News

Law discussion - Super 14

Tuesday 25th March 2008

Scott Staniforth: Not robbed!

It's been a tough few weeks for those still getting used to the new laws governing the Super 14, but gradually things are settling down in game-play. Certainly the distinction the referees have been using to sort out cynical fouls - punished with penalties - from the less cynical ones - punished with free-kicks.

But in any rugby game or games, there will always be inconsistencies. It is the nature of sport - it is what makes it so much fun to watch and talk about!

Here are a couple for openers!

Military tries

Scott Staniforth of the Force was penalised during the match against the Highlanders for 'crawling' to the tryline to dot down, having been tackled - but not held - by Hoani MacDonald.

The television commentators thought that Staniforth had been 'robbed' of the try, saying that because Staniforth had not been held, he was allowed to do what he did.

While hitting the ground, Staniforth bounced. He then stretched out his left elbow and used it to nudge him the necessary extra half-metre to get him close enough to the line (it is a point of fact that had he reached out with his full arm, he might have been able to touch the ball down anyway).

But just not being held does not allow Staniforth to use his elbow to move forward along the turf; he HAS to get to his feet if he is to play the ball again. Had he done so, there would have been a try. But using a military-style crawl to get to the line is not legal, irrespective of whether held or not. He could even have half-risen and used his feet not his elbow - indeed, he had time and space to do so - but his feet and legs remained steadfastly horizontal.

Compare that with the case of Deon Stegman of the Bulls, who was slung in a tackle by Stephen donald of the Chiefs, and then rolled a couple of times, commando-style, before dotting down. The try was awarded.

The basis for the award, presumably, is that the referee thought the rolls were a result of natural momentum - a moot point to say the least. But again in this case, it is immaterial as to whether Stegman had been held or not. It is either momentum, or get to your feet.

ELV tackle and the new offside line

One of the new laws caught Lote Tuqiri out when he tried to rob possession at a tackle during the Waratahs' defeat to the Crusaders on Friday.

Richie McCaw was tackled, and set the ball behind him. Tuqiri, chasing back nudged the ball with his foot to get it back on the Waratahs' side of the tackle.

Under the old laws, this was also illegal. There was no ruck, but Tuqiri would have had to approach the tackle from behind the ball. However, under the ELVs, Tuqiri has first to retreat to his team's side of McCaw before playing the ball because of the new offside lines at the tackle.

Law 15.5 (c) At a tackle or near to a tackle, other players who play the ball must do so from behind the ball and from directly behind the tackled player or the tackler closest to those players' goal line.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

ELVs' 15.9 OFF-SIDE AT THE TACKLE

(a) The off-side line. There are two off-side lines parallel to the goal-lines. Each off-side line runs through the hindmost part of the nearest player to each team's goal-line regardless of the team to which that player belongs.

(b) At a tackle or near to a tackle, other players who play the ball must do so from behind the off-side line nearer to their goal-line at the tackle and from directly behind the tackled player and/or the tackler(s) closest to those players' goal-line.

It has also been worth noting this week the stance taken by referees on bad language and gamesmanship in terms of shouting at the referee - a continuing trend. In the Six Nations, when Martyn Williams was yellow-carded for tripping Eoin Reddan off the ball, Wayne Barnes turned round to an irate Paul O'Connell and said quite audibly: "Do not run at me screaming or I will reverse the penalty." O'Connell turned away, suitably admonished. Nobody went near Barnes again either in what was a tense finale.

Twice in last weekend's Super 14, referees clamped down. The referee in Canberra twice cautioned Cheetahs players for bad language before finally dispatching Falie Oelschig to the bin, and Bryce Lawrence penalised Chris Latham three times for telling him what to do. Perhaps it will never happen to Lawrence Dallaglio - we can but hope - but it is a nice trend to observe in a game increasingly losing its honest and gentlemanly ethos.