[Ruck] Jackling - valid or too late?

[ChuckieB]

That may well be the case where you are. In RFU land it was explained to us by an RFU representative and a Premiership Referee that you could could still play the ball after the ruck formed if you had your hands on it previously and didn't lose contact.

....so long as you remained on your feet.

Almost without fail, or so I am seeing, if the player jackling quickly goes off his feet , he is rightly being directed to let go and, if he doesn't, it goes against him.

seems fairly clear to me.

 

[crossref]

That may well be the case where you are. In RFU land it was explained to us by an RFU representative and a Premiership Referee that you could could still play the ball after the ruck formed if you had your hands on it previously and didn't lose contact.

On our Facebook group there was quite a long discussion about this at the start of the season , with both Rich and Phil's different positions put forward. Reading it back I am not sure it was ever resolved with an official announcement.
FWIW I I think Phil's view was coming out on top.

 

[Pinky]

The reason for "immediately" in the law trial is to require the jackler to act before the ruck has formed (or more correctly as the ruck forms and not after the ruck has formed as these are now one man standing rucks.

 

[MadRef77]

WR really dropped the ball with the one-man-ruck thing. There is indeed a proposal to reword it in terms of a single player above the ball after a tackle forming offside lines but not calling it a ruck anymore in order to avoid all the confusion it brought into the ruck law.
The lesson is: don't just rush law trials only because an England's coach gets pissed for losing a half to Italy ;-)

 

[crossref]

I don't think you can blame Eddie Jones for that one .. it's Alain Rolland wasn't it ?

Intriguing that they might be changing the wording .. I hope that's not yet another untested change directly in the production environment

 

[Mr Danes]

That may well be the case where you are. In RFU land it was explained to us by an RFU representative and a Premiership Referee that you could could still play the ball after the ruck formed if you had your hands on it previously and didn't lose contact.

This explains why there is inconsistency in refereeing.

A classic example was dear old Nigel Owens at the 2018 Scotland-England game where he allowed players to jackle for the ball on the ground, after the ruck had formed (in effect "legal" hands in the ruck); thereby ignoring the Law Variation which was in-place at the time.

The 2018 Law couldn't be any clearer; the first person arriving after a tackle can pick up the ball immediately.

As soon as the opposition has arrived (and is competing for the ball by being bound-in, or "attached"), then the Law is very clear: no handling of the ball.

So, if the first person doesn't pick up immediately (not just put hands on) and the opposition have arrived, then the person with hands on the ball must release it and try to ruck over the ball in the traditional manner, hooking the ball back with feet.

The 2018 Law could not be more explicit or clearer.

There's no need to interpret it as the RFU rep & Prem Reff appear to have done back in Apr18.

From the Reff's perspective it's quite straight-forward:

1. Was the tackle legal?
2. Did the first incoming person, after the tackle, pick up the ball immediately (Yes-Open Play, No-Ruck formed)
3. Is someone handling the ball after both teams players have arrived (i.e. ruck formed). Yes=Penalty, hands in the Ruck.

 

[Phil E]

The 2018 Law could not be more explicit or clearer.

That’s the only true statement in your post.

[LAWS]Once a ruck has formed, no player may handle the ball unless they were able to get their hands on the ball before the ruck formed and stay on their feet.
[/LAWS]

 

[crossref]

So, if the first person doesn't pick up immediately (not just put hands on) and the opposition have arrived, then the person with hands on the ball must release it and try to ruck over the ball in the traditional manner, hooking the ball back with feet.

The 2018 Law could not be more explicit or clearer.

I don't see that in the 2018 Law ! - can you give a Law reference ?

 

[CrouchTPEngage]

Worth mentioning the June "Focus Areas" conference which advised:

1) To pick up the ball in a tackle - At least 1 foot must be behind the ball
2) To pick up the ball from a ruck - Both feet must be behind ball.

However - It was noted that "If you manage to see all that as well as watching for ruck offences and backline offisides then you must have 3 pairs of eyes "