Never seen this before

[Phil E]

Premiership Rugby, Leicester v Newcastle Video.

http://www.premiershiprugby.tv/LatestVideos?utm_source=latest&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=dropdown

At around 01-13-09 on the slider Leicester get a 5m scrum after Newcastle drag the ball back over their own goal line. The No 8 gets the ball at his feet and while the scrum drives over the line he holds the ball between his feet and "bunny hops" over the line, where the SH dives on the ball.

Never seen that before, has anyone else?

 

[Andrew1974]

Never seen it before...but his 'bunny hop' control was excellent!

 

[Taff]

Are you seen it once (IIRC in a televised Scarlets game last season) but it is illegal.

I was sure that I had read that picking up with your feet was not allowed and sure enough it is in the lawbook. Don't ask me to give you the law number as I am still having Internet problems.

 

[crossref]

[LAWS]20.9 Scrum - general restrictions

(b) All players: Handling in the scrum. Players must not handle the ball in the scrum or pick it up with their legs. Sanction: Penalty kick[/LAWS]

Who would give the PK ?

 

[Dixie]

The No 8 gets the ball at his feet and while the scrum drives over the line he holds the ball between his feet and "bunny hops" over the line, where the SH dives on the ball.

Never seen that before, has anyone else?

Shouldn't have done, because of 20.9(b):

[LAWS]20.9(b) All players: Handling in the scrum. Players must not handle the ball in the scrum or pick it
up with their legs.
Sanction: Penalty kick[/LAWS]

 

[Phil E]

Are feet part of your legs, or a separate body part?

 

[RobLev]

Are feet part of your legs, or a separate body part?

Mine are attached to my legs - aren't yours..?

A little more seriously, I can't see the clip, but since a rugby ball is 580-620mm in girth, or roughly 8 inches in diameter at its widest point, I suspect that he was actually holding the ball with his ankles which are definitively part of the legs.

 

[Blackberry]

Definite penalty from what I hear.... I wonder if we are going to get any imitators of it at our levels next week?

 

[Jacko]

Would have been a penalty try anyway as it happens.

 

[Phil E]

Still from the apex of one of the hops.

View attachment 3004

 

[winchesterref]

[LAWS]20.9 Scrum - general restrictions

(b) All players: Handling in the scrum. Players must not handle the ball in the scrum or pick it up with their legs. Sanction: Penalty kick[/LAWS]

Who would give the PK ?

Me, now you've kindly refreshed my memory!
Clear PK.

 

[Taff]

I had a vague memory that it was an offence, which is why I looked it up after the Scarlets game (in that match it went unpunished) but I would have assumed it was more of a technical offence (ie a FK) than a PK offence.

 

[Dixie]

A related point from the Quins v Irish game: AR (Ash Rowden?) called in a flanker hooking the ball out of the tunnel, and Greg Garner immediately recognised it as the (fairly unusual) FK it is. Professional flanker admitted he had no idea it was an offence.

KML1 of this parish performed sterling TMO work when called upon, unfazed by being named by the commentators as Dean Richards at the start of the match.

 

[irishref]

Yes, I recall Munster doing it a few years ago... Dennis Leamy at 8

http://www.rugbydump.com/2007/11/270/denis-leamys-bunny-hopping-madness-at-the-back-of-the-scrum

 

[OB..]

From Gallaher and Stead's book The Compleat Rugby Footballer (1906)

When we decide to screw the scrum instead of letting the ball go clean out of it, the lock man gives the word. At the same time he dips down and picks the ball up between his knees, and he retains it there until the screwing movement has been completed and he is clear of the scrum

In 1911, this practice started to become common in England, so the RFU introduced a law that it was illegal to pick the ball up in a scrummage by hands or legs.

 

[Browner]

From Gallaher and Stead's book The Compleat Rugby Footballer (1906)

In 1911, this practice started to become common in England, so the RFU introduced a law that it was illegal to pick the ball up in a scrummage by hands or legs.

OB you're a star sometimes, wonderful info.

I can only imagine that picking up the ball with legs/knees/shins/ankles/feet are all done to avoid losing control of the ball whilst scrum is moving, so in that context it has to considered illegal , assuming the intention of this new 1911 law was to negate the practice and make losing control a real possibility.

So, PK it must be.

 

[menace]

Something like this has happened to me in a game, and I viewed it a little differently. Firstly it was a bit if a surprise as I'd never seen it before and honestly I really didn't know what to make of it as my mind flashed through the law book to determine if any laws were broken.

In my instance the #8 when he picked up the ball between his feet had only his 2 hands on the back of his locks so as to maintain stability. So effectively at that time he had unbound and at that point I had deemed the scrum over. Therefore I did not see that as picking the ball up in the scrum. So I would say he has rights to pick up the ball with his feet. But his action had created a potentially effective 'obstruction'. I was prepared to allow players to come round and tackle the #8, but none did, and so the obstruction was not really material either.

Mind you within 2 hops he'd let the ball go to his 9, and he was duly cleaned up by the opposing flanker. No material affect on the game as I viewed it so I was happy to 'play on'.

Thoughts?

Perhaps in hindsight I got that wrong and was better to stop the hopping with a PK? (Not that it happened again so didn't have to 'manage it')

 

[OB..]

In my instance the #8 when he picked up the ball between his feet had only his 2 hands on the back of his locks so as to maintain stability. So effectively at that time he had unbound and at that point I had deemed the scrum over. Therefore I did not see that as picking the ball up in the scrum. So I would say he has rights to pick up the ball with his feet. But his action had created a potentially effective 'obstruction'. I was prepared to allow players to come round and tackle the #8, but none did, and so the obstruction was not really material either.

If you decide the scrum is over, at a time when the opposition might well believe it isn't, you should say so. I suspect both sides thought the scrum was continuing, which is why nobody came round to challenge. They can't tackle if he is just playing the ball with his feet, but they could kick it away or even fall on it.

I do not subscribe to the view that it can only be obstruction if players attempt to get to the ball carrier. It must be likely that they could get to him but for the obstruction, but I see no legal requirement for a token effort.

 

[Browner]

If you decide the scrum is over, at a time when the opposition might well believe it isn't, you should say so. I suspect both sides thought the scrum was continuing, which is why nobody came round to challenge. They can't tackle if he is just playing the ball with his feet, but they could kick it away or even fall on it.
.

This.

Although theoretically if you deem the scrum ended by reason of the bind release, then if a player then picks it up with his knees is he now merely a ball carrier, and liable to being tackled?

In any event a clear shout is best practice, but shout what?

" ball out"
" scrum over"
" play on"
"Bind finished"

? Other

( but not "use it" coz of the 5s expectation)

 

[OB..]

This.

Although theoretically if you deem the scrum ended by reason of the bind release, then if a player then picks it up with his knees is he now merely a ball carrier, and liable to being tackled?

In any event a clear shout is best practice, but shout what?

" ball out"
" scrum over"
" play on"
"Bind finished"

? Other

( but not "use it" coz of the 5s expectation)

Technically if the #8 undinds but does not pick up the ball, it is a PK. Even if you choose to claim he picked it up with his feet, he has still unbound and the scrum is over.

I would recommend shouting "Ball out" so both sidies know the scrum is over.

Then later take an opportunity to explain to the #8 what is rquired.