[Law] When is the ball 'dead'?

[ChrisR]

From definitions we get:

Dead: The ball is out of play. This happens when the ball has gone outside the playing
area and remained there, or when the referee has blown the whistle to indicate a
stoppage in play, or when a conversion kick has been taken.

However, from 22.10 Ball Held Up in Goal we get:

When a player carrying the ball is held up in the in-goal so that the player cannot ground the ball, the ball is dead.

Is it dead when held up or dead when the referee blows his whistle? There is a distinction and it isn't just a semantic game. A ball trapped under a pile of bodies may be unplayable but it isn't dead until the referee deems it so and blows the whistle.

 

[crossref]

there isn't really a single definition of the ball being 'dead' : the expression is used in different contexts, and in each context it can have a slightly different meaning, as you have illustrated.

we also have many situations where the referee blows his whistle to stop play, and ball isn't dead, as one side is free to play it (ie take a tap penalty, or quick throw in). We've often called that a 'zombie' ball : it's half dead : Blue can't play it, but Red can.



[Credit : it was didds (I think) who first coined the expression on RR.COM.]

 

[ChrisR]

There is a single definition, it's in Definitions. There may be more than one interpretation.

 

[The Fat]

From definitions we get:

Dead: The ball is out of play. This happens when the ball has gone outside the playing
area and remained there, or when the referee has blown the whistle to indicate a
stoppage in play, or when a conversion kick has been taken.

However, from 22.10 Ball Held Up in Goal we get:

When a player carrying the ball is held up in the in-goal so that the player cannot ground the ball, the ball is dead.

Is it dead when held up or dead when the referee blows his whistle? There is a distinction and it isn't just a semantic game. A ball trapped under a pile of bodies may be unplayable but it isn't dead until the referee deems it so and blows the whistle.

It is the referee's whistle that stops play and indicates that the opportunity to ground the ball has passed. Therefore, the answer to your question is, the ball is dead when the referee blows his whistle. Until that point, players will continue to wrestle in an attempt to ground the ball. The players are not just going to stop wrestling of their own accord, jump to their feet and turn to the ref and say, "It's held up sir, what now?"

 

[crossref]

There is a single definition, it's in Definitions. There may be more than one interpretation.

the word is used in the Law book in ways that is inconsistent with the defintion (you provided an example yourself!)

 

[The Fat]

There is a single definition, it's in Definitions. There may be more than one interpretation.

Unfortunately, the definitions don't always cover what we would expect. For example, try finding the definition of a Quick Throw-in.

 

[L'irlandais]

[laws]19.2 Quick throw-in[/laws] goes some way toward defining a Quick throw in, surely?

 

[The Fat]

[laws]19.2 Quick throw-in[/laws] goes some way toward defining a Quick throw in, surely?

My point was that the "Definitions" section of the Law book is not an exhaustive reference point