thoughts on this one

Decorily

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IRFU gave specific clarification on this in recent years.
Any step towards or away from the ball or indeed sideways is to be judged to be the beginning of the approach and a charge is permitted.....my words not theirs.
 

OB..


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This law is probably unchanged since it was written, ...

The earliest form of conversion involved a complicated application of the Free Kick procedure, but that was simplified in 1883. Thereafter there was a placer and a kicker. Some older readers (such as me) may recall the days when the the conversion could be charged as soon as the ball touched the ground. Therefore it was necessary for the scrum half to lie on the ground with one finger on top of the ball and one underneath to keep it off the ground until just before the full back kicked it.

Some time between 1949 and 1959 the need for a separate placer was dropped, and the current problems started.
 

Ian_Cook


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IRFU gave specific clarification on this in recent years.
Any step towards or away from the ball or indeed sideways is to be judged to be the beginning of the approach and a charge is permitted.....my words not theirs.

IRFU?

OK, I may have used the wrong acronym. maybe it was IRFB (what the IRB was previously called)

As far as I can find, there is no World Rugby Clarification on this law. I have always understood that approach in the laws means what it means in English... "move towards".

Usually, when the laws use a word to mean something specific, or are using to mean something other than the common English meaning, its in the definitions.. examples

Near: Within one metre.
Receiver: The player in a position to receive the ball if it is knocked or passed back from a lineout.
Touch: The area alongside the field of play that includes the touchlines and beyond.
Maul: A phase of play consisting of a ball-carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet.

These all have meanings that are specific to the game.


ETA: OK update. I have found a clarification

https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/clarification/2020/1/

"Clarification of the designated members of the Rugby Committee
The Referee’s interpretation in this example was correct. The moment the kicker moves in any direction it is deemed that he is ‘approaching to kick’. The reason for this interpretation is simplicity, otherwise the referee would have to judge when the kicker first moves, and in what direction. It would also be open to misinterpretation by players, match officials and spectators."


It changed last year, and I haven't been keeping up... my bad

Now they just need to define that in the Law... expect to see the change in the 2035 edition of the Laws of the Game!
 
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Dickie E


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IRFU?

OK, I may have used the wrong acronym. maybe it was IRFB (what the IRB was previously called)

As far as I can find, there is no World Rugby Clarification on this law. I have always understood that approach in the laws means what it means in English... "move towards".

Usually, when the laws use a word to mean something specific, or are using to mean something other than the common English meaning, its in the definitions.. examples

Near: Within one metre.
Receiver: The player in a position to receive the ball if it is knocked or passed back from a lineout.
Touch: The area alongside the field of play that includes the touchlines and beyond.
Maul: A phase of play consisting of a ball-carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet.

These all have meanings that are specific to the game.


ETA: OK update. I have found a clarification

https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/clarification/2020/1/

"Clarification of the designated members of the Rugby Committee
The Referee’s interpretation in this example was correct. The moment the kicker moves in any direction it is deemed that he is ‘approaching to kick’. The reason for this interpretation is simplicity, otherwise the referee would have to judge when the kicker first moves, and in what direction. It would also be open to misinterpretation by players, match officials and spectators."


It changed last year, and I haven't been keeping up... my bad

Now they just need to define that in the Law... expect to see the change in the 2035 edition of the Laws of the Game!

But that's a different situation. That was a dynamic step that was part of his movement towards the ball. The OP is the kicker taking up his stance prior to moving to kick
 

Jz558


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Interesting comment from Bryce Lawrence in the article highlighted in post 24. "Smith's sidestep movement, though Lawrence confirmed, was clearly part of his pre-kick routine, not his 'approach', considering he pauses for an extended period AFTERWARDS as he eyes up the sticks". I have always wondered why NZ players seem to have better skill sets and it appears it is because they possess the gift of foresight unavailable to the rest of the world and can tell exactly what the opposition are going to do next.
 

crossref


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I think there are only two possible approaches to this

1 ban charging
2 referee signals when to charge

And watching that one it has to be
1 ban charging

Anything else is just a referee trap
 
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OB..


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How effective is charging anyway? Does it really affect a kicker's concentration?

You only really notice it when the kicker does not realise he is judged to have started his approach and gets caught.
 

crossref


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How effective is charging anyway? Does it really affect a kicker's concentration?

You only really notice it when the kicker does not realise he is judged to have started his approach and gets caught.

what might be more effective, probably would be to do something eye catching ..

eg instead of charging forward, the defending team could
-- skip forwards
-- hop forwards
-- do the macarena

I think any of the above (all legal) would have a fair chance at least of distracting the kicker and causing a miss
 
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