[Law] Ball kicked hits overhanging tree branch and falls back onto pitch

crossref


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Scenario
- Red take a PK at posts
- ball hits a passing sparrow, and continues through the posts. A few sparrow feathers flutter to the floor

Play on, surely ? Kick awarded.

6.9.f is just silly. They imagined a ball hitting a spider cam, in open play when dead ball / scrum is sensible ... and then without thinking generalised the wording into any object, any phase... which becomes silly
 

Dickie E


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On my RFU AR's course we were told if it hits a tree branch its a lineout, based on the branch is connected to the tree which is in touch.
That puts the ball in touch.

so a SH (outside his 22) puts up a nice box kick that was never going into touch but hits a branch, then it's a "no gain in ground" lineout to opposition? I'm sure he'd be chuffed.
 

CrouchTPEngage


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On my RFU AR's course we were told if it hits a tree branch its a lineout, based on the branch is connected to the tree which is in touch.
That puts the ball in touch.

.....which was the basis of my thinking at the time. Pleased to say I didnt get any complaints after I explained WHY I'd given a lineout.

But hang on, if some of the tree roots were in (stretched under) the field of play, then did the tree take the ball into touch :biggrin:
 

crossref


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I didn't see it, but apparently a conversion in the Wales NZ game hit a spider cam cable yesterday ?

Ball went over anyway and conversion given
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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didds

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I recall a (Test) match in the 70s or 80s where a seagull got sparked out after being hit by a long on/long off drive. a fielder carried its "corpse" to the boundary and as he did so it came round and flew off. For some reason I think it was Lenny Pascoe (the fielder not the seagull).
I know the episode - was the batsman Clive Lloyd? though I thought the fielder was lillee (You are undoutedbly correct!)
 

tim White


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If all participants can see the tree but still kick the ball into it how can they dispute the the decision of the person who comes up with a reasoned argument for a lineout?
 

Dickie E


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If all participants can see the tree but still kick the ball into it how can they dispute the the decision of the person who comes up with a reasoned argument for a lineout?

I still haven't seen any reasoned argument regarding this scenario:

so a SH (outside his 22) puts up a nice box kick that was never going into touch but hits a branch, then it's a "no gain in ground" lineout to opposition?
 

didds

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I suppose the only "reasoned argument" is that for simplicity's sake, a one size fits all ruling shoud be applied, even when its somewhat "daft" (eg the box kick scneario).

That said one would also hope that when the likelihood is high this shoud be a "local rule" (or local explanation etc) that is promulgated to all visiting teams.

What could possibly go wrong?
 

Rich_NL

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I still haven't seen any reasoned argument regarding this scenario:

so a SH (outside his 22) puts up a nice box kick that was never going into touch but hits a branch, then it's a "no gain in ground" lineout to opposition?

Alternatively, he fluffs a kick that would have gone straight out, but gets the gain in ground because a branch was in the way? Consistency is going to lead to odd situations.
 

SimonSmith


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I suppose the only "reasoned argument" is that for simplicity's sake, a one size fits all ruling shoud be applied, even when its somewhat "daft" (eg the box kick scneario).

That said one would also hope that when the likelihood is high this shoud be a "local rule" (or local explanation etc) that is promulgated to all visiting teams.

What could possibly go wrong?
I'm Ok with local rules prevailing. (Etymology fans will be glad to know that's how we actually get the phrase 'ground rules')
 

Dickie E


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Alternatively, he fluffs a kick that would have gone straight out, but gets the gain in ground because a branch was in the way? Consistency is going to lead to odd situations.

No. Hits branch, scrum to team last going forward. As per law.
 

Dickie E


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There is no Law that says it's a scrum ..

[LAWS]Law 19: The referee awards a scrum for any other reason not covered in law.[/LAWS]

maybe it should say "The referee awards a lineout for any other reason not covered in law" but it doesn't.
 

Dickie E


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I'm Ok with local rules prevailing. (Etymology fans will be glad to know that's how we actually get the phrase 'ground rules')

do you draw the line anywhere with 'local rules'? "Ref, we don't have pads for the posts so we have a local rule that we won't run near them". "Ref, it's really wet & windy today. We've agreed that knock ons should only be blown if they're really obvious".
 
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