chbg
Referees in England
- Joined
- May 15, 2009
- Messages
- 1,487
- Solutions
- 1
- Post Likes
- 445
- Current Referee grade:
- Level 7
Well I can't see whether anyone got close to the RFU answer!
Law 3.3: Replacements are made only when the ball is dead and only with the permission of the referee.
Definitions: The ball is dead when the referee blows the whistle to stop play or following an unsuccessful conversion.
Law 6.8: The referee carries a whistle and blows it:
e. When the ball becomes dead, other than after a failed conversion kick.
g. When a penalty, free-kick or scrum is awarded.
Law 6.9: The referee will deem the ball to be dead when:
a. The ball is in touch or touch in-goal.
b. The ball is grounded in in-goal.
c. A conversion has been attempted.
d. A try, penalty or dropped goal has been scored.
e. The ball or ball-carrier touches the dead-ball line or anything beyond it.
f. The ball hits anything above the playing area.
That's it! So the ball is not dead when a penalty, free-kick or scrum is awarded and therefore replacements may not be made?
RFU response was passed on as:
"there are inconsistencies in the Law Book (Definitions, 6.8 and 6.9) but by custom & practice replacements are allowed at scrums and PKs".
So: custom and practice trump a literal and strict interpretation of written Law.
I shall certainly bear this in mind in future forum discussions.
So the question becomes: what is custom and practice for making replacements after a PK, FK or scrum is awarded (and indeed at a subsequent line-out)?
Law 3.3: Replacements are made only when the ball is dead and only with the permission of the referee.
Definitions: The ball is dead when the referee blows the whistle to stop play or following an unsuccessful conversion.
Law 6.8: The referee carries a whistle and blows it:
e. When the ball becomes dead, other than after a failed conversion kick.
g. When a penalty, free-kick or scrum is awarded.
Law 6.9: The referee will deem the ball to be dead when:
a. The ball is in touch or touch in-goal.
b. The ball is grounded in in-goal.
c. A conversion has been attempted.
d. A try, penalty or dropped goal has been scored.
e. The ball or ball-carrier touches the dead-ball line or anything beyond it.
f. The ball hits anything above the playing area.
That's it! So the ball is not dead when a penalty, free-kick or scrum is awarded and therefore replacements may not be made?
RFU response was passed on as:
"there are inconsistencies in the Law Book (Definitions, 6.8 and 6.9) but by custom & practice replacements are allowed at scrums and PKs".
So: custom and practice trump a literal and strict interpretation of written Law.
I shall certainly bear this in mind in future forum discussions.
So the question becomes: what is custom and practice for making replacements after a PK, FK or scrum is awarded (and indeed at a subsequent line-out)?