But Ian, that bit of law [17.6 (c)] applies to an unsuccessful end to a maul.
Everything under 17.6, from (a) to (h) relates to what happens when a maul ends unsuccessfully - that's what the title of the clause is....
"LAW 17.6 UNSUCCESSFUL END TO A MAUL"
There are
three, and only three criteria for when a maul ends successfully.
[LAWS]17.5 SUCCESSFUL END TO A MAUL
A maul ends successfully when :
•
the ball or a player with the ball
leaves the maul
• the ball is on the ground
• the ball is on or over the goal line.[/LAWS]
A call of "use it" is
not one of them! The 'use it" call
only results in a successful end to the maul if the ball actually comes
out, not just when it becomes available. If the "use it" scenario was considered a successful end to a maul, it would be part of 17.5 and there would not be a scrum awarded after it unless some other infringement had occurred (e.g. knock-on by the SH)
I consider the failure of a team to use the available ball no different than their failure to make the ball available in the first place. The end result should be the same - the ball is turned over to the team that did not take the ball into the maul, otherwise, the team that lost the ball benefits by their incompetence/lack of skill.
[LAWS]17.6 (g) [...] the team not in possession of the ball is awarded the throw-in.[/LAWS]
Under what circumstances would you action this bit of law?
When possession of the ball had not changed once the maul had formed, because I don't believe the Law drafter considered 17.6 (c), or the possibility that the team in possession might not be the team that took that ball into the maul, when they drafted this Law.
When you bear in mind other laws, I just reckon that what the 12 yr old said - isn't what he meant. The law reads as though they had not considered the possibility of possession being lost in the maul. Or they assumed that if possession was lost, the ball would be chucked out asap and therefore we would have a successful end to the maul.
THIS!
Its the team that takes the ball into a maul's responsibility to get it out. They didn't do that. If they are so poor as to actually lose the ball in that maul that's their problem. Don't get isolated, and have better in contact skills.
Turnover ball.
didds
100% agree. That is where I am coming from, reward excellence not mediocrity!