I'm party pooping again....

[FightOrFlight]

http://www.rugbyonslaught.com/2015/01/bayonnes-santiago-fernandezs-clever-use.html




People think this is smart "use" but to me this is breaking the laws and a missed call by the ref.

He clearly drops the ball over the line for the restart and breaks law 13.1.

Allowing a kick just over the line if it goes long may not be material although it's bad practice but here it is highly material.

For me this should have been called back

 

[Camquin]

If everyone is deep, kicking short and chasing hard is smart.
I agree the kick should be taken from the correct place.
He lines up behind the line and probably does step over.

Of course it should have been pulled back, provided you ping every hooker who stands with toes in thei field of play when they thow in.

 

[Taff]

If I'm honest, I wouldn't have called him back. It was close enough I reckon.

Maybe a case for a quiet word before the next KO / Restart though.

 

[Browner]

The couple of feet he 'steals' at the kick is (IMO) immaterial when compared to the several metres distance between his pick up and the poorly positioned receiving team.

I enjoyed seeing the invention :clap:

 

[Dixie]

Personally, I HATE kickers dropping the ball beyond the line. They have 50m of legal leeway behind it, but none beyond it. Nonetheless, I think most of us would feel like dickheads for pulling back the average kick-off if the ball was dropped 50cm ahead of the line - why is this one any different? As a cadre, we refs have lost control of this one in our efforts not to sweat the little things. I don't see how you can pull this one back but let the average one go.

 

[Browner]

Nonetheless, I think most of us would feel like dickheads for pulling back the average kick-off if the ball was dropped 50cm ahead of the line - why is this one any different?
As a cadre, we refs have lost control of this one in our efforts not to sweat the little things. I don't see how you can pull this one back but let the average one go.

Yep, This.

 

[Pegleg]

Agree with the replies. Play on but a little word about it.

 

[crossref]

I agree play on.
What's the point of having a word? They aren't going to do it twice

 

[Taff]

I agree play on. What's the point of having a word? They aren't going to do it twice

You'd put money on that would you? :biggrin:

 

[The umpire]

Clever stuff like that should be applauded, not pulled back for petty gotcha inches.

 

[SimonSmith]

Chances of that getting spotted? Aren't we meant to be checking that no-one's in front of the kicker?

 

[FightOrFlight]

Chances of that getting spotted? Aren't we meant to be checking that no-one's in front of the kicker?

If correctly positioned you can see both looking across the line.

It's interesting to see the reactions of referees from other Unions here. In Ireland this is always pulled up. You will be marked down if you allow a player take a kickoff in front of the line. Perhaps if it goes long you may get away with having a word and keep a half point but if this happened(short kick) you would be pulled up on it after the game.

 

[Dixie]

If correctly positioned you can see both looking across the line.

It's interesting to see the reactions of referees from other Unions here. In Ireland this is always pulled up. You will be marked down if you allow a player take a kickoff in front of the line. Perhaps if it goes long you may get away with having a word and keep a half point but if this happened(short kick) you would be pulled up on it after the game.

That's fascinating - and encouraging. So just to be clear, it's Valentines Day, Ireland v France at the Aviva. It's the first kick of the game and Sexton drop kicks the ball 5cm ahead of the halfway line. All Ireland would be happy that the referee blows up and offers the option, with France taking the scrum?

I can't wait to watch for it now.