Maul - player lifted off his feet

[Jolly Roger]

Last weekend a player was lifted off his feet in a maul by an opposition player who was bound around the waist and driving forward. The lifted player ended up horizontal until he was safely placed back on his feet.
The lifted player was calling for a penalty troughout as well as arguing after the maul that it was illegal to lift a player’s feet above his shoulders.
I called on the lifter / driver to place him down safely and he did so, although the lifted player was in the air for about 5 seconds. I allowed play to continue and informed the irate lifted player that no offence had been made.

I have subsequently reviewed LotG (via the updated App which is very good BTW) and have not been able to identify any offence. It did look wrong though.

Has anyone else come across this situation or have views regarding the Laws?

 

[SimonSmith]

It isn't specifically covered. I think that if you did decide that it was penalisable it would be under 9.11:

[FONT=fs_blakeregular]Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others.

My instinctive reaction is that it is dangerous; however, if the offending player responded immediately and there was no damage I can see a "no penalty but severe chat" scenario playing out.[/FONT]

 

[didds]

I'd suggest also a chat with the lifted player for providing "advice" to the referee...

didds

 

[menace]

Last weekend a player was lifted off his feet in a maul by an opposition player who was bound around the waist and driving forward. The lifted player ended up horizontal until he was safely placed back on his feet.
The lifted player was
...

Law 9.
A player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground.

A lift and past horizontal doesnt have to occur at a tackle to be an offence....it can be at ruck or maul too!
So technically a PK could result if it went to shite...but sounds you managed it before a drop came and wasnt past horizomtal so no PK needed.

I have had similar incident and before a player got injured by being dropped from a great height I pulled it up for safety and restarted with a scrum.
I believe players genuinely appreciate when their safety is protected and not always someone has to be sanctioned.

 

[Phil E]

How was the lifting player grabbing the lifted?
Above the hips, so bound?
Or below the hips, so tackling?

I would suggest tackling a player in a maul is illegal and dangerous.

If he is bound and the player goes up, keep an eye on it and stop for safety if you have to, but as he was put back down and all good I would have played on......and told the lifted player to walk away and leave refereeing to me.

 

[Jolly Roger]

How was the lifting player grabbing the lifted?
Above the hips, so bound?
Or below the hips, so tackling?

Lifting player was bound above the hips, prop lifting 10.

Thank you all for your observations. I could not identify an offence (still can’t) and fully agree with Menace; safety is the referee’s no1 priority at all times. I did think of blowing but kept a very close eye and called (loudly) at lifter to place the player down carefully.

I have also blown when a player is lifted at the tackle without waiting to see how he was returned to the ground and did not receive any complaints with a scrum restart. It is one of those scenarios that is good to consider outside of the match environment, as is the injured player on the ground (reference another current thread on the Forum).

Thanks all.

 

[Marc Wakeham]

It was potentially dangerous if not actually dangerous. What if someone had collapsed the maul whilst the player was held past the horizontal? Manage the situation. TELL the lifter to return him t othe ground / Call the maul over (on safety grounds) and retart with a scrum. Yes tell the "advisor" that you will ref the game / go straight to a PK if you feel the situation demands it.

 

[VM75]

If WR are reading this, and agree [?] then they might consider adding the following into Law

• Maul Law 16
• 11. Players must not:
  • 
  • a] Intentionally collapse a maul or jump on top of it.
  • b] Attempt to drag an opponent out of a maul.
  • c] lift an opponent from the ground in any way that puts him or other players at risk of injury [COLOR=#BC252D !important]Sanction: [/COLOR][COLOR=#BC252D !important]Penalty.[/COLOR]

Sorted?

I'd be seriously [& publicly] admonishing the lifter post maul, to send a clear message to all players that I don't want to see such endangerment of any player.

As for the complainant, i'd have a fair bit of empathy with him, If I was lifted as described in the OP then the lifter would have received a firm encouragement not to do it again !