Punted Re-start!?!

[Owen Bisto Taylor]

In my game today, Kettering were getting a bit deflated... well you would when 60 points down! Just after Old Scouts bowled over for another try, the Ket 10 was replaced, at which point they brought on a lad who was adamant to take the re-start, he punted it down field.

I gave the option to Scouts for a scrum or kick again... but have no idea what the law says!?

Help?

 

[Rushforth]

I have no idea either, but sounds like you did the right thing.

 

[KieranW]

I've never actually considered this. I would suspect you took the right action (I would have done the same) but I imagine someone with more wisdom will fill us in...

 

[Rushforth]

[LAWS]http://www.irblaws.com/?law=13.1[/LAWS]

 

[Owen Bisto Taylor]

Weyhey! Right decision

 

[The Fat]

In my game today, Kettering were getting a bit deflated... well you would when 60 points down! Just after Old Scouts bowled over for another try, the Ket 10 was replaced, at which point they brought on a lad who was adamant to take the re-start, he punted it down field.

I gave the option to Scouts for a scrum or kick again... but have no idea what the law says!?


Help?

You got it right.

I had a tricky one last season, only because it was a junior game and there are those here who may say I was being tough on the kid, but at a 22 DO, the SH asked me how far the ball had to travel when he takes the DO? "As long as it crosses the 22", I say, "But make sure you use a drop kick". He ran to just before the 22 and kicked the ball just over the 22 and regathered. Peep! I offered the options to the opposing captain. Scrum or have the kick re-taken. The offending SH was pretty upset but I reminded him that I had told him to make sure to use a drop kick. In his haste he had grubber kicked the ball (i.e. he dropped the ball onto his foot). Wrong type of kick but he had been told. He continued to argue about it so it then turned into a PK.

 

[Decorily]

You got it right.

The offending SH was pretty upset but I reminded him that I had told him to make sure to use a drop kick. In his haste he had grubber kicked the ball (i.e. he dropped the ball onto his foot). Wrong type of kick but he had been told. He continued to argue about it so it then turned into a PK.

SH arguing.........never!!

 

[The Fat]

SH arguing.........never!!

They start early.
It is obviously a mutant gene.

 

[Taff]

.... Kettering were getting a bit deflated... .... the Ket 10 was replaced, at which point they brought on a lad who was adamant to take the re-start, he punted it down field. I gave the option to Scouts for a scrum or kick again... but have no idea what the law says!?

Years ago I played in a game where this happened, but I can't remember what the outcome was.

Now that I've read the lawbook, I think strictly speaking it should have been a Kick Again / Scrum option, but TBH I think I would have given him another go after explaining quietly that it had to be a Drop Kick. They're 60 points down already .... and the game isn't over yet; there's no hope in hell of them making a comeback so there's no point humiliating the poor sod any more. I assume this happened in a senior game - if it had happened in say a school game, it's little things like that that could put an inexperienced player off rugby for life. One side will think you're a dick - the other side will think you're the best ref they've had all season. Personally, I would go with what I think felt right.

Somebody will now pounce on my arse and tell me that I'm wrong, but as Simon Thomas pointed out in a seperate thread "The Ref applies the Laws fairly - it doesn't say meticulously". Obviously if I was reffing a World Cup Final at was the Millennium Stadium (and that it ain't gonna happen) that changes things - Kick again / Scrum option.

 

[Stuartg]

I had one of these today. 22 restart and the lad punted it. I knew what to do!

 

[tim White]

Please consider materiality before deciding to blow the whistle -how were the other side disadvantaged?

 

[Phil E]

Depending on what level/type of game it was, and if the opposition caught the ball, I would probably play on, but then had a stiff word with the kicker at the first opportunity and/or the next restart.

Question. Can you play advantage from an incorrect kickoff?

 

[Stuartg]

In my game the punt was a big, long one so no advantage at all.

 

[Taff]

... Question. Can you play advantage from an incorrect kickoff?

I see your point, but a KO isn't one of the 5 listed instances where advantage can't be played. I suppose you could argue that the ball hasn't been brought back to life yet, so the ball is still dead ... Which is one of the 5.

 

[Account Deleted]

Depending on the level and game situation was it "clear and obvious"? (in YOUR eyes) An age group friendly or Old Farts VIII Vs Aberflyhalf III and it's: A quick word at a suitable point "Watch your timing on the drop kick. The last one "looked like it did not hit the floor. Make this one a bit clearer".

If it's a "serious" game then stricter adherence to the law book.

 

[PaulDG]

In my game today, Kettering were getting a bit deflated... well you would when 60 points down! Just after Old Scouts ...

Owen,

Just a point of Etiquette - we don't usually name teams on here (except for Internationals and Premiership, etc.). "Blue were getting... Just after Red..."

 

[PaulDG]

If it's a "serious" game then stricter adherence to the law book.

Owen's game was a Merit Table game which is a "friendly league" system where various things like number of subs, strict league registration of players, etc. are relaxed to encourage wider participation.

If I've read his description correctly, the "offending" team were being stuffed so letting them get away with it once and having a word at the next break in play might have been the appropriate action depending on tempers at the time.

 

[didds]

In my game the punt was a big, long one so no advantage at all.

other than even I can punt a ball further than I can drop kick it - so there may well have been a material advantage especially if the tactic was to kickoff long.

didds

 

[Ciaran Trainor]

As described and level of game I would have made him take it again correctly.

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

As described and level of game I would have made him take it again correctly.

As it turned out the non offending team opted for the kick to be retaken.

When he asked me I suggested I'd just get him to re-take it.

All that said that was only Mr Bisto's 2nd senior appointment so I think he was more keen to actually get it right in law as opposed to demonstrate his more empathetic side - not that he doesn't have one.