Boys will be boys I

[Greg Collins]

U18's A division rugby. Blue = best team in county riding high certs to win league. Red = will prob avoid relegation, just.

Blue misplaced pass bobbles along the ground where it is picked up by a blue player sat on his arse on the ground who passes it to another blue player.

Ping! off your feet out of the game. PK

Little later Blue misplaced pass bobbles along the ground where it is kicked towards the oppo goal line by same blue player lying on his side on the ground. (he has got up and done running about in the mean time)

Ping! Which bit off don't play it when you are off feet do you not understand. PK Red.

Yay or Nay to either/both?

[Donal1988]

I dont think I would have penalised either. I may be wrong but this is open play. There is no tackle, no ruck, or no set piece. As far as I can recall the law says that a player must act immediately, not do nothing.

14.1 PLAYERS ON THE GROUND
(a) A player with the ball must immediately do one of three things:
• Get up with the ball
• Pass the ball
• Release the ball.
Sanction: Penalty kick

(b) A player who passes or releases the ball must also get up or move away from it at once.
Sanction: Penalty kick

(c) A player without the ball must not lie on, over, or near the ball to prevent opponents getting possession of it.
Sanction: Penalty kick

(d) A player on the ground must not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent.
Sanction: Penalty kick

I might be wrong but it seems a bit harsh though very consistent.

[DrSTU]

I'm with you Greg. Off feet out of game.

[OB..]

Preamble to Law 14: The game is to be played by players who are on their feet.

As quoted in Ruling 1 of 2004
which says
The action noted above is illegal.

[Donal1988]

OB - noted!

[Donal1988]

Gotta say those rulings and stuff cheese me off at times. This kind of thing should be written in the laws. What about the newcomer who reads the law book, goes into his first game and ping! is penalised for passing the ball while sitting down. Doesnt seem logical to me that they cant put the Dos and Donts into the book instead of us trying to talk about directives and regulations to players.

[SimonSmith]

Because rulings on law, which are supposed to be clarifications of existing law, are not new laws I would guess.

[Donal1988]

True Simon but you know what I mean. I read through the Ruling there and I gotta say Im still confused. This is as close as I got to figuring out what OB meant.

The WRU has requested a ruling with regard Law 14 - Ball on the Ground-No Tackle
May a player lying on the ground during general play and not after a tackle, attempt to tackle a ball carrier?
The Designated Members have ruled the following in answer to the questions raised:
Ruling
Law 14 states 'The game is to be played by players on their feet'. The action noted above is illegal

But that is a completely different situation to what is described above. To me what Greg encountered was no different to a player running backwards jumping onto a ball in open play. He then immediately pops it up to the guy behind him. Im sure we all agree thats play on? Seems no different than whats above. But then again its late and my brain is goo at the moment.

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Originally Posted by Donal1988

Gotta say those rulings and stuff cheese me off at times. This kind of thing should be written in the laws. What about the newcomer who reads the law book, goes into his first game and ping! is penalised for passing the ball while sitting down. Doesnt seem logical to me that they cant put the Dos and Donts into the book instead of us trying to talk about directives and regulations to players.

I find 180+ pages more than enough!

As for Greg's calls - I agree. Off your feet - out of the game. Done it a couple of time this year.

[stuart3826]

The man on his feet is King. The man on his arse most certainly isn't. Ping him if he plays with the ball! Or another player!