Ruck - Hooking The Ball Back, Opposing Scrum Half Comes In With Hands

[Jarrod Burton]

Going off your feet doesn't mean the ruck is over.

Sorry, poorly worded - I didn't describe what I was seeing in my head. If the red supporters come in, push blue off the ball (who remain on their feet) and then red go to ground with no players in contact on their feet over/around the ball, the ruck is over if you go by the definition. If they go off their feet and the ball is still within the ruck area, then I'd be looking at pinging them for sealing/not supporting their weight. I cannot see how the law makers would want a contest like a ruck to be over just because a steam train came in, smashes the opposition off the ball and then goes to ground and leaves the ball unsecured - I've always felt that leaving a ball unsecured is really contrary to the ideals of the game.

I see it happening locally a fair bit, and some coaches lament the skill level in the games which is why some local refs discourage me from blowing it up, yet how on earth do playing standards improve without people being penalised for infringments?

 

[Browner]

Whilst "looking like you have won the ball" is accepted over & above "the ball leaving the ruck"......................... and SH's being allowed to "dig the ball out" as opposed to them playing it only when it has left [& I'm not arguing either way] ...................... then you will always get the decisions that transcend the margins. Unavoidable. For me the rule is, if boots are still 'trying/capable' of trying to win possession then the SH keeps his hands out of the ruck. [LAWS]ps....The SH cannot use his feet to free the ball in a ruck WITHOUT being a bonafide ruck participant, which means joining it via a bind [/LAWS]

 

[jdeagro]

Honestly, as humdrum as it would be, I think the right call might have been "unsuccessful end to a ruck" at the point I'm thinking about. It's something I rarely see called, but if the official wasn't going to ping the players leaving their feet (which at today's standard, the way they fell was far from being pinged) and the ball was somewhat stuck on the ground there pretty long with no one else engaged against the blue players in the ruck, where it led to this confusion point between the foot hooking and the SH that at that point it should have been blown up as unsuccessful. Basically because 1) it never met the criteria of a successful end to a ruck, 2) It was sitting on the ground for an extended period of time and wasn't being hooked back successfully by the blue player.

 

[The Fat]

Anyone got the Toulon v Glasgow game taped? I think Lobbe tries to hook a ball back with his foot in similar way to the gist of this thread.

 

[jdeagro]

Anyone got the Toulon v Glasgow game taped? I think Lobbe tries to hook a ball back with his foot in similar way to the gist of this thread.

I would be extremely interested in watching this, or any other similar film if anyone has any?

 

[Dixie]

[LAWS]ps....The SH cannot use his feet to free the ball in a ruck WITHOUT being a bonafide ruck participant, which means joining it via a bind [/LAWS]

Law reference please?