[Ruck] Playing the ball while on the floor not been tackled?

[Blindside]

As a coach who referees most weeks can I have clarification on this. If a player is on the floor, not from a tackle and a ball comes to him must he be on his feet to play it. I dont allow it but I saw it here and it perfectly encapsulated an issue I had previously debated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saJnCSJItaI

at 3mins

 

[crossref]

Well, you wouldn't choose an u14 game as a canonical case to define a rule

Speaking generally:
Player on floor for any reason
Ball happens to come to him
He cannot play it

 

[Decorily]

Well, you wouldn't choose an u14 game as a canonical case to define a rule

Speaking generally:
Player on floor for any reason
Ball happens to come to him
He cannot play it

I agree

 

[Dickie E]

while I agree with the sentiment of player on feet, etc in the OP situation I saw a player attempt, unsuccessfully, to catch the ball and fall over. All in one motion, he then regained & passed the ball. I would play on in this situation. It would be jobsworthy to have pinged this kid.

 

[crossref]

while I agree with the sentiment of player on feet, etc in the OP situation I saw a player attempt, unsuccessfully, to catch the ball and fall over. All in one motion, he then regained & passed the ball. I would play on in this situation. It would be jobsworthy to have pinged this kid.

Agree. This wasn't a case of being on the ground and the ball happening to come to him - this was all part of his clumsy attempt to gather the ball, so I'd play on (and for me - same if they were adults)

 

[Flish]

Agree, material effect was zero, was trying to do something positive and legal, maybe a quiet word later. If however there was an opponent in a position to pick the ball up then it becomes material and unfortunate.

 

[Phil E]

As a coach who referees most weeks can I have clarification on this. If a player is on the floor, not from a tackle and a ball comes to him must he be on his feet to play it.

[LAWS]Law 13
3. A player on the ground without the ball is out of the game and must:
a. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
b. Not play the ball.
c. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent.
Sanction: Penalty.[/LAWS]

 

[Blindside]

Well, you wouldn't choose an u14 game as a canonical case to define a rule

Speaking generally:
Player on floor for any reason
Ball happens to come to him
He cannot play it

I didn't care about the age (although you would referee a under 14 with different empathies) I just though what actually happened was as good an example a grey area (in my knowledge) that I had seen. My opinion was on the floor leave the ball alone, simple as that, you lost the ball and it hapened to roll back to you, you must get back to your feet. In truth if I was reffing it in a tight game... penalty, if his side was not going to win, play on, quite word. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[didds]

ande FWIW the ball in the OP's clip didnt "come to" the player. It was where the same player dropped it and he just grabbed it from where he was.

By all means follow the letter of the law about players off their feet cannot even touch the ball let alone grab it, but lets not start introducing concepts of the ball "coming to" the player in this example - because it didnt.

 

[Jarrod Burton]

I understand wanting to avoid being a jobsworth and partially agree, but for me, it was a skill error which may have allowed the opponent the opportunity for a line break was prevented by a player on the floor who reached for the ball and played it. PK. There was a definite second effort to reach the spilled ball.

 

[crossref]

I understand wanting to avoid being a jobsworth and partially agree, but for me, it was a skill error which may have allowed the opponent the opportunity for a line break was prevented by a player on the floor who reached for the ball and played it. PK. There was a definite second effort to reach the spilled ball.

yes, you could go that way, certainly.
For u14s? or for adults?

 

[Jz558]

In this instance I think his actions potentially denied the opposition possession and even at U14s I would probably penalise this (and explain to them why). Had there been no member of the opposition close I would have let it go. When reffing lower age groups if I let things go that I think are immaterial I try to find an opportunity soon after to explain my reasoning. I find if you just let things go without some explanation it can lead to tension. No side, however young, ever think you are refereeing with empathy, they just see when you let the oppositon get away with stuff but dont credit you when you do the same for them.

 

[Blackberry]

It used to be that permission to play the ball off the ground depended on how you got there. If you just fell over in open play and the ball came to you, you were like a normal player, but if it was the result of being in a tackle or in contact, you couldn't play till getting back on your feet. Then I reckon it changed to a blanket ban on playing the ball on the ground. Have I got that right? This is all separate to players with the ball in hand going to ground for any reason.

 

[Flish]

It used to be that permission to play the ball off the ground depended on how you got there. If you just fell over in open play and the ball came to you, you were like a normal player, but if it was the result of being in a tackle or in contact, you couldn't play till getting back on your feet. Then I reckon it changed to a blanket ban on playing the ball on the ground. Have I got that right? This is all separate to players with the ball in hand going to ground for any reason.

The law is clear, how it's policed not so much, I have seen plenty off elite games where a player on the ground has grabbed and popped the ball when he shouldn't (in law) but is allowed (for entertainment) - it doesn't help us muggles much in the sticks!