Steflach
Referees in Canada
- Joined
- May 28, 2022
- Messages
- 3
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- Current Referee grade:
- Level 6
I'm almost certain this is offside, but I can't find the law that explicitly makes this clear.
Blue v Red. Red team kicks in open play. Blue player charges it down, and one of his teammates is ahead of him and picks the ball up, runs in and scores. Chaos on sidelines, all players on red team stopped, expecting a whistle for offside.
Referee checks with his AR, and both agree that, essentially "charge down puts everyone onside, so the try stands."
Now, there is no law that says "charge down puts everyone onside," but I have heard this said many, many times. Not many mentions of charge down in the laws actually. But for me, 10.1 is the relevant law, right? As in "A player is offside in open play if that player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or who last played it. An offside player must not interfere with play."
Surely by charging down, the blue player has "played it" and therefor the scorer was offside in open play, and correct decision is a penalty to red.
But does 10.4c make it unclear? "This is known as the 10-metre law and still applies if the ball touches or is played by an opponent but not when the kick is charged down."
My thinking is that the mention of "opponent" here is important. So this does not apply if your teammate is the one who charges down.
Can anyone confirm I'm right, or correct me with reference to the exact law.
Thanks refs!
Blue v Red. Red team kicks in open play. Blue player charges it down, and one of his teammates is ahead of him and picks the ball up, runs in and scores. Chaos on sidelines, all players on red team stopped, expecting a whistle for offside.
Referee checks with his AR, and both agree that, essentially "charge down puts everyone onside, so the try stands."
Now, there is no law that says "charge down puts everyone onside," but I have heard this said many, many times. Not many mentions of charge down in the laws actually. But for me, 10.1 is the relevant law, right? As in "A player is offside in open play if that player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or who last played it. An offside player must not interfere with play."
Surely by charging down, the blue player has "played it" and therefor the scorer was offside in open play, and correct decision is a penalty to red.
But does 10.4c make it unclear? "This is known as the 10-metre law and still applies if the ball touches or is played by an opponent but not when the kick is charged down."
My thinking is that the mention of "opponent" here is important. So this does not apply if your teammate is the one who charges down.
Can anyone confirm I'm right, or correct me with reference to the exact law.
Thanks refs!