Volun-selected
Referees in America
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2018
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I see the “or” as there to avoid this scenario.
10.4 An offside player may be penalised, if that player:
a. Interferes with play; or
b. Moves forwards towards the ball; or
c. Was in front of a team-mate who kicked the ball and fails to retire immediately behind an onside team-mate or an imaginary line across the field 10 metres on that player’s side from where the ball is caught or lands, even if it hits a goal post or crossbar first. If this involves more than one player, then the player closest to where the ball lands or is caught is the one penalised. This is known as the 10-metre law and still applies if the ball touches or is played by an opponent but not when the kick is charged down.
10.4 An offside player may be penalised, if that player:
a. Interferes with play; or
b. Moves forwards towards the ball; or
c. Was in front of a team-mate who kicked the ball and fails to retire immediately behind an onside team-mate or an imaginary line across the field 10 metres on that player’s side from where the ball is caught or lands, even if it hits a goal post or crossbar first. If this involves more than one player, then the player closest to where the ball lands or is caught is the one penalised. This is known as the 10-metre law and still applies if the ball touches or is played by an opponent but not when the kick is charged down.
For me, the law says that if you’re in front of the kicker you need to start moving back until back onside (by whatever method).
The ”or” is there to delineate that if within 10m you have extra limitations.
For the OP scenario I don’t understand why we need new laws. They stand there, they are failing “to retire immediately“ and so they’re offside. They repeat the strategy so they are also interfering with play … and still they’re offside.
If they want to do the knackered prop stroll rather than winger run back, I’d give some leeway but I’d expect them to be actively moving back.