offsides complaining in 7's

[mkottke]

I have been doing a couple 7's tourny and one thing I have noticed is the incisive whining from players about offsides. Here is the scanerio:

Tackle occurs and defensive fails to contest, so no ruck and no offside for the retreating players. Scummie pulls the ball out and passes to the backline. Retreating player tackles ball carrier. Players begin griping about offsides that don't exist. Makes me think I'm missing something - I hate that feeling. I think many players are too familar with 15's, since just about every breakdown forms ruck/maul and players retreat to the backfoot.
7's is a different animal! I like watching it, I love playing it, I hate reffing it.

ONON-
Mark

 

[dave_clark]

more fool them - the more times they turn to whine, the more overlaps or tackles they'll miss

i understand though - while never having either played nor refereed sevens myself (Paddy, stop chuckling), a lot of players struggle to understand the offiside law in 15s let alone 7s... no breakdown means no offside line, which seems wrong when in the heat of the moment.

 

[ex-lucy]

i usually shout out a couple of times ... "only a tackle, no offsides" .. then talk to the whiner and capt.

in a 10 a -side compt, i even had a TJ (fellow ref) tell me about offside in the centres after a tackle and i had to explain to him that there were no rucks just tackles.

 

[Deeps]

Tackle occurs and defensive fails to contest, so no ruck and no offside for the retreating players. Scummie pulls the ball out and passes to the backline. Retreating player tackles ball carrier. Players begin griping about offsides that don't exist.

Of course this is likely to change following the RWC when it is suspected that there will be an offside line at a tackle, similar to a ruck situation.

For now you have to consider whether the annoying defensive player is within the 'tackle zone', a generally accepted 1 metre box around those participating in the tackle. If he is, then clearly he has committed an offense.

However if he is loitering in a potentially offside position where, on formation of a ruck, he would be interfering with the other team's options then, in Sevens, I might consider a yellow card. Yet as play is still being governed by tackle law he is presently in the clear. I think I might manage this by advising any loiterers taking advantage of the tackle law in this way that, should it become a ruck this or next time, then their present loitering position could well be deemed extremely precarious from a professional foul point of view.

Oh, I love Sevens. Can't get enough of it. Your view is largely unobstructed, players don't have the wind or time to argue and there is usually a party atmosphere prevailing.

 

[didds]

presumably however in 7s if a defender is ooitering with intent in the oppo backline this in effect leaves another area undefnded - so a useful 7s outfit may well be able to exploit that subsequently?

didds

 

[Deeps]

presumably however in 7s if a defender is ooitering with intent in the oppo backline this in effect leaves another area undefnded - so a useful 7s outfit may well be able to exploit that subsequently?

didds

Quite right. You don't have enough players to have one in front of your ball.