Hooker at lineout

Dave Elliott

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So, you watch the prem, hooker is nearly a few inches in field at the line out, on Saturday I had a player with his heels touching the line, just. He said the line is ok.

question is what do you deem as outside the field of play? Is it the line, or outside the line?

E5419BA4-FA26-4425-AE27-C3EBDD6A7017.jpeg

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  1. The player throwing in the ball stands on the mark of touch with both feet outside the field of play. The thrower must not step into the field of play until the ball has been thrown. Sanction: Option of lineout or scrum.
 

Balones

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We have had a long thread on this in the past. Basically the result was that there was no precise answer to the question because the definition does not provide enough detail. The line is regarded as being in touch so the fact that both heels are in touch means he cannot be in the field of play. So the player could argue he was correct. Howeve, others could argue that the intention of the instruction was that both feet should be completely outside the field of play. That means that only his toes could be on the line. Unfortunately the instruction is not clear enough.
 

crossref


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and convention has changed, it used to be whole feet outside, convention nowadays has moved (or is moving) to heels on line
 

Arabcheif

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Well, heels on the line usually mean that they come off the line when the hooker moves his/her body weight forward. So when the ball is released he is in the FoP. But the reality is lone GR ref isn't gonna see that. Maybe if you had an AR... bit it pains me to say, I've got too much else going on for what amounts to be 99% immaterial. With an AR, yes I may ask them to let me know. First time it happens stop the game, retake the LO with a warning not to do it again.
 

crossref


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Immateriality is a red herring .
Everyone has a line they consider material, it's just a question of where it is

What if hooker lines up with both heels 1cm inside the paint?
 

Zebra1922


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You're talking literally a foot difference from toes behind to heels on the line. I've got other things to worry about.
 

Camquin

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Which is why it is the touch judges job.
The law book has very few duties for a touch judge, one of them is indicating that the person throwing in has stepped into the field of play.

Law 26c

When the ball is thrown in, the assistant referee or touch judge lowers the flag, with the following exceptions:
  1. When the player throwing in puts any part of either foot in the field of play.
 

tim White


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Ask yourself "what advantage is he/she gaining?" As long as you are consistent for both teams (I would suggest some contact with the line is acceptable and easily managed) don't go looking for problems.
 

Jarrod Burton


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On the line or outside the line is immaterial. Get on with the match and worry about other important stuff.
 

Jarrod Burton


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what about heels completely inside the line ?
In the field of play so a) manage before/at the throw or b) ping if ongoing. The 2-3 inches of difference between off the field completely and part of a foot on the line is immaterial in the scheme of things. I'm worrying about numbers, consistent gap, are the backs are onside, is the opposing hooker being a dick and waving or yelling to disrupt the call, getting into a position to accurately see the throw but be ready to move and a heap of other stuff.
 

Jarrod Burton


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Which is why it is the touch judges job.
The law book has very few duties for a touch judge, one of them is indicating that the person throwing in has stepped into the field of play.

Law 26c

When the ball is thrown in, the assistant referee or touch judge lowers the flag, with the following exceptions:
  1. When the player throwing in puts any part of either foot in the field of play.
Unless they are mic'ed up you aren't going to know until the next lineout - I generally don't look to the AR after the throw. If you don't get told until the next LO, I manage it then.
 

didds

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Which is why it is the touch judges job.
The law book has very few duties for a touch judge, one of them is indicating that the person throwing in has stepped into the field of play.

Law 26c

When the ball is thrown in, the assistant referee or touch judge lowers the flag, with the following exceptions:
  1. When the player throwing in puts any part of either foot in the field of play.
genuine question for you grassroots refs.

Do you have a look "after" the L/O to see if the touch judge has lowered his flag? especially (?) given that the TJ at a 2nd XV game at level 10/11 is probably a bench player?

and what should the TJ do after being ignored totally? Stay there with his flag up? Or just give up and not bother next time?
 

Stu10


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At low level I don't think you can rely on the TJ. I think as a ref you can vary your positioning on a couple of occasions to get sight of the hooker, and if you see him creeping in then have a word going to the next lineout.
 

Marc Wakeham


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What is material?

1cm over No
2cm over No
ETC
30cm over No
31cm* over YES PING PING PING.

Select you optional distance. Why is 1 extra cm at amy point more material than the previous figure? Who decides. The invididual referee or Convention?

I'm not saying any previous poster is right or wrong but where (and why) is the millimeter that "breaks the camel#s back"?
 
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crossref


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In the field of play so a) manage before/at the throw or b) ping if ongoing. The 2-3 inches of difference between off the field completely and part of a foot on the line is immaterial in the scheme of things. I'm worrying about numbers, consistent gap, are the backs are onside, is the opposing hooker being a dick and waving or yelling to disrupt the call, getting into a position to accurately see the throw but be ready to move and a heap of other stuff.
Exactly, so 1cm IS material, if it's 1cm the wrong side of the boundary, and then you'll have to manage it out

This question isn't about materiality, it's about where the boundary is
 

didds

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At low level I don't think you can rely on the TJ. I think as a ref you can vary your positioning on a couple of occasions to get sight of the hooker, and if you see him creeping in then have a word going to the next lineout.
I get that. But the law definitely says a TJ can do this as part of their duties. so whats the point ?
 

Stu10


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I get that. But the law definitely says a TJ can do this as part of their duties. so whats the point ?
I assume the law was written to cover all levels of play. For example, a TJ may signal for foul play, but I've never played a game that the ref has ever taken the word of the TJ calling out foul play (however, at my level the TJ is always a sub or volunteer).
 

Camquin

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Crossref - law 6 says any part of the foot in the field of play.
The definitions state the field of play goes up to, but does not include the paint.
 
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