When Is the ball in touch?

oldman


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Can anyone direct me a simple explanation of when the ball is in touch? Especially when players are close to the touch-line.
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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Can anyone direct me a simple explanation of when the ball is in touch? Especially when players are close to the touch-line.
No. :)

Unfortunately you'll have to read LotG - Law 18

Apologies for the apparent flippant response but on the FoP, off the FoP, and plane of touch all kick in when players are "close to the touch-line".
 

Taff


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Can anyone direct me a simple explanation of when the ball is in touch? Especially when players are close to the touch-line.

Give us an example of the part that's confusing you.
 

Dickie E


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And as if deciding if the ball is or isn't in touch isn't tricky enough, you've then got to decide who put it there 🥺
 

Mipper


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Can anyone direct me a simple explanation of when the ball is in touch? Especially when players are close to the touch-line.
are you referring perhaps to a specific situation? Such as a ball being kicked to touch and the defending player catchingbknocking the ball back into play?
 

tim White


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This has become another one of those areas of the game that have been made so complicated that I rarely criticise a ref for a law error unless it is obvious -I tend to concentrate on HOW they managed the situation.
 

crossref


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This has become another one of those areas of the game that have been made so complicated that I rarely criticise a ref for a law error unless it is obvious -I tend to concentrate on HOW they managed the situation.
Indeed, and some situations (especially where the plane of touch is involved) are Impossible to judge accurately from the middle of the pitch, so require a AR ... which we grass roots refs don't have, so we are forced to guess
 

Stu10


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I don't know the reason for OP asking this question, but there was an incident in the past 10 days (I think the Autumn internationals) in which, after a penalty kick for touch, a player jumped and knocked the ball back into the FOP and was told that it didn't count because he knocked it back into play and he had to fully catch it. This left me puzzled, but I don't know whether the player started in or out of the FOP, or whether the ball crossed the plane of touch.

Law 18
2) The ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal if:
a) The ball reaches the plane of touch but is caught, knocked or kicked by a player who is in the playing area.​
b) A player jumps, from within or outside the playing area, and catches the ball, and then lands in the playing area, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch.​
c) A player jumps from the playing area and knocks (or catches and releases) the ball back into the playing area, before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch.​
d) A player, who is in touch, kicks or knocks the ball, but does not hold it, provided it has not reached the plane of touch.​


I assume the player started outside the FOP (eliminating a and c), the ball crossed the plane of touch (eliminating d) and since he knocked it back in play and did not catch it (and then land in the FOP) then b does not apply... result is a lineout.
 

Lee Lifeson-Peart


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I've started ARing in the National Leagues and I'm just waiting to balls it up!
 

Stu10


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I've started ARing in the National Leagues and I'm just waiting to balls it up!
If it's any consolation, I had a brain fart last Sunday and awarded a 22 drop out instead of a GLD... no one questioned it, surprisingly. 😵‍💫 🤫
 

Stu10


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Ball kicked from FOP and stopped in goal, defender touched down.

It was not my best game with the whistle last week, not thinking as quickly as usual for some reason (before anyone asks, I was not drinking the night before). I think more shouting than usual from the sideline also distracted me a little, which isn't normally a problem. However, it did leave me wondering if I'm ready for the increased speed of a senior game, which I've been thinking (for a long time) I should put my hand up for, maybe the club 4th team.
 
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Ciaran Trainor


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Ball kicked from FOP and stopped in goal, defender touched down.

It was not my best game with the whistle last week, not thinking as quickly as usual for some reason (before anyone asks, I was not drinking the night before). I think more shouting than usual from the sideline also distracted me a little, which isn't normally a problem. However, it did leave me wondering if I'm ready for the increased speed of a senior game, which I've been thinking (for a long time) I should put my hand up for, maybe the club 4th team.
We all have them brain farts but sounds like you made a decision and sold it.
p.s. Adult games are not necessarily faster or better than age grade.
 

crossref


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Ball kicked from FOP and stopped in goal, defender touched down.

It was not my best game with the whistle last week, not thinking as quickly as usual for some reason (before anyone asks, I was not drinking the night before). I think more shouting than usual from the sideline also distracted me a little, which isn't normally a problem. However, it did leave me wondering if I'm ready for the increased speed of a senior game, which I've been thinking (for a long time) I should put my hand up for, maybe the club 4th team.
a lot of the schools that we cover we grade the 1st XV at 8. The best teams are L6

at club level the U18s are typically graded 8/9

adult games - we have clubs with 1st XV playing in merit tables at L11/L12

I imagine that's the same in other societies

If you have been reffing U18/U17 you won't have any speed/fitness issues moving to adults.
 

Pedro

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I don't know the reason for OP asking this question, but there was an incident in the past 10 days (I think the Autumn internationals) in which, after a penalty kick for touch, a player jumped and knocked the ball back into the FOP and was told that it didn't count because he knocked it back into play and he had to fully catch it. This left me puzzled, but I don't know whether the player started in or out of the FOP, or whether the ball crossed the plane of touch.

Law 18
2) The ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal if:
a) The ball reaches the plane of touch but is caught, knocked or kicked by a player who is in the playing area.​
b) A player jumps, from within or outside the playing area, and catches the ball, and then lands in the playing area, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch.​
c) A player jumps from the playing area and knocks (or catches and releases) the ball back into the playing area, before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch.​
d) A player, who is in touch, kicks or knocks the ball, but does not hold it, provided it has not reached the plane of touch.​


I assume the player started outside the FOP (eliminating a and c), the ball crossed the plane of touch (eliminating d) and since he knocked it back in play and did not catch it (and then land in the FOP) then b does not apply... result is a lineout.
I think i remember the incident you're referring to. It was indeed a penalty and the player (Louis Rees Zammit i think) did exactly as you say - started by standing outside the playing area, jumped, knocked the ball from outside the plane of touch, back across the plane into the playing area (where it was caught by a team mate), and then landed in the playing area.
Ref called "ball had already crossed the plane - in touch"
With a few seconds to review it in my head, i agreed with the decision that the referee made - but i had to think through all the options to get there, and would have still been doubting myself if i was making the decision.
Had he caught it - and landed in the FOP - play on.
 

DocP


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However, it did leave me wondering if I'm ready for the increased speed of a senior game, which I've been thinking (for a long time) I should put my hand up for, maybe the club 4th team.
Hi all, I'm new round here, been lurking every now and then.

If I am honest, I have the opposite. I currently ref L9/10/11 adult mens. So a generally a slower pace of game. I am of the more rotund physique being ex-front row. As I go up the grades it does get faster but as my fitness gets better I adjust perfectly fine.

I have a fear of age grade rugby. Part of it is due to the small law variations but mostly it is for the pace. I have done one school 2nd XV fixture and it was totally bonkers. Found it almost impossible to read and predict the game for my lines of running. The players seemed to have no game awareness and at parts were running around like headless chickens. Also territory just wasn't a thing. They ran everything from everywhere. Made me very disorientated. Still got through it and everyone was happy. I was happy going back to a nice 4th team L12 the next week. ;)
 

crossref


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@DocP that is a great post .
This season i did my first school game since COVID and thats not far from how I felt!

Youth rugby always has the ability to take the ref completely by surprise
 
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