Intentional knock-on?

[Agustin]

I've been reading these forums for a few days now and I thought I'd pop in with a question.

The scenario is: red scrum, red #9 picks up the ball from the back, hesitates for a moment or two and attempts a pass to his #10. Because of the delay, blue #9 has time to dive, arms outstretched, and get in the way of the pass, knocking the ball forward.

Do you award a scrum or a penalty?

 

[Mike Whittaker]

I've been reading these forums for a few days now and I thought I'd pop in with a question.

The scenario is: red scrum, red #9 picks up the ball from the back, hesitates for a moment or two and attempts a pass to his #10. Because of the delay, blue #9 has time to dive, arms outstretched, and get in the way of the pass, knocking the ball forward.

Do you award a scrum or a penalty?

Before the 'letter of the law' answers come in Augustin, ask yourself what the intention was of the blue #9. Was he trying to secure the ball or prevent red #10 getting it? Was he being positive or negative? Is the player a 13yr old novice or a seasoned veteran? Were blue team 50 points behind?

Don't answer these questions, make your decision and be prepared to justify it. Manage the situation... You are the sole judge in this.

 

[Simon Griffiths]

As Mike says, think about 'intentions' to decide if it was intentional. Although, as a rule, I would say that a player diving through the air between passer and recipient is probably not trying for an intercept (especially with outstretched arms). So in this situation, I would probably suggets a PK 80% of the time. Of course, that is a generalisation, and as Mike says, if he genuinly looks like he is attempting an intercept rather than just a block, then you'd go scrum.

 

[madref]

FK to Blue red scrun half dummying ?

PK if you think the knock on was delibarate

Scrum if you think it is a knock on

Loads of thing it can be, again look at the context of the game!

David

 

[Simon Griffiths]

Can't for the life of me imagine why it would be a FK for dummying. From the description the scrum half has picked the ball up already, he's just hesitant. No dummying that the ball is out from the base from what I can work out.

 

[Agustin]

Thanks for the feedback.

It wasn't a case of dummying from the base, the red #9 picked up the ball so the scrum was clearly over, he just took his time to make the pass. (As an old coach would put it, he was reading the writing on the ball.)

I ended up giving a scrum, because I didn't feel the blue #9 intentionally knocked-on, but now I'm reconsidering. Even if he didn't intentionally knock-on, he probably should have known what the outcome would be. (It was a lower level men's match and the blue #9 was his side's captain, so he had some experience.)