Any possibility of obstruction?

Akira Nonaka

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Fantastically designed play but any possibility of obstruction of red 1 or 4?
(Video link updated)
 
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Stu10


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"This video is not available"
 

Locke


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Video is showing as not available. Not sure if it’s geolocked or completely down.
 

Akira Nonaka

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Ops! It looks like geolocked. I will try to get another video.
 

Akira Nonaka

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Video link updated. Hope this works.
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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Ok for me. I can't imagine they'll do it every week! :)
 

DocP


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Great play. Don't see as obstruction as Blue never actually tried to go for the ball.

Definitely not repeatable week in week out. Bet it was a Faf concoction. Clever thinking.
 

crossref


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red 1 might be obstructing - indeed isn't that really the whole purpose of his run ? He makes contact with a blue player.
 

DocP


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For me Red 1 is clearly past the ball when he makes glancing contact and there are other Blue players who were closer to play the ball but hesitated. I see your point. Suppose it would go down to the ref on the. If it was me, with no To4, then that is a try as there is so much going on I never would've picked that up o_O
 

crossref


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F Suppose it would go down to the ref on the. If it was me, with no To4, then that is a try as there is so much going on I never would've picked that up o_O
i definitely agree with that !

but as a TMO - I'd say Red 1 is the key issue, and I could see it going either way.

I do like trick moves! There should be more of them, especially at amateur level where no TMO + a confused ref should work to your advantage.
 

DocP


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I remember practicing trick penalty moves as a kid where 3 players would stand with backs to the opposition to hide the ball after they received it so there was confusion as to where the play was going. I wonder why they fizzled out. Probably because the 3 chaps in the wall didn't fancy get a blind shot in the back. All good fun though
 

Stu10


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This is the point the FDK picks up the ball... two defenders have a clear line to him, so no penalty for obstruction. However, you could argue that red 1 has taken out a defender, but in the modern game this appears to be accepted providing there are other defenders in place. If the defender taken out by red 1 was the only defender than I would definitely award a penalty; however, I'm not sure where in the laws or guidance directs me to these two different outcomes (play on vs penalty).

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I remember practicing trick penalty moves as a kid where 3 players would stand with backs to the opposition to hide the ball after they received it so there was confusion as to where the play was going. I wonder why they fizzled out. Probably because the 3 chaps in the wall didn't fancy get a blind shot in the back. All good fun though
I'm trying to introduce this to our u16's, but the other coaches are less experienced (in playing years) and don't believe such a thing can work in a game (whereas my experience says otherwise).
 
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didds

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weve had conversations here before where people claimed that the wa;ll of three consitutes blocking and theyd ping it. The entire point is to draw defenders right uop to the wall before the pass occurs so maybe that has some validity
 

Stu10


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weve had conversations here before where people claimed that the wa;ll of three consitutes blocking and theyd ping it. The entire point is to draw defenders right uop to the wall before the pass occurs so maybe that has some validity
It depends on the execution... typically the scrum half passes the ball to one of the players in the wall, and the opposition have a direct line to that player, therefore no obstruction. Of course, obstruction only counts if the ball carrier is unsighted, not a support runner.

The scrum-half will typically run a wrap-around line first... this is the only contentious issue IMHO... there was discussion in my younger years that the furthest player in the wall needed to have possession and offload to the scrumhalf to avoid a blocking penalty (so the wall could be slightly angled and the ball quickly transferred), and I recommend a wall of 2 players to reduce this risk; however, I can't see that being penalised in the modern game that is littered with dummy runners and pull back passes.

If the scrum half does not get the ball back, then the ball is popped to a player running to one side of the "wall", or potentially the wall splits and a runner comes up the middle, but in each of these options there is a clear line between ball carrier and defenders.
 
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Locke


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Very tough for me to rule on red 1. The defender is clearly “obstructed” but does he have a realistic chance of getting to the ball or FDK as the play moves away? My gut says no.
 
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