Receiver position at LO.

[Decorily]

Had a game recently where at a LO the throwing in side had no apparent receiver ie no player standing in usual position. After the ball was won in the air a player who was standing in the back line between the 5m and 15m lines ran forward and took the ball off the top. It was immediately questioned by oppo calling for off side. I called play on.

Was I correct?

 

[Balones]

Had a game recently where at a LO the throwing in side had no apparent receiver ie no player standing in usual position. After the ball was won in the air a player who was standing in the back line between the 5m and 15m lines ran forward and took the ball off the top. It was immediately questioned by oppo calling for off side. I called play on.

Was I correct?

Not, based on what information you provided. Depends what happened after it was 'won in the air'. Read Law 19.9 (b). If the lineout was not over then the offside line remains.

 

[didds]

As long as the backline player did not run forward buntil AFTER the ball had left the hands of the catcher ... no offside.

I suspect that it wold be all butr impossible to cover circa 8 metres to do so in time. But Id have to see it .

didds

 

[Decorily]

I understand that the OS lines remain until the ball has left the LO.
My understanding is that the receiver must be a minimum of 2m back from the players in the LO. But since there is nothing to stop him standing 9.9m back how can I penalise him for not conforming with the 'norm' ie 2m ish?

 

[ChuckieB]

I understand that the OS lines remain until the ball has left the LO.
My understanding is that the receiver must be a minimum of 2m back from the players in the LO. But since there is nothing to stop him standing 9.9m back how can I penalise him for not conforming with the 'norm' ie 2m ish?

It was an attacking line so I would have assumed they were not up flat as a line?

If so, the nearest person in the 5-15 zone could be treated as the receiver. Perhaps they wanted a throw further off the top?

Offside lines would apply for anybody else.

 

[OB..]

I understand that the OS lines remain until the ball has left the LO.
My understanding is that the receiver must be a minimum of 2m back from the players in the LO. But since there is nothing to stop him standing 9.9m back how can I penalise him for not conforming with the 'norm' ie 2m ish?

You need to be sure that there is only one player standing in a legal position for a receiver.

However I see no advantage in being 9.9m back as a ploy, so it doesn't happen unless players have got in a muddle - in which case they have only themselves to blame if you decide the "receiver" wasn't.

 

[Decorily]

It was an attacking line so I would have assumed they were not up flat as a line?
.

Back line did not come up , just the 1 player acting as receiver.

 

[Decorily]

You need to be sure that there is only one player standing in a legal position for a receiver.

Potentially can't every player standing at least 2m back between 5m and 15m lines be in a legal position for a receiver?

 

[ChuckieB]

Back line did not come up , just the 1 player acting as receiver.

set flat as a defensive line should, rather than angled for an attacking line?I was meaning

 

[Decorily]

set flat as a defensive line should, rather than angled for an attacking line?I was meaning

Yes I understand what you meant. Just clarifying my scenario.

 

[ChuckieB]

Yes I understand what you meant. Just clarifying my scenario.

So he came up from a flat line?

 

[Decorily]

So he came up from a flat line?

Maybe I'm not understanding you after all!

He came from approx 10m . The winger was pretty much along side and in line with him. 10 was deeper and further infield. Couple of forwards in same area.
No sure how the depth of the backline is relevant!

 

[ChuckieB]

Yes I understand what you meant. Just clarifying my scenario.

Maybe I'm not understanding you after all!

He came from approx 10m . The winger was pretty much along side and in line with him. 10 was deeper and further infield. Couple of forwards in same area.
No sure how the depth of the backline is relevant!

isolated in front of everyone and in the 5-15 he could perhaps argue he is a deep receiver. From within a flat back line difficult to make such a case. But hardly definitive. And as a flat line from an attacking throw? One for the coaches perhaps?

 

[Decorily]

isolated in front of everyone and in the 5-15 he could perhaps argue he is a deep receiver. From within a flat back line difficult to make such a case. But hardly definitive. And as a flat line from an attacking throw? One for the coaches perhaps?

OK....but surely he shouldn't have to 'argue' his legality based on where his back line are standing. He is either legal or not!

 

[ChuckieB]

OK....but surely he shouldn't have to 'argue' his legality based on where his back line are standing. He is either legal or not!

just trying to help you see any possibilities to accept him as a receiver as you determined play on.

 

[Decorily]

just trying to help you see any possibilities to accept him as a receiver as you determined play on.

Yes....and I appreciate that.
I actually am convinced that I was correct to allow it.......just nobody else on the day agreed!
Edit. I think even the player himself expected to be penalised!!

 

[Balones]

Was he part of the lineout or wasn't he? I would take the position that unless he was identified as the receiver he was not part of the lineout so was offside.
I appreciate that there is (yet again?) a gap in the laws about how far back a receiver can stand. However I would say that if he is not part of the set up then he is offside and 19.15(c) can apply and would expect it.

I would also suggest that the diagram at 19.8 may indicate that the receiver mustn't stand more than two meters away but that is not clear. however this same diagram does say that the 10M line is the offside line for non-participants, therefore of you start behind this line you are a non participant and therefore you are offside until the criteria in 19.9 has been applied.

Putting it simply, a player that stands beyond the 10M offside line makes himself a non-participant and cannot participate until after 19.9 and therefore I believe the OP was incorrect.

 

[chbg]

Potentially can't every player standing at least 2m back between 5m and 15m lines be in a legal position for a receiver?

[LAWS]Any player may be the receiver but each team may only have one receiver at a lineout.[/LAWS] Lineout Definitions.

Also: [LAWS]The receiver is the player in position to catch the ball when lineout players pass or knock the ball back from the lineout.[/LAWS]

You may make a judgement that, for the level of the match, 9m is too far away for lineout players to pass or knock the ball in the air. As there doesn't have to be a receiver (19.9i), the player purporting to be the receiver ought to be clear and obvious to avoid a subsequent infringement.

 

[Decorily]

[LAWS]Any player may be the receiver but each team may only have one receiver at a lineout.[/LAWS] Lineout Definitions.

Yes of course there can only be one, but my point was that any player standing between the 5m and 15m lines could potentially be that one.

Also: [LAWS]The receiver is the player in position to catch the ball when lineout players pass or knock the ball back from the /QUOTE]

Yes and he was in position to do so.

 

[OB..]

[LAWS]Any player may be the receiver but each team may only have one receiver at a lineout.[/LAWS] Lineout Definitions.

Yes of course there can only be one, but my point was that any player standing between the 5m and 15m lines could potentially be that one.

If he is 10m back he is not a receiver. There can only be one player in that position. A player more than 10m back is not participating in the lineout.

I think you are relying too heavily on the wording and trying to see a loophole. You are better off sticking with the normal application of the law. It causes much less confusion/irritation.