Binding by Number 8

[CrouchTPEngage]

During my pre match briefing the other day, a number 8 asked of me what I expected ,as a minimum,to constitute a legal bind. I said something along the lines of 'full length of 1 arm'. He was complaining that he was penalised by a previous ref for losing his bind.

Because he is allowed to unbind, when the ball is at his feet, is there a relaxed attitude to his bind at other times. Im sure i ve seen them simply place a hand on the 2nd row s backs.
i just checked the law book and it does indeed say something abiut 'all other players will bind to the locks with one arm'
So do we all allow only one arm for the number 8 ?

Guidance please.

 

[ddjamo]

yes, one arm. the 8 may bind on the outside of a lock legally. nothing required to bind with 2 arms nor is there a requirement to bind between the locks (except for u19, universally - I think).

 

[Diego]

20.3 (f) Binding by all other players. All players in a scrum, other than front-row players, must
bind on a lock’s body with at least one arm prior to the scrum engagement. The locks must
bind with the props in front of them. No other player other than a prop may hold an
opponent.

Sanction: Penalty kick

Edit ===> At Least one arm: it mean the full arm

 

[Dixie]

[LAWS]Definitions: Binding: Grasping firmly another player’s body between the shoulders and the hips with the whole arm in contact from hand to shoulder.[/LAWS]

The difficulty is that a proper bind must take place above the hips, whereas the standard #8 bind is below the hips. We are thus all prepared to play fast and loose with the #8 bind. It is only a question of how much latitude we are prepared to permit. For all practical purposes, as long as the #8 has most of one arm in contact with his lock, there is very little reason to ping him.

 

[Nigib]

I'm looking for sufficient binding in place (insisting on full bind if necessary) to prevent (a) the secondary shove on engage/set and/or (b) leaving the scrum fast when the ball comes out (either end). 'Charioteering' is another version, with each hand (or even just one) loosely adjacent to a lock or flanker.

 

[WombleRef]

During my pre match briefing the other day, a number 8 asked of me what I expected ,as a minimum,to constitute a legal bind. I said something along the lines of 'full length of 1 arm'. He was complaining that he was penalised by a previous ref for losing his bind.

Because he is allowed to unbind, when the ball is at his feet, is there a relaxed attitude to his bind at other times. Im sure i ve seen them simply place a hand on the 2nd row s backs.
i just checked the law book and it does indeed say something abiut 'all other players will bind to the locks with one arm'
So do we all allow only one arm for the number 8 ?

Guidance please.

Personally, I ask for fully bound and shoulders in to prevent a shoulder charge on crouch, but I let them know that if they want to do an 8 pick up - go ahead.