Question #364

[brucericard]

Hello everyone,

question #364 is:
At a scrum, the Blue scrum-half throws-in the ball. The ball comes out from behind the foot of a far prop without being played by the front-row. What do you do?

A. <input disabled="disabled" name="answer" value="A" type="radio">Nothing; play on.
B. <input disabled="disabled" name="answer" value="B" type="radio">Reset the scrum, with the throw-in to Blue.
C. <input disabled="disabled" name="answer" value="C" type="radio">Award a scrum, with Gold throwing-in.
D. <input disabled="disabled" name="answer" value="D" checked="checked" type="radio">Award a free kick to Gold at the mark for the scrum.

I answered D, because if the balls goes out of the scrum from BEHIND the food of a prop without having touched anyone, the ball was obviously not put straight in the scrum by Blue scrum half, and thus there should be a free kick for Gold at the mark of the scrum.

But Incorrect - You answered D.
The correct answer is: B.

Maybe I didn't understand well what was meant by "behind", and if this is the case, the question is really ambiguous.

Thank you guys.

[Davet]

Its a Law question; and is simply looking at 20.7.c which says:
"If the ball is not played by a front row player, and it goes straight through the tunnel and comes out behind the foot of a far prop without being touched, the scrum half must throw it in again."

When the scrum half puts the ball in then players may begin to push, and it is quite possible that even though the ball is put in straight it will emerge as described. The ball may also take a bounce on the imperfect grass surface, and again emerge behind the far props foot.

You cannot use that as an indication of a crooked feed, it isn't necessarily so - you need to watch the actual put-in and see the ball bounce beyond the near props shoulders and with some part of it on the mid-line of the tunnel.

[brucericard]

OK, I guess you're right. Thank you. I didn't reread the law. Although the word "behind" this law is very dangerous in this law. When you read it, you kind of understand that "behind" means "behind while you're looking in the direction of the tunnel", because that's where the scrum half is, but "behind" also means "behind the foot of the prop", meaning "behind the prop". And that's what I understood when I read the question.

I disagree with the argument of the scrum being pushed. I thought about it, and if a team overpowers the other one so much that the ball goes through the feet of the flanker and out of the scrum without being touched by anyone, and goes out of the scrum, I say play on. The ball is not out from the tunnel, the ball was won in the scrum, and the scrum is now over.

[brucericard]

Can't edit my post... sorry about the strange sentences.

[Davet]

Behind the foot of the prop means behind his foot - ie to the rear of his heel. ie nearer that teams dead ball line than the foot of the prop.

If that ball exits behind his foot without being played you must reset the scrum.

In order or that happen with a straight feed the scrum needs to be nudged about a foot. Not too much dominance required, just a good nudge on contact.

[Dickie E]

I've never seen it happen and would probably play on

[Davet]

you may well, but in strict Law terms you would be wrong, and since this was a question about Law, we may as well get it right.

[Taff]

I've never seen it happen and would probably play onSerious? I see it pretty regularly (I'd guess about 1 or 2 a game) especially at the younger levels.

I think the IRB logic is that the ball has to be won in some way; ie so if it just rolls out the other end of the tunnel it isn't good enough. Or if it goes in slightly crooked and just rolls out behind the tight head props (THPs) feet without being won, that's not good enough either so they do it again. If the THP does nudge it backwards and it pops out behind his feet then play on.

Where I tend to see it, is where the THP has his left leg back and his right leg forward and bent as if supporting his own weight; ie in effect he's created his own mini tunnel.

[didds]

On the whole I wouldn't say that is the greatest of technique being shown by the TH, but that's not to say Taff's suggestion never happens of course :-).

didds