Laws and Rulings

There still seems to be some confusing regarding the MAUL. Please share this. Thank you!

When a maul goes to ground and is not deemed to be collapsed intentionally:

1. There is no obligation for any players to release the ball or roll away.
2. If the ball is available, play should continue. Availability would constitute that the referee can see the ball and the team in possession are in the process of recycling the ball.
3. If the ball is not available, a scrum is awarded to the team that did not have possession of the ball at the commencement of the maul.

Law 17

Regards,
Richard Every
High Performance Referee Manager | USA Rugby

Referees & Team Coaches, it has come to the attention of RATO that lately there have been a few issues of non compliance in regards to Kick-off and Restart Kicks. We’d like to review this law to ensure that this trend doesn’t continue.

Unfortunately it appears that restarts are much overlooked by teams and referees and THEIR coaches. The restart at all levels has become increasingly important especially in terms of momentum shifts. As a referee it is devastating to make a mistake on a restart.

Also, RATO would encourage refs to treat all teams of all levels with respect. Treating a team differently because it is Boys HS or Girls Collegiate is unacceptable, all teams should be held to the same standard. Ref these laws straight up and your credibility and that of your fellow refs will be enhanced.

Review of Law 13

13.1 Where and how the kick-off is taken
(a) A team kicks off with a drop kick which must be taken at or behind the centre of the half way line.
(b)If the ball is kicked off by the wrong type of kick, or from the incorrect place, the opposing team has two choices:

• To have the ball kicked off again, or
• To have a scrum at the centre of the half way line and they throw in the ball.

13.5 Kick-off of 10 metres
If the ball reaches the opponents’ 10-metre line or reaches the 10-metre line and is blown back, play continues.

13.6 Kick-off of under 10 metres but played by an opponent
If the ball does not reach the opponent’s 10-metre line but is first played by an opponent, play continues.

13.7 Kick-off of under 10 metres and not played by an opponent
If the ball does not reach the opponent’s 10-metre line the opposing team has two choices:

• To have the ball kicked off again, or
• To have a scrum at the centre of the half-way line and they throw in the ball.

13.8 Ball goes directly into touch
The ball must land in the field of play. If it is kicked directly into touch the opposing team has three choices:

• To have the ball kicked off again, or
• To have a scrum at the centre and they have the throw-in, or
• To accept the kick.

If they accept the kick, the lineout is on the half way line. If the ball is blown behind the half way line and goes directly into touch, the lineout is at the place where it went into touch.

13.9 Ball goes into the in-goal
(a) If the ball is kicked into the in-goal without having touched or been touched by a player, the opposing team has three choices:

• To ground the ball, or
• To make it dead, or
• To play on.

(b) If the opposing team grounds the ball, or if they make it dead, or if the ball becomes dead by going into touch-in-goal, or on or over the dead ball line, they have two choices:

• To have a scrum formed at the centre, and they throw in the ball, or
• To have the other team kick off again.

(c) If they opt to ground the ball or make it dead, they must do so without delay. Any other action with the ball by a defending player means the player has elected to play on.

13.10 Drop-out
DEFINITIONS
A drop-out is a drop kick taken by the defending team. The drop-out may be taken anywhere on or behind the 22-metre line.
A drop-out is used to restart play after an attacking player has put or taken the ball into the in-goal, without infringement, and a defending player has made the ball dead there or it has gone into touch-in-goal or on or over the dead ball line.

13.12 Drop-out incorrectly taken
If the ball is kicked with the wrong type of kick, or from the wrong place, the opposing team has two choices:

• To have another drop-out, or
• To have a scrum at the centre of the 22-metre line and they throw in the ball.

13.13 Drop-out must cross the line
(a) If the ball does not cross the 22-metre line, the opposing team has two choices:

• To have another drop-out, or
• To have a scrum at the centre of the 22-metre line. They throw in the ball.

