July 2008

Law 6 - Match Officials

1. Assistant Referees are able to assist the referee in any way that the referee requires.

Q. Can any person operate fully as an Assistant Referee?
A. No. ARs have to be appointed by the Referee Society, Federation, Group or RFU

Q. What can the club ARs do in addition to last year?
A. The appointed referee may ask club ARs to help with 5m back from the scrum (as they may do with 10m back from lineout)

Law 17 – Maul

2. Remove reference to head and shoulders not being lower than hips.

Q. Does “head and shoulders not being lower than hips” still apply at U19 and below?
A. Yes

3. Players are able to defend a maul by pulling it down.

Q. Does this apply at U19 and below?
A. No

Q. How do I legally pull down a maul?
A. By grasping an opponent in the maul between the shoulders and hips

Q. Are” pulling down” and “collapsing” the same thing?
A. No, pulling down (as described above) is legal  whereas, collapsing( pulling legs or lying on the ground to collapse the maul)  is illegal

Q. Can I wrap my legs around the opponent’s legs to pull down the maul?
A. No, this is illegal

Q. What happens if the maul is pulled down and the ball is not immediately available?
A. The referee will give the ball some time to emerge (current law)

Q. If a maul is pulled down but part of it is still up with players on their feet contesting the ball, then is there still a maul?
A. Yes

Q. If the opponents “demaul” then does a maul still exists?
A. Yes  (current law)

Q. If a splinter group of 3 or 4 players of the same team breaks away with no opposition and the ball is at the back of the group, what does the referee do?
A. Referee to call “use it”

Q. If a splinter group of 3 or 4 players of the same team breaks away with no opposition and the ball is at the front of the group what does the referee do?
A. Nothing

Q. What terminology will referees be using?
A. Referee to use

• “Collapsed” when there is a Penalty Kick.
• “Pulled Down”  when there is no offence
• “Unsuccessful” when there is a Turnover

Q. Can the scrum half help at a maul?
A. Yes. Referees are being encouraged to communicate with him/her

Q. Is the “Sack” at a lineout the same as a pull down?
A. No, it can be done on the legs (current law)

Q. You said not to forget current laws, anything specific we should remember?
A.  Yes , referees/players/coaches must not forget that players must enter the maul  legally  and if the maul is stopped ? use it on 2nd

Law 19 - Touch and Lineout

4. If a team puts the ball back into its own 22 and the ball is subsequently kicked directly into touch there is no gain in ground.

Q. A player collects a rolling ball with his foot in/on 22 and kicks directly to touch, what happens?

A. He has not taken the ball in therefore there will be lineout where the ball went out
 
Q. A player collects a static ball with his foot in/on 22 and kicks directly to touch, what happens?
R. He has taken the ball in therefore there will be a lineout where the ball was kicked

Q. So after a pass into the 22, if there is a tackle or a ruck or a maul or the ball is played by an opponent then there can be a gain in ground from the kick?
A. Yes

Q. What happens from a maul/ ruck/ scrum/ lineout, with the defenders in possession at commencement, which originates outside the 22 and is then driven into the 22?
A. There can be no gain in ground from a kick by the defenders i.e. it is same as a pass into the 22

Q. What happens from a lineout inside 22, if a maul forms and it is driven outside 22 and the #9 kicks directly into touch?
A. No gain in ground (current law)

Q. If the ball goes into touch outside the 22 but a defender takes a quick throw to himself or team-mate from inside the 22, what happens?
A. No gain in ground

5. A quick throw in may be thrown in straight or towards the throwing team’s own goal line.

Q. Can the quick throw in be forward?
A. No

Q.  Must the ball cross the 5m line or just travel 5m?
A. Cross 5m line

6. There is no restriction on the number of players from either team who can participate in the lineout.

Q. Will referees call “numbers” like they did last year?
A. Not needed -  but it is  worth the referee identifying if there is a receiver

Q. If the ball throwing in side is slow to form or have a huddle, what will the referee do?
 A. S/he will  allow time to adjust (current management)

7. The receiver at the lineout must be 2 metres away from the lineout.

Q. Do both sides need a receiver?
A. No

Q. Can the Receiver enter before LO commences?
A. No, s/he must remain 2m

Q. When can the Receiver enter the lineout?
A. Once the  ball leaves the hooker’s hands

Q. Can the Receiver go in and (a) lift and (b) be lifted?
A. Yes to both

Q. Can we send the Receiver in on a dummy?
A. No , s/he must remain 2 m back until the ball leaves the hooker’s hands

8. The player who is in opposition to the player throwing in the ball must stand in the area between the 5-metre line and the touch line but must be 2 metres away from the 5-metre line.

Q. As the non throwing in side must we  have a “hooker”
A. Yes

Q. What is penalty for not having a hooker?
A. Free Kick – but referees should manage this initially by identifying the hooker and reminding teams of their obligations under law.

9. Lineout players may pre-grip a jumper before the ball is thrown in.

Q. So there is now pre-gripping at <15?
A.   No

10. The lifting of lineout players is permitted

Q. So there is now lifting at <15?
A,  No, unless at a  County match

Law 20 - Scrum

11. Introduction of an offside line 5 metres behind the hindmost feet of the scrum.

Q. Where does the defending SH have to stand?
A. Either by the throw in or 5m back at start of scrum

Q. What can the defending SH do once the opposition have won the ball?
A. S/he can retreat to within 1m of scrum or drop back to 5m

Q. If SH goes back 5m can s/he re-advance?
A. No, not  until the ball leaves the scrum

Q. If the SH drops back how far can s/he go around the other side of the scrum?
A. Within 1m but cannot advance in front of back feet of his/her #8

Q. Do the 5m OS lines move with a moving scrum?
A. Yes (but not into in-goal)

12. Identification of scrum half offside lines

Q. How will players at lower levels know where 5m back is?
A. The referee may ask Club TJs to indicate the 5m. Hopefully all parties will exercise some commonsense

Law 22 – Corner Posts

13. The corner posts are no longer considered to be touch-in-goal except when the ball is grounded (applies to all 4 around in-goal)

Q. What happens if the ball hits a corner post and goes into touch?
A. It is in touch

Q. What happens if the ball hits a corner post and goes into touch-in-goal?
A. It is touch-in-goal

Q. What happens if the ball grounded on a post?
A. No try

Don’t forget about the rest of the Laws!

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