Ask the Expert archive

All the Ask the Expert questions and answers from the 2021-22 season are archived here, with the most recent first:

(April 2022) Question: can a defending team claim a ‘mark’ from an unsuccessful drop goal attempt (whether drop-kicked cleanly or accidentally ‘punted’)?

The Expert says: The Principle of Law 17 is for a player catching an opponent’s kick within the defending 22m area.  The only exceptions are that a Mark cannot be made from a kick off or a restart kick.  Therefore a Mark can be made in the defending 22m area from an open play punt, a PK from hand, a PK from the tee, a FK or an attempted drop goal.

A misconception over an attempted drop-goal may arise from the restriction on not being able to call a Mark from a kick off or a restart kick – which have to be drop kicks.

If the kick is caught behind the try line and therefore in the in-goal area, a Mark may still be claimed but the free kick for the mark is taken on the 5m line level with where the mark was claimed. The defender also has the (potentially less advantageous) option to touch the ball down (restarting with a Goal Line Dropout), to return the kick, or to run the ball out of defence.

(March 2022) Question: Dummy runners – used by some colt/senior sides with varying degrees of success (largely comical, ie so obvious they are dummies they seem rather pointless). These are used at the breakdowns before scrum half passes to attacking back line. Running straight seems fine but many run diagonally across the front of and close to the defending 10 and 12, ie intent is to obstruct view of defence. Penalise or not?

The Expert says: It is impossible to give a totally prescriptive answer to the scenario described above. One possible offence is offside (e.g. Law 10.1) should a dummy runner go beyond the breakdown where a team mate last played the ball. Another possible offence is obstruction (e.g. Law 9.2, Law 9.3). The referee has to decide whether an offence has been committed and if so whether it was material and affected play. Advantage can still be played from an offence that is material

(March 2022) Question: Which side of the scrum can the scrum half throw in from? The law allows the scrum half to throw in from either side. However, my reading is that once decided then it is set for the duration of the match. Recently a No. 9 wanted to throw in from his tight head side as he had a left footed hooker. When they changed hookers later on he wanted to throw in from the conventional loose lead side. His interpretation of the law was that he could decide at every scrum which side was best. Is he right?

The Expert says: Law 19.13 states that the scrum half chooses which side of the scrum to throw in the ball. Implicitly the scrum half will choose the side considered to be most favourable to his/her team. There is nothing in Law to suggest that this has to be the same for every scrum during the match. Therefore, should the scrum half choose a different side to throw in the ball during the same game, then he/she can do so. A referee may insist that once the scrum half has approached one side of the scrum with the ball in hand, that for that scrum the ball must be put in from that side in order to avoid wasting time by coming around to the other side. A dominant tight head prop may also give the side throwing into the scrum a reason for the throw to be on that side rather than the loose head side.

(March 2022) Question: In Age-Grade rugby, if a player is asked to be substituted by the referee for foul play (striking another player), can that player then be re-introduced to the game a minute later by the coach, without checking with the referee?

The Expert says: Hitting an opponent constitutes foul play (Law 9.12 refers). The Principle of Law 9 states “A player who commits foul play, must either be cautioned, temporarily suspended or sent off.” Foul play has to be sanctioned. Players need to understand the unacceptability of foul play. Even in Age Grade Rugby with rolling substitutions, replacements/interchanges can only be made whilst the ball is dead and with the referee’s permission (Law 3.6 refers). If a Referee requires that a player be removed in order to “calm down and reflect”, and has allowed his/her team to continue at full strength, then only the referee decides if and when that player may return. When advising the coach to substitute the player, the referee should inform the coach that the player can only return should the referee so allow.

(Feb 2022, updated March 2022) Question: Is ‘squeezeball’ legal or not?

The Expert says: ‘Squeezeball’ is the practice of a ball-carrier going to ground and passing the ball between their legs whilst assuming a ‘forward roll’ position (on all fours, head down, shoulders lower than hips). Squeezeball is not permitted in any age grade rugby where there are U18 players in a team (this includes Colts where some players may be U19). This is for safety reasons, as the stance taken up by the ball carrier makes the base of the head/top of the spine vulnerable to injury by an arriving opponent.

Law 14.7a stipulates that the tackled player must make the ball available immediately by releasing, passing or pushing the ball in any direction apart from forwards. Therefore, as long as the ball carrier is complying with this obligation, the method of doing so is not subject to restriction. If however the player delays passing the ball through their legs, they are contravening Law 14.7c (“lying on, over or near the ball to prevent opposition players from gaining possession”) and should be penalised.

This law was clarified as long ago as 2012 by World Rugby: a clarification video can be found here

(Update March 2021) Whilst RFU Regulation 15 Appendix 9 prohibits either players using or the coaching of “squeezeball”, it does not define the appropriate sanction. Initially issue a FK, but if the problem persists with the same team, escalate to a PK

(Jan 2022) Question: Uncontested scrums in England: can the No 8 pick up the ball and go?

