unusual line out move

crossref


Referees in England
I reffed a game two weeks ago where one team had a curious line out move.

They executed a normal 'dance' with some players switching positions ...

..then the throw came in - underhand and low, about waist height, directly down the centre of the tunnel where it was caught - but not by the front player (who had his back to the thrower throughout, in a position as though he was ready to lift) - but by a player arriving at #2 who stepped into the middle of the tunnel to catch the ball as it arrived.

it was quite effective - the 'dance' had been executed to tempt the defending team back a bit and the #2 position wasn't well defended.

thoughts?
 
Last edited:

didds

Resident Club Coach
to be honest my only thought is "why would anybody consider that anything wrong" ?
 

crossref


Referees in England
Yes I was happy with it
It worked well enough the first time that they did it twice.. and it worked the second time as well !
 
Last edited:

Volun-selected


Referees in America
I can see the underarm throw causing some raised eyebrows and muttering from those who’ve not seen it before, but since the ball was straight and went 5 then we’re all good.

@crossref - so it happened again at the next lineout and still worked? Did the defenders just assume it was a one-off?
 

jdeagro


Referees in America
I can see the underarm throw causing some raised eyebrows and muttering from those who’ve not seen it before, but since the ball was straight and went 5 then we’re all good.

@crossref - so it happened again at the next lineout and still worked? Did the defenders just assume it was a one-off?

When I played in U19, we had a play where we'd roll the ball on the ground into the lineout (of course it would have to go 5 first before it touched the ground). It was about as chaotic as one could imagine with rolling a rugby ball and youngster ruggers contesting for it.
 

crossref


Referees in England
When I played in U19, we had a play where we'd roll the ball on the ground into the lineout (of course it would have to go 5 first before it touched the ground). It was about as chaotic as one could imagine with rolling a rugby ball and youngster ruggers contesting for it.
:) did it ever produce clean ball ??
 

didds

Resident Club Coach
possession is everything in 7s. If you can all but guarantee a caught ball even with an immediate ruck, that's better than a gamble with a thrower that doesn't normally "throw" ?

Purely conjecture on my part.
 

jdeagro


Referees in America
possession is everything in 7s. If you can all but guarantee a caught ball even with an immediate ruck, that's better than a gamble with a thrower that doesn't normally "throw" ?

Purely conjecture on my part.
Ah scratch that. I got confused and thought we were still discussing rolling the ball lol. Yes, in the air throw, but a low underarm throw, that makes sense to me on occasion in 7s.
 

SimonSmith


Referees in Australia
Staff member
Ah, the short memories we all have.

Creative line out moves like this was something that the Japanese national team did all the time before they imported taller forwards,
 

Not Kurt Weaver


Referees in America
Ah, the short memories we all have.

Creative line out moves like this was something that the Japanese national team did all the time before they imported taller forwards,
Not only that, I can remember Japanese teams bouncing the ball from the throw into l/o, pre lifting days
 

Volun-selected


Referees in America
Maybe things are improving. Had a collegiate tournament yesterday and at one lineout the team did the underarm pass to the front. Oppo jumps up, the throwing team’s front player just sticks their paw out and grabs the ball (middle of tunnel and over 5m), sprints past the defender at 2&2 and makes good distance before being tackled.

Not a squeak of protest from anyone.
 
Top