The new law around the goal line drop out for the ball being held up got me wondering how people are refereeing it.
When I was refereeing, I'd want to see the ball being grounded in goal. If I couldn't see the ball I'd almost always go with a scrum five (except on a few occasions when I was confident enough that it was actually grounded, even if I didn't see).
It didn't make much difference then - held up in goal and play stopped for any other reason would both be a scrum five.
So do referees now have to actually see the ball being held up (or be confident it was) to give the goal line drop out? And would you ever say "I couldn't see if it was held up or not, scrum five"?
I suspect I know the answer.
When I was refereeing, I'd want to see the ball being grounded in goal. If I couldn't see the ball I'd almost always go with a scrum five (except on a few occasions when I was confident enough that it was actually grounded, even if I didn't see).
It didn't make much difference then - held up in goal and play stopped for any other reason would both be a scrum five.
So do referees now have to actually see the ball being held up (or be confident it was) to give the goal line drop out? And would you ever say "I couldn't see if it was held up or not, scrum five"?
I suspect I know the answer.