Interrupted tackle sequence...

[BurritoKing]

I’ll try to describe this, but please bear with me.

Ball carrier A was tackled by player B so when the landed they formed an L with the ball carrier A landing north/south and the tackler B laying on the ball carriers legs going east/west.

Immediately, the ball carrier released the ball in the area between both players. No ruck had been formed yet, and then the original ball carrier (player A) picked up the ball to set it behind the tackler (player B) who was still lying on player A’s legs.

Before I tell you what I called, what do you think should have happened?

 

[Dixie]

PK against A for playing the ball on the ground. He'd exercised his options as permitted by Law 14; at that point, he's required to roll away and/or get up. He did neither, so it's a PK against.

 

[BurritoKing]

That is exactly what I did. PK for playing the ball while on the ground. And afterwards the coach had a few choice words for me, telling me that I was wrong for not penalizing player B for not rolling away. The coach was claiming that the tackle sequence was not followed (tackler release, ball carrier play it...). I explained that the ball carrier did exercise his option and released the ball. Had he not do so, then the tackler would have been penalized.

I am waiting for the video to confirm it and then an apology from the coach, but my guess is I will get neither.

 

[OB..]

The tackle sequence is convention, not law. Law 15 requires both players to act immediately, not one after the other.

The convention is good in helping referee the tackle area in most situations. Often the ball carrier cannot do anything until released. In this case, even if the tackler was too slow in releasing, it does not excuse playing the ball on the ground.

(Was the pitch oriented north/south, or east/west?)

 

[chbg]

No, but the first offence must be the tackler not rolling away - that he has not done 'immediately'. Indeed so slowly that BC has time to do 3 actions (place ball, wait, pick ball up), and indeed a 4th (place ball down again). If tackler had tried to get up or roll away, he would have interferred with BC's 3rd & 4th actions?

The case for the defence, M'Lud.

 

[didds]

was the tackled player material?

I suppose there is a case for saying he was as the tackled player (presumably?) thought it wise to move the placed ball past the tackler.

i dunno, me!

didds

 

[The Fat]

I'll go with Dixie on this one.
The tackle "sequence" is there to guide the ref and get a logical chain of events to allow the ball carrier/tackled player to exercise his options and make the ball available.
The tackler, although technically not having released, had not prevented the tackled player from exercising his options. Had the tackled player not "played the ball while on the ground" (second placement of the ball), you would have pinged the tackler for not releasing. These things can happen so quickly. In the opening RWC match, Ma Nonu was tackled, placed the ball and then played it again (whilst still on the ground) before the tackler had time to release. In that instance, Nonu got away with it and they played on when in fact the referee should have done what you did and PK the tackled player for playing the ball while being off his feet.

 

[BurritoKing]

The pitch was orientated in such that the tackler was parallel with the goal line and the ball carrier was parallel to the touchline. It took place around the defensive 10 meter line.

Also to add - I was wondering why any other player didn't arrive and just pick up the ball. The time it took for the entire sequence seemed to last forever and after the BC had "replaced" it, arriving players finally got there. Most likely it only took a few seconds, but when you focus in on it, you can't believe that the player is actually going through with it.

I am guessing that something preventative could have been said at the time, but that match is over. Store this in the memory bank for future reference.

 

[Phil E]

If theres no one there to pick up the ball, why PK? Materiality.

If someone is trying to get the ball and this move prevented it, then PK away.

Don't blow if you dont have to.

 

[Dixie]

Ma Nonu was tackled, placed the ball and then played it again.

The ref probably wondered why a middle-aged lady was playing the game, when her son Ma'a would have been arguably more effective! :buttkick:

 

[The Fat]

The ref probably wondered why a middle-aged lady was playing the game, when her son Ma'a would have been arguably more effective! :buttkick:

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
I obviously struggle with the NZ names, pronunciation, language etc etc, unlike the young lady supporting Ireland (v USA) wearing a green T-shirt decorated with shamrocks and the words, " Fiddle Dee Dee Bro' "