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Can the kicker at a conversion kick change the type of kick they take?

J

jdeagro


Referees in America
Putting aside if it would ever make sense and be beneficial, and also putting aside what the defending team's options are in response. Can the kicker setup a ball on tee to indicate a place kick, begin their approach to kick, and then decide to pick up the ball off the tee and drop kick it (in-line with the mark) instead?
 
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Didn't somebody do this recently in a televised match.
The ball fell off the tee with the shot clock nearly out ?
 
Harry said:
Didn't somebody do this recently in a televised match.
The ball fell off the tee with the shot clock nearly out ?
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Yes, but that scenario is specifically covered in law.
If the kicker has started their approach to the ball and the ball falls over then they must either kick it as it lies or pick it up and drop kick it.
 
Harry said:
Didn't somebody do this recently in a televised match.
The ball fell off the tee with the shot clock nearly out ?
Click to expand...

View attachment m2-res_720p.mp4

This is the one I got the idea from. But it's slightly different. The laws explicitly allow this (8.11) when the ball rolls off the tee after the kicker already begins their approach.

My question is more so in the case where the kicker changes their intent while the ball is still on the tee.
 
shrug... what wopuld be the problem? If that's how they want to do - their call. hardly seems to create a benefit for them given once they've approached so are the oppo chasers.
 
didds said:
shrug... what wopuld be the problem? If that's how they want to do - their call. hardly seems to create a benefit for them given once they've approached so are the oppo chasers.
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Agreed. I just wanted to confirm that just because the laws explicitly state what a kicker can do at a conversion kick (8.8), that doesn't mean they can't do other things too.

The further down the road thinking in my question is say the defenders charged the kicker faster than he'd feel comfortable taking the kick off the tee. Can he pick it up off the tee and back away from it (and the chargers), and then attempt a drop goal? (I assume the answer surely is yes.) Furthermore can he sidestep the defenders and run closer forward to the posts, and then take the drop goal, so long as he takes it back in line with the mark of where the try was scored?

I appreciate the fact that these scenarios are unlikely to occur in a realistic way that's also beneficial to the kicker. But for the sake of curiosity mates.
 
jdeagro said:
Putting aside if it would ever make sense and be beneficial, and also putting aside what the defending team's options are in response. Can the kicker setup a ball on tee to indicate a place kick, begin their approach to kick, and then decide to pick up the ball off the tee and drop kick it (in-line with the mark) instead?
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Yes it happens from time to time when the ball falls off the tee, and there isn't time to replace it
 
One scenario I could see this work for is that you get a PK a distance back and opt for kick at goal, but you as the kicker know that it’s going to be a stretch and those 3 pts are far from certain.

As you setup the tee you then notice all the defenders trotting under the posts to grab some water or chat with the coach so … quick nod and a wink to the winger, trot in, pick up the ball and chip a high kick to your winger who’s now screaming down the wing for 5pts.

I can’t think of any law that would preclude this - as long as you kick from the correct spot then it’s on the oppo for switching off - though I’d expect howls of protest.
 
Volun-selected said:
One scenario I could see this work for is that you get a PK a distance back and opt for kick at goal, but you as the kicker know that it’s going to be a stretch and those 3 pts are far from certain.

As you setup the tee you then notice all the defenders trotting under the posts to grab some water or chat with the coach so … quick nod and a wink to the winger, trot in, pick up the ball and chip a high kick to your winger who’s now screaming down the wing for 5pts.

I can’t think of any law that would preclude this - as long as you kick from the correct spot then it’s on the oppo for switching off - though I’d expect howls of protest.
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I can....

[LAWS=]Law 8
20. If the team indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, they must kick
at goal. The intention to kick can be communicated to the referee or signalled
by the arrival of the kicking tee or sand, or when the player makes a mark on
the ground.[/LAWS]
 
Phil E said:
I can....

[LAWS=]Law 8
20. If the team indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, they must kick
at goal. The intention to kick can be communicated to the referee or signalled
by the arrival of the kicking tee or sand, or when the player makes a mark on
the ground.[/LAWS]
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Got it. So I need to make it look like I’m kicking at goal and then accidentally cock it up ;)
(edit - playing devil’s advocate, not crafting a cunning plan)
 
Volun-selected said:
One scenario I could see this work for is that you get a PK a distance back and opt for kick at goal, but you as the kicker know that it’s going to be a stretch and those 3 pts are far from certain.

As you setup the tee you then notice all the defenders trotting under the posts to grab some water or chat with the coach so … quick nod and a wink to the winger, trot in, pick up the ball and chip a high kick to your winger who’s now screaming down the wing for 5pts.

I can’t think of any law that would preclude this - as long as you kick from the correct spot then it’s on the oppo for switching off - though I’d expect howls of protest.
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They have not switched off. You have chosen to kick at goal. Big Difference! Thats why it is not allowed.
 
crossref said:
Yes it happens from time to time when the ball falls off the tee, and there isn't time to replace it
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The law explicitly allows it when that happens. I'm confirming it's allowed even when the ball doesn't fall off the tee, i.e. when the law doesn't explicitly say it's an option. But I see no reason why to deny it.
 
I suppose largely my take would be - rather like a tenet of english law - if something isn't expressly prohibited, then its legal/able to be done.
 
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