The Expert says: Yes. All rugby union matches in England are under the jurisdiction of the RFU which in the majority of cases defers to World Rugby Laws. The only reference to uncontested scrums in World Rugby Law (including U19 variations, which cover English U19/Colts/U18 games) is in the Definitions and that places no restriction on No 8 pick-ups.

Some RFU Competition Regulations have variations, including that they may require a side failing to provide adequate front row cover (thereby resulting in uncontested scrums) to play with one fewer player. RFU Regulation 15 covers all Boys Age Grade rugby from U18 and below, and Appendix 9 covers the relevant Boys age group U15-U18. Appendix 8 covers Boys U14, and Appendix 11 covers Girls’ U15-U18. In all these cases there are no restrictions on No. 8 pick-ups even in uncontested scrums.

(As U13 and below, boys and girls, don’t have a No 8, the question above does not apply)

Please note that in Wales the Regulations are different. Our schools and clubs that play ‘cross-border’ fixtures may have to agree with their opponents beforehand whether any variation applies or not

(Jan 2022) Red team kicks off, Blue catch the ball and immediately kick deep. The ball bounces into touch inside Red’s 22. Who throws in at the resulting lineout?

The Expert says: Red. The 50/22 Global Law Trial states specifically that it does not apply to a kick off or any type of restart kick.

Justification: It would be wrong to sanction a team for complying with an obligation. Red was obliged to kick into the Blue half and did so. Blue only has the opportunity to secure a 50/22 either if Red chose voluntarily to kick the ball into the Blue half or after a further contest for the ball in the Blue half after they were obliged to kick the ball into that half.

(Jan 2022) On a windy day, red team scores a try. The tee is bought on by a substitute. The ball keeps falling off the tee so the kicker asks the substitute to hold the ball for him. Do you allow this?

The Expert says: No. Whilst Law 8 allows for a “placer” to support the ball for place kicks at goal, Law 3.1 states that each team has no more than 15 players in the playing area during play. If the substitute acted as a placer for his team in an attempt to score points, then he/she is acting in a playing capacity so would contravene Law 3.1.

(Nov 2021) Question: Time has elapsed in the first half, and a player is sent to the sin bin. The resultant penatly means that play continues for 3 further minutes before a stoppage allows the half time whistle to sound. Should that player return no earlier than 10 minutes after the start of the second half, or do the 3 minutes of ‘overtime’ count towards the sin bin duration?

The Expert says: You may remember this also turned up in the infamous ‘100 minute game’ (Wayne Barnes, France v Wales, 2017 Six Nations), where a French player was YC-ed on 80 minutes, but allowed to return before the match ended due to a string of penalties.

]When the scheduled duration of either half is reached, play continues until the ball next becomes dead (Law 5.7 refers) although neither half can end on a free kick or a penalty (Law 5.7b refers).

The YC clock runs simultaneously with the game time clock.  Even though play continues beyond the scheduled duration of either half due to the above, the game clock (and hence the YC clock) continues to run until that half is called over by the referee.

So in this scenario, even though time has expired, the half hasn’t ended and as play is continuing then the YC’d player is serving his/her sanction time. Any overtime therefore can be taken into account at the start of the second half: in this scenario the player would be allowed to return (at a suitable stoppage) after 7 minutes.

(Nov 2021) Question: If the attacking player goes over goal line but is held up by two tackling defenders and without the ball being grounded is bundled over dead ball line due to momentum and a short (5m) in-goal area what is the decision: a) 22-metre drop out; b) goal line drop out under the current law variations?

The Expert says: The Global Law Trial within Law 12 (Click here for current GLTs) shows only three possible specific sequences of play before the ball is made dead which lead to a restart via a goal line dropout.  For any other sequence of play leading to the ball being made dead beyond the dead ball line or either touch-in- goal lines, other existing laws define the restart.  In this case (which does not conform to any of the three stated scenarios), the decision is to award a 22m dropout.

(NOV 2021) Question: Under the current Global Law Trials (2021-22 season) when a goal-line dropout is taken and goes directly into touch without bouncing, does this result in a line out where the ball goes into touch for the non-kicking team or are they offered the option of a lineout or scrum on the kicking team’s 5m line?

The Expert says:

There is no difference in this scenario from a ‘normal’ 22m dropout. Law 12.13d explicitly answers this question and provides the non-kicking team with four options: (i) have the kick retaken; (ii) scrum; (iii) line out; (iv) quick throw. If opting for a scrum (option ii) or a line out (option iii) either will be on the kicking team’s 5m line. This scenario applies to all restart kicks (22, GLD, kick-off)

(SEPT 2021 UPDATED DEC 2021) Question: As I understand it, when the ball-carrier is tackled, s/he is allowed within his/her own momentum to roll over once in order to place the ball back towards their own side, but may not crab forward or roll more than one complete 360 on the floor (sanction: penalty)

Some sides (particularly younger) are being coached this year that any kind of roll over is illegal and liable to be penalised, and are then aggrieved when the referee allows the other side to do as above.

