Maul Box Kick

[Adam]

Black have created a maul, with their 8 in possession at the back. Blue 4 has joined the maul legally and is still bound onto the maul.

Black 9 picks the ball out of the maul and tries a box kick. Blue 4 unbinds just after this and charges said kick down.

Decision?

 

[RobLev]

Black have created a maul, with their 8 in possession at the back. Blue 4 has joined the maul legally and is still bound onto the maul.

Black 9 picks the ball out of the maul and tries a box kick. Blue 4 unbinds just after this and charges said kick down.

Decision?

Play on?

Once the ball is with the SH, the maul is over; he can unbind without being offside etc etc. Or am I missing something?

 

[Adam]

Does blue 4 have to retire behind the hindmost foot before playing the ball.

Can I have law references please?

 

[Pegleg]

The hindmost foot the "joining point" and the offside line for those not bound in the maul. Once the maul is over all the player that were onside during the maul are on side.

Your law reference is Law 17 and law 11.8

 

[Adam]

And if we extrapolate that exact situation to the 9 picking the ball from the ruck?

 

[chbg]

When is the ball out in your rucks? If the player was onside when the ruck completed then he remains onside. He has to be bound onto other players in the ruck; other players do not have to bind onto him. Why should he have to retire away from the opposition, particularly if he has come through the centre of the ruck? If on the edge, did he get there legally and was he fully bound on until the ruck was over/ball left the ruck?

 

[Adam]

That's exactly what I thought. Many thanks all.

 

[MrQeu]

And what about flankers and second rowers in a ruck with a palm on the back of a prop blocking any oppo player trying to charge-down. Are they bound? Are they on-side?

 

[Pegleg]

No & no again.

 

[beckett50]

The off-side line at a maul runs through the hindmost foot of the player nearest their goal line. If a participating player unbinds (or becomes uncaught) and is in front of the hindmost foot he/she if off-side and liable to be penalised if they interfere with play - in this example a charge down is interfering with play.

Now, if your #4 has the speed of foot to get from behind the back foot to the #9 to effect a charge down then "play on". However, from what you describe, he left the maul - and was too in an off-side position - and failed to retire onside and interfered with play.

PK off-side.

 

[RobLev]

The off-side line at a maul runs through the hindmost foot of the player nearest their goal line. If a participating player unbinds (or becomes uncaught) and is in front of the hindmost foot he/she if off-side and liable to be penalised if they interfere with play - in this example a charge down is interfering with play.

Now, if your #4 has the speed of foot to get from behind the back foot to the #9 to effect a charge down then "play on". However, from what you describe, he left the maul - and was too in an off-side position - and failed to retire onside and interfered with play.

PK off-side.

The ball had left the maul (and the maul had therefore ended - 17.5) before he dropped his bind; why is he offside?

 

[CrouchTPEngage]

If the maul turns 90 degrees or more. Where is the offside line ? Is it the hindmost foot of "any" player ?

 

[OB..]

If the maul turns 90 degrees or more. Where is the offside line ? Is it the hindmost foot of "any" player ?

Yes.
[LAWS]The offside line. There are two offside lines parallel to the goal lines, one for each team. Each offside line runs through the hindmost foot of the hindmost player in the maul.[/LAWS]