offside

[JDET]

Wale V Argentina 48th minute. Red 7 makes a sucessfull tackle blue player goes to ground red player get hand on before blue support player gets there. Blue player arrives Red player pops the ball back but goes loose. Red 8 is coming back from earlier line out up field and has not yet passed the point of the red 7 feet, red 8 scoops ball up and passes back. Is he offside, or is this one of these moments that you can class as open play?

 

[dave_clark]

you can still be offside in open play...

 

[Taff]

I haven't seen the game yet - I'll be watching the recording tonight so I'll keep an eye out for it at 48 mins.

Difficult to imagine just from the description, but is this a "lazy runner" related question or a tackle question?

From the description it sounds like open play.

 

[ddjamo]

did a ruck form?

 

[Ian_Cook]

If no ruck formed, then there was no offside... play on

 

[Dickie E]

Unless Red 8 was within 1 metre of the tackle

 

[Balones]

If no ruck and the ball has left the tackle area then no offside.

 

[Dixie]

JDET, there is some uncertainty about how quickly a ruck forms when two players are in contact above the ball on the ground. One view says that the ruck forms in the first nano-second of contact; the second says that it makes sense to see whether (for example) Hape will immediately flop to the ground having made contact, or (in this case) the ball squirts out of the relevant area. If you adopt the Immediate approach, red 8 was offside; if you are a wait-and-see merchant, he wasn't.

Frankly, I don't think it matters, as long as you are consistent and communicate properly. Refereeing at L.10, the players' thought processes and knowledge probably won't be able to keep up with your decision-making if you go with the "Immediate" approach; but there's always a smart-ass with 9 on his back, or a puce-faced bellowing coach, who has enough time on his hands to make life difficult either way. Pick a method that works for you and your reffing, and stick with it.

 

[JDET]

Thank you for the thoughts.