Law 14 is not explicit about this, but is there something elsewhere that I’ve missed?

The Expert says:

Within the Principle of Law 14 is the statement “The actions of players involved in the tackle must ensure a fair contest and allow the ball to be available for play immediately.”

Law 14.7 specifically states that

Tackled players must immediately:

a. Make the ball available so that play can continue by releasing, passing or pushing the ball in any direction except forward. They may place the ball in any direction.

b. Move away from the ball or get up.

c. Ensure that they do not lie on, over or near the ball to prevent opposition players from gaining possession of it.

Therefore, if a tackled player, having landed with his/her body between the ball and his/her team mates does so immediately, he/she can place the ball backwards over his/her body and achieve the same outcome as taking an extra roll and be compliant with both the Principle and specifics of the Law (14.7a refers). He/she has realised an opportunity more likely to maintain possession for his/her side.

(added 9/12/21) Additionally, a player who lands with his/her body on top of the ball who immediately rolls backwards towards their own goal line (rather than forwards towards their opponents goal line) will temporarily have their body under the ball rather than on the ball and therefore comply with Law 14.7c.  This also moves the ball nearer to his/her support and further from the opposition, increasing the likelihood of retaining possession.

However, if any unnecessary roll let alone an “extra” roll denies an opponent who has arrived legally from playing the ball, then the tackled player should be penalised. The tackled player has failed to comply with the specific obligations of Law 14.7b and 14.7c.

A referee may decide that an “extra” roll which has not prevented fair contest for the ball (because opponents haven’t arrived early enough) is immaterial and let play continue, but not every player and coach may see it that way and thereby perceive “inconsistency” in the referee’s game management when s/he’s penalised rolls that do prevent fair contest but not every roll. The referee then gives themself the problem of “selling” each such situation on its own specific merits.

If, however, the ball carrier has broken through the attempted tackle before going to ground, then he/she can actually just get up again with the ball as no tackle (i.e. held and brought to ground) has been completed and Law 14 does not apply.  Even then the player should not take any unnecessary roll as the game is to be played by players on their feet (Law 13 Players on the ground in open play refers).

(SEPT 2021) Question: Team A lineout throw to the middle, ball carrier catches cleanly, comes down, is surrounded by (and bound onto by) teammates. Crucially, Team B don’t jump or contest the lineout, back off completely and don’t engage or bind on any Team A players. Ball is in the middle of the ‘huddle’ of Team A players, which now advances towards the goal line unopposed. Is there any infringement? Are the bound Team A players (without the ball) technically offside and/or causing an obstruction? Team B are standing off and not engaging, so is that ‘their lookout’?

The Expert says:

This is often described as a “truck and trailer” scenario.

The Laws are constructed on the premise that both sides are expected to compete for the ball at various phases of play and teams cannot expect to “buy” a sanction by negative play (e.g. not competing as above) or in other circumstances holding in a tackler and preventing him/her moving away.

If Red “back off completely” (i.e. they leave the lineout before the referee has adjudged the lineout to be over) then they should be penalised (Law 18.38).

If Red remain in their original lineout positions but simply don’t engage on the catcher then as Red didn’t compete, if the ball was with any but the front player of the Yellow “huddle” the Referee should instruct Yellow to “use it” and they can choose one of three options:

· The ball carrier can peel off from the back

· The scrum half can take it off the ball carrier and pass it to another player

· The scrum half can take it off the ball carrier and carry it him/herself

All three options bring the ball back into play and Yellow doing so as instructed is constructive.

If the ball is with the front Yellow player, then Red has access to the ball carrier and no offence (obstruction) has been committed. However, if the Yellow team fail to “use it” as instructed and a Red player then engages with the front of the “huddle” he/she has been obstructed as they can’t get to the ball carrier. This is now a penalty offence by Yellow.

If a Red player is cute (or brave) enough and the ball is not with the front Yellow player, then the Red player can join straight onto the ball carrier as with nothing currently formed, there is no offside line. When the shouts from Yellow players and their Coach arise, the referee can say “Nothing formed!” or “no maul!”

A Red player who joins the front of the huddle not on the ball carrier hasn’t created a maul because the definition of a maul is a player from each team bound onto the ball carrier.

So, a referee can manage this situation without blowing his/her whistle providing the non-offending side uses the ball promptly when instructed to by the referee.

All rugby phases create obligations and/or opportunities for players. Players, Referees and Coaches must understand this. If Yellow fails to use the ball promptly and Red subsequently engages on a Yellow player other than the ball carrier, then Red has realised an opportunity because Yellow has failed to comply with an obligation