(b) If the ball crosses the 22-metre line but is blown back, play continues.
(c) If the ball does not cross the 22-metre line, advantage may apply. An opponent who plays the ball can score a try.

13.14 Drop-out goes directly into touch
The ball must land in the field of play. If it is kicked directly into touch, the opposing team has three choices:

• To have another drop-out, or
• To have a scrum at the centre of the 22-metre line, and they throw in the ball, or
• To accept the kick. If they accept the kick, the throw-in is on the 22-metre line.

13.16 The kicker’s team
(a) All the kicker’s team must be behind the ball when it is kicked. If not, a scrum is formed at the centre of the 22-metre line. The opposing team throws in the ball.
(b) However, if the kick is taken so quickly that players of the kicker’s team who are retiring are still in front of the ball, they will not be penalised. They must not stop retiring until they have been made onside by an action of a team-mate. They must not take part in the game until they have been made onside in this way.

Sanction: Scrum at the centre of the 22-metre line. The opposing team throws in the ball.

Following the introduction of the” Crouch, Touch, Set” instructions for scrum engagement as part of the current set of Law trials it has become evident that some referees are not leaving a pause between the “Touch” request and the “Set” request. The pause is required to ensure that the front row players are steady and are able to locate where they will engage.

The Scrum Steering Group and the Laws Representation Group have reconfirmed that the Trial Law 20.1(g) should read:
The referee will call “crouch” then “touch”. The front rows crouch and using their outside arm each prop touches the point of the opposing prop’s outside shoulder. The props then withdraw their arms. Following a pause the referee will then call “set” when the front rows are ready. The front rows may then engage. The “set” call is not a command but an indication that the front rows may come together
when ready.

Please note the Referee must not say the word pause. A video resource is under production and will be available at irblaws.com, Law Application Guidelines from Monday January 14, 2013.

Yours sincerely,
David Carrigy
Head of External & Member Relations

View Full Release [PDF]

from Rugby365.com:

Following the confusion about the use of substitutes/replacements in the Pretoria Test when South Africa played Australia, the IRB has clarified the relevant law and issued a protocol for those in charge of the coming and going of players during a match.

The problem in Pretoria revolved around the number of substitutes/replacements of front row players that resulted in the Australians’ playing the end part of the match with just 14 players after Tatafu Polota-Nau was injured and the scrums then became uncontested, which is unsatisfying.

We shall deal with the Law first and then, separately, the protocol. Note that the substution of a player is tactical;, replacement is for injury. It is a pity that this was not available earlier.

Law 3.12 SUBSTITUTED PLAYERS REJOINING THE MATCH
(a) If a player is substituted, that player must not return and play in that match, even to replace an injured player.
Exception 1: a substituted player may replace a player with an open or bleeding wound.
Exception 2: a substituted player may replace a front row player when injured, temporarily suspended or sent off unless the referee has ordered uncontested scrums prior to the event which led to the front row player leaving the field of play and the team has used all the permitted replacements and substitutions.

The IRB’s comment:

Law 3.12 (a) Exception 2:

With the exception in Law 3.12 (a) regarding front row players:

1. How many replacements/substitutions are allowed in the front row?

2. How many replacements/substitutions in total allowed in a match?

Scenario 1: 22 Players in a team

When 22 players are nominated in the team, with five (5) players nominated as suitably trained and experienced front row players, the team may tactically substitute two (2) players in the front row.

During a match the team must be able, on the first occasion an injury to a prop or a hooker occur in the match, to replace the injured front row player with a suitably trained and experienced front row player in order to continue with contested scrums in the match.

The two (2) substituted front row players may replace any front row player when injured provided the replacement front row player is suitably trained for that specific front row position. (Tight Head, Loose Head or Hooker)

In a match the total number of substitutes and replacements in the front row allowed as per above is four (4).

If a team has used all its permitted substitutions/replacements and the referee has ordered uncontested scrums prior to the injury, temporarily suspension or sent off a replacement is not allowed.

