for opposition jumpers to contest for the ball.
2. The gap between the two sides must work on the line of touch, i.e. half a metre on each side of the line of touch.
The referee should not allow a team to be more than half a metre away. If the team throwing in is more than half a metre from the line of touch then the thrower has the unfair advantage of throwing to his player on an angle which helps the jumper and makes contesting almost impossibly hard for the opposition.
The referee should guard against the closing of the gap for tactical advantage. Sometimes a player of the thrower’s team will go across the line-out before the ball is thrown to put the opposition jumper’s off.
If the player crosses the line of touch and makes contact with the opposition he should be penalised.
If the player crosses the line of touch but does not make contact with the players, a free kick should be awarded.
If such crossing has no influence on play, the referee should talk to the player on the run.
3. The referee should be aware of players’ crossing the 15-metre line before the line-out is over. They are usually the loose forwards.
4. Early lifting of a jumper is not allowed.
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
A player in the line-out is allowed to dummy that he is going to jump to put the opposition off. The dummy jump – moving forward or backwards is if to jump -may more forwards or backwards but not into the gap.
5, At the throw-in from touch the ball is required to travel five metres.
If it is not clear and obvious that the ball failed to travel five metres, play should go on.
Reaching over the five-metre line to receive the throw is not allowed. The ball must travel at least five metres through the air.
6. Once the hooker starts to throw he must go ahead with the throw. Taking the ball back behind the head is not starting to throw.
