[Law] Ball hits the spider cam

crossref


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the Law is too prescriptive anyway.

In this instance, if I am correct, the ball fell down to the pitch, so the Law was appropriate : the ball has to be considered dead

next time it could be that the ball is kicked for touch, and makes a glancing contact the spider cam and continues on its way into touch. In those circumstances really it would be fairest to play on. But the Law as drafted would prevent that.

better to have some discretion

Or --- It's so rare that - tbh- I wonder if the answer could be same as when the ball hits the posts, or the corner flag -- luck of the draw, play on.
 

Locke


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I'm sure that is correct in law but would seem a tad unfair if eg
red on own 5m line under no pressure kicks for touch clearance and as its heading for the oppo 10m line it hits the spidercam over half way line and it ends up as a scrum on their own 5m line with oppo right on top of them...
Agreed. Based on “The referee awards a scrum for any other reason not covered in law” table entry, I’d award the scrum to the team that kicked it, under where ball hit the camera/drone/pigeon (or closest spot in the scrum zone).

Now, to remove my credibility, if a penalty or conversion kick were taken and ball hits an object in the air before reaching plane of the posts, I’d have them take it again. If it hit the object after reaching the plane of the posts, I’d let the result stand. None of this is supported by law, but instead by what I find to be common sense. 🤷‍♂️
 

crossref


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Now, to remove my credibility, if a penalty or conversion kick were taken and ball hits an object in the air before reaching plane of the posts, I’d have them take it again. 🤷‍♂️
what if the ball hit a drone and took the drone with it through the posts?
 

Locke


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what if the ball hit a drone and took the drone with it through the posts?
Haha, I love it. What a fun scenario that would be on the field. I’m with Sméagol on this one. If it hits the drone before going through the uprights, I think I’d have to have them retake the kick. That being said, I’d be disappointed to do so if it was already clear that it was going to be successful before it hit the object.
 

crossref


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IMO, what happens after the contact with drone is irrelevant; ball is dead upon contact.
That is certainly correct in Law
But in Law there is then no mechanism for letting them take the PK or conversion again.
It would be a scrum, or restart respectively

So we need to bend the Law as I imagine we would want them to take kick again?

The law is so poorly thought through

For me if it took the drone through the posts, I'd just award the kick
 
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Dickie E


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Haha, I love it. What a fun scenario that would be on the field. I’m with Sméagol on this one. If it hits the drone before going through the uprights, I think I’d have to have them retake the kick. That being said, I’d be disappointed to do so if it was already clear that it was going to be successful before it hit the object.
how about if the kick was clearly missing the sticks when it hit the drone?

There is/used to be something in the laws about when a ball carrier in goal made contact with an official, the ref would make an assessment about what would have happened if the contact hadn't been made. That would be a good process for spidercam, drone, etc
 
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didds

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IMO, what happens after the contact with drone is irrelevant; ball is dead upon contact.
what about a bird?

last play of extra time in a RWC final (clock is red) , the winning drop goal is sailing between the posts and just before it breaks the plane a bird flies into the ball. The bird is stunned, the ball continues its path hardly affected and completes its journey between the posts.

PEEP goes the ref. Scrum down. game over.


:)
 

crossref


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what about a bird?

last play of extra time in a RWC final (clock is red) , the winning drop goal is sailing between the posts and just before it breaks the plane a bird flies into the ball. The bird is stunned, the ball continues its path hardly affected and completes its journey between the posts.

PEEP goes the ref. Scrum down. game over.


:)
replace bird with spider cam and same problem - whether ball continues through posts, or falls to ground.

..and the Law book doesn't help resolve it, as they didn't think it all through
 

didds

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replace bird with spider cam and same problem - whether ball continues through posts, or falls to ground.
exactly. I selected a bird as its more likely to be between a kicker and the posts, and there entirely accidentally.
The spidercam/drone scenario could open the door to malicious forces trying to save "their team" (in a conspiracy theory world akin to home TV producers not finding all the angles !)
 

crossref


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Yes, well I can excuse the Law makers not writing laws to deal with malicious sabotage attempts!

But if they are going to write a Law to deal with accidental spider cam collisions, then they need to think it through

I would have gone for something more like
.. if neither team gets an advantage play on
.. if one team does get an advantage
Kick from open play - scrum under the cam
PK or conversion - kick retaken

Note : If time has expired, the half does not end.

That would probably deal with every scenario
 

ianh5979


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Yes, well I can excuse the Law makers not writing laws to deal with malicious sabotage attempts!

But if they are going to write a Law to deal with accidental spider cam collisions, then they need to think it through

I would have gone for something more like
.. if neither team gets an advantage play on
.. if one team does get an advantage
Kick from open play - scrum under the cam
PK or conversion - kick retaken

Note : If time has expired, the half does not end.

That would probably deal with every scenario
far too sensible!!
 
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