Up to five (5) other players may be substituted in the match.

The total number of substitutes/replacements allowed in the match as per above can thus be up to nine (9).

Scenario 2: 22/23 Players in a team

When 22 or 23 players are nominated in the team, with six (6) players nominated as suitably trained and experienced front row players, the team may tactically substitute up to three (3) players in the front row.

During a match the team must be able, on the first occasion an injury to Loose Head prop, Tight Head prop or Hooker occur in the match, to replace the injured front row player with a suitably trained and experienced front row player in order to be able to continue with contested scrums.

The three (3) substituted front row players may replace any front row player when injured, temporarily suspended or sent off provided the replacement player is suitably trained and experienced for that specific front row position. (Tight Head, Loose Head or Hooker)

The total number of substitutes and replacements in the front row allowed as per above is six (6).

If a team has used all its permitted substitutions/replacements and the referee has ordered uncontested scrums prior to the injury, temporarily suspension or sent off a replacement is not allowed.

Up to five (5) other players may be substituted in the match.

The total number of substitutes/replacement allowed in the match as per above can thus be up to eleven (11).

from the USA Rugby Referees and Laws Committee:

ANNOUNCEMENT
The Referees and Laws Committee changed USA Rugby referee grade nomenclature at its AGM in August, 2012.

RESULT
The net result is that we will revert to C and B grades, such as existed until four years ago.
L3, 2 and 1 will now be C3, 2 and 1. All T referees will now be B referees.

RECENT (August) GRADE > NEW (September) GRADE
L4 > C4
L3 > C3
L2 > C2
L1 > C1
T > B

What follows, for those who are interested, is our rationale and the alternatives that were considered.

RATIONALE
Confusion has reigned for the past few years because of the following:
Referees are graded L3, L2 and L1 (this L stands for Local)
Referee courses are L1, L2 and L3 (this L stands for Level)
For assignments and grading purposes, matches are L1 through L7 (this L stands for Level)
Reports written on referees are L1 and L2 reports (this L stands for Level)
[These are formally known as Coaching Reports and Evaluation Reports, but even those who write them often refer to them as ‘level one’ and ‘level two’ reports.]

Beginning referees often assume that completing the L1 course makes them an L1 ref. Who could blame them? Those contemplating becoming referees are often confused by the whole nomenclature.
People at the national office who have to field these confused phone calls complained. Those of us who deal with the confusion at the local level (that word again) across the country sympathized.
It was accepted that the L designation had to go. What to replace it with?

ALTERNATIVES
S was suggested, meaning Society. But the territories are also Societies. S seemed random.
L-level referees referee Community Rugby. Why not C referees? It made sense for thirty years to call those working in the first few grades C referees. So this decision was made: the first grade awarded will again be C3, with the first two promotions being to C2 and then C1.
Note: criteria for promotion are unaffected by this change. These changes are strictly limited to nomenclature.
That left us with C1 referees who earned promotion joining the T panel. The problem with that is that some Territories have already dissolved and others soon will. The T could be left as a vestigial designation, standing for something that only used to be.
Here’s the problem: the rugby playing organizational universe is moving toward having two divisions of administration. Geographical Unions do not belong to Territories. They belong to USA Rugby. Two levels.
Referees continue to need three divisions, corresponding to the three divisions of grades. There are those awarded by the local society, now called C, and the various Panels awarded by USA Rugby, with those referees capable of doing matches above the GU but below the national in between. We still need a T-Panel equivalent.
Hence: C for Community, B to be alphabetical and in line with what used to be, and then the national Panels, Squads and Groups. Plus, C and B are not tied to particular words used to designate organizational levels such as GUs or Zones, which may change in the future.

APOLOGY
We of the R&L are aware that we may look foolish changing this back after changing it with such fanfare only four years ago. We feel foolish. We also feel compelled to make this change, and feel that it will serve us well in the future and will minimize confusion.

For the Referee and Laws Committee
Bruce Carter, Chairman