CrouchTPEngage
Referees in England
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
- Messages
- 498
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- 58
- Current Referee grade:
- Level 8
Tonight , a decision sparked some debate in my house.
Gloucester are attacking inside the Bristol 22, a pass is intercepted and the Bristol player sprints about 80 metres and looks like he is going to score. Some great defensive work by a Gloucester chaser who tackles him about 4 metres from the Gloucester goal-line.
There is a ruck at that tackle and there are a lot of Gloucester players running back to try to get into the defence-line.
The Gloucester 7 is running backwards but never gets back to the offside line. However, the Bristol 9 passes the ball from the ruck to a team-mate and the Gloucester 7 ( who was offside) almost immediately tackles him, on his way back to the (now ended) ruck's offside line. Referee awards a PK against Gloucester's 7 and yellow-cards him. Easy to spot and cynical.
Then someone asks me "But wasnt he put onside by the action of the Bristol 9 passing from the back of the ruck?"
Law 10.6 says :
[LAWS]an offside player can be put onside when:
c. An opponent of that player:
i. Carries the ball five metres; or
ii. Passes the ball; or
iii. Kicks the ball; or
iv. Intentionally touches the ball without gaining possession of it.[/LAWS]
Thoughts ?
My explanation is that you cannot loiter offised in order to get an advantage when the bal is passed out. But this defender was not "loitering", he was sprinting back to try to get to his defensive line.
But . to answer my own question:
[LAWS]8. A player who is offside at a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout remains offside, even after the
ruck, maul, scrum or lineout has ended.
9. The player can be put onside only if:
a. That player immediately retires behind the applicable offside line; or
b. An opposition player carries the ball five metres in any direction; or
c. An opposition player kicks the ball.
10. An offside player may be penalised if that player:
a. Fails to retire without undue delay and benefits from being put onside in a more
advantageous position; or
b. Interferes with play; or
c. Moves towards the ball.[/LAWS]
Gloucester are attacking inside the Bristol 22, a pass is intercepted and the Bristol player sprints about 80 metres and looks like he is going to score. Some great defensive work by a Gloucester chaser who tackles him about 4 metres from the Gloucester goal-line.
There is a ruck at that tackle and there are a lot of Gloucester players running back to try to get into the defence-line.
The Gloucester 7 is running backwards but never gets back to the offside line. However, the Bristol 9 passes the ball from the ruck to a team-mate and the Gloucester 7 ( who was offside) almost immediately tackles him, on his way back to the (now ended) ruck's offside line. Referee awards a PK against Gloucester's 7 and yellow-cards him. Easy to spot and cynical.
Then someone asks me "But wasnt he put onside by the action of the Bristol 9 passing from the back of the ruck?"
Law 10.6 says :
[LAWS]an offside player can be put onside when:
c. An opponent of that player:
i. Carries the ball five metres; or
ii. Passes the ball; or
iii. Kicks the ball; or
iv. Intentionally touches the ball without gaining possession of it.[/LAWS]
Thoughts ?
My explanation is that you cannot loiter offised in order to get an advantage when the bal is passed out. But this defender was not "loitering", he was sprinting back to try to get to his defensive line.
But . to answer my own question:
[LAWS]8. A player who is offside at a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout remains offside, even after the
ruck, maul, scrum or lineout has ended.
9. The player can be put onside only if:
a. That player immediately retires behind the applicable offside line; or
b. An opposition player carries the ball five metres in any direction; or
c. An opposition player kicks the ball.
10. An offside player may be penalised if that player:
a. Fails to retire without undue delay and benefits from being put onside in a more
advantageous position; or
b. Interferes with play; or
c. Moves towards the ball.[/LAWS]
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