Restart and Injury Query

[upnunder]

Hi All,

In my game on Saturday the following happened, and I wanted opinion on whether I acted correctly.

Red Drop out restart after a score by Black

Kick goes very high, and players from Red are running to compete for ball with Black(recieving side).
As a red player goes to jump for the ball, he turns his ankle badly, and quite clearly to me.
It looked serious, so I immediately blew the whistle for safety and everyone stopped straight away.

The kick was still in the air, and nobody from either side touched it before it bounced and rolled into touch. All the players that were about to contest for the ball had stopped completely.

Before I tell you what I did, how and where should I have restarted play after the injury had been dealt with?

Thanks

James.

 

[Dickie E]

retake kick off

 

[Taff]

retake kick off

That's what I would do. Not 100% sure it's what I should do, but to me it seems the fairest thing to do.

The only alternative I can see would be a scrum to the kicking team, where he twisted his ankle.

 

[Toby Warren]

retake kick off

Same for me.

 

[Simon Thomas]

Deal with injured player, get both skippers together and say you will go back to a restart kick again.

 

[Dixie]

I'd agree with the retake of the kick (and expect no grief from anyone except the assessor). However, technically the ball is in play and so you should restart with a scrum to the side that kicked off (attacking side). The precise location of the scrum is unclear, but where the ball landed would be a good starting point.

 

[Simon Thomas]

I'd agree with the retake of the kick (and expect no grief from anyone except the assessor). However, technically the ball is in play and so you should restart with a scrum to the side that kicked off (attacking side). The precise location of the scrum is unclear, but where the ball landed would be a good starting point.

Dixie - harsh ! Balance between Safety - Equity - Law, not just Law !

Restart is equitable decision and this assessor would support that.

 

[Jabba]

I would go with the re-taken kick too. 'Fella's - I blew for his safety - I stopped the ball being played so let's just take that re-start again shall we' or something like that anyway!

 

[upnunder]

I made them take the restart again. Assessor was happy with that, although he said he wouldn't have been upset if I had opted for the scrum to recieiving side as they would have more than likely been next side in possession

 

[crossref]

I made them take the restart again. Assessor was happy with that, although he said he wouldn't have been upset if I had opted for the scrum to recieiving side as they would have more than likely been next side in possession

gosh I didn't consider that.

for me the choice was take kick again OR scrum to the side that last played it (kicking team)
and like everyone else so far I also prefer 'take the kick again'

 

[Dixie]

Assessor ... said he wouldn't have been upset if I had opted for the scrum to recieiving side as they would have more than likely been next side in possession

Would have been an incorrect application of Law 6.A.8, which says:

[LAWS]If the referee stops play because a player has been injured, and there has been no infringement and the ball has not been made dead, play restarts with a scrum. The team last in possession throws in the ball. If neither team was in possession, the attacking team throws in the ball.[/LAWS]

How does he know they wouldn't knock on? Or leave it for each other, so that it dribbles into touch? Guesswork is very rarely an appropriate ground for a refereeing decision, law 6.A.10 excluded.

 

[Taff]

So the throw in at the scrum goes to:

• The side in possession - failing that
• The side last in possession - and failing even that
• The attacking side.

Makes sense to me, and very similar wording to the ruck laws - which is handy as it's easier to remember.