Law Discussion - Tri-Nations, Week 3

The main match of the weekend was in Perth where Australia beat South Africa 16-9, two tries to none. There were also Currie Cup matches.

We have given some statistics from the Perth match and there are clips on www.sareferees.co.za with incidents that may be of interest from a refereeing point of view.

1. The Land of the Falling Scrum

One statistic was remarkable - that at the scrums.

In Wellington there were 23 scrums 3 collapses, 2 resets.
In Dunedin, there were 13 scrums, 3 collapses and 1 reset.
In Perth there were 17 scrums,  16 collapses, 10 resets.

That is a remarkable turn-up: 36 scrums and 6 collapses; 17 scrums and 16 collapses. Something is not right. It certainly does not contribute to a worthwhile match.

2. Untouchable

When South Africa lost in Wellington, the coach had complaints about the referee. When they won in Dunedin, there were no complaints. When they lost in Perth there were again complaints. It seems that the result makes the referee! It's not a mature reaction to defeat. In fact the Perth referee apparently had "had a lot to do" with the Springboks' defeat.

Coach: "We weren't given a chance to compete by the referee. He was almost untouchable."

Untouchable?

As in the lowest caste in India? Surely not.

Exempt from physical violence? One hopes devoutly that that is so.

Exempt from public criticism? Obviously not, for the coach had lots to say.

Exempt from sanction? No not at all. Referees are scrutinised. If they are found wanting action is taken, even against men at the top of their profession. The most recent top referee to be dropped was Steve Walsh who has refereed 31 Tests and is only 36. Mark Lawrence was dropped for a while and then reinstated after good performances in the Super 14. These are two referees well within the top 20 in the world. Referees are not inviolable.

There is a philosophical problem with criticism of match officials by players and administrators. The laws/rules of a game are the soul of the game, that which makes the game distinct from all other games. The laws in action are the referee/umpire. Attack them and you are attacking the soul of your game.

There is a practical problem. If each time a referee erred or fell into disfavour, he was removed, we should soon have no referees left. The South African coach for starters would not have Stuart Dickinson or Bryce Lawrence. And then?

Coach: "Referees have become so important that everything revolves around them. That is my biggest concern. The referee isn't just part of the game any more."

Fallible as a referee is, there is as yet no alternative. Even extending the use of technology has - as yet - not been found to be infallible or acceptable. The referee is an important part of the game - a part of the game and an important part. If he were not an important part of the game no coach would make a fuss about him and what he does. It is unfortunately the case that because of the way refereeing is done, he is the one "player" of the 31 on the field who is involved in every single happening on the field.

2. Breakdowns

The coach complained that the referee "often allowed George Smith to play from an offside position at breakdowns".

We could examine every single Springbok breakdown to see if there was any truth in this.

Of the first 12 times Springboks were tackled, they lost the ball once. That was the 6th time and then Wycliff Palu was penalised for incorrect entry and François Steyn goaled.

The first turnover of a Springbok breakdown was the 13th, when Bryan Habana was tackled. On that occasion there were four Wallabies to one Springbok till Butch James arrived to put hands on it. The Wallabies won the ball. It seemed a matter of numbers.

The next tackle was on Schalk Burger and this time the ball squirted out the side and Al Baxter dived on it. The referee was playing advantage and went back to a Wallaby knock-on.

Next Juan Smith was tackled. The first player there was George Smith. He entered correctly and took up a perfect position over the ball, on his feet, supporting his own body weight and all that. Steyn Arrived first and pulled him over and to ground, which may well have been illegal as he was tackling a player without the ball. The next two to arrive were Palu and Luke Burgess. They took the ball. Again the Wallaby numbers were superior.

Next Conrad Jantjes was tackled. Again the Wallabies outnumbered the Springboks, this time four to one. That there was a turnover was not surprising.

One could go on.

3. Jumping across

The coach complained that the Australians jumped across the line-out and interfered with the jumpers.

Jumping across is not necessarily an infringement. The ball is supposed to be thrown down the middle line between the two sides with the jumpers half a metre on each side of the line. There must be a degree of jumping across. If the player legitimately jumping for the ball lands right on the other side he is still not liable to a penalty.

The Springboks lost two line-outs in the match.

On the first occasion there was no problem with jumping across. The ball was thrown deep to Pierre Spies who could not control it. It bounced off his hand to a Wallaby.

The second one that they lost was thrown to Victor Matfield at No.2. Nathan Sharpe go a left hand to the ball before Matfield did as the throw was low and short. This time Sharpe certainly shuffled across before the throw and closed the space down, warranting a free kick.

4. That said

There was a strange one in Perth.

Referee: Too low, leave it go."

It was probably meant as some sort of slogan to encourage players to stay on their feet. It was not great.

5. Where do you get the scrum?

The Sharks attack but their hands let them down on the Cheetahs' 22. JW Jonker picks up the ball and kicks it downfield. Keegan Daniel of the Sharks comes across and about six metres inside his half flykicks the ball, perhaps aiming at the touch-line.

His aim is way off and the ball flies downfield going into touch-in-goal just behind the Sharks cornerpost.

Where is the scrum?

Five metres from the Sharks' line.

Have you ever seen anything like that before?

The following are on the clips. We give them here for those who cannot play the clips.

6. Place of the penalty

Griquas kick downfield and Earl Rose of the Lions counterattacks brilliantly. He passes to Jaque Fourie on his right.  On about the half-way line Fourie kicks ahead.  After he has kicked Griqua prop Ruaan du Preez charges into Fourie shoulder first. The kick lands inside the Griqua 22 where Riaan Viljoen gathers the ball and clears.

The referee and the touch judge confer and the referee then awards the penalty where the incident occurred on the half-way line.

Right?

Wrong.

Law 10.4 (m) Late-charging the kicker. A player must not intentionally charge or obstruct an opponent who has just kicked the ball.
Penalty: The non-offending team may choose to take the penalty kick either at the place of infringement, where the ball lands, or where it was next played.

Place of infringement. If the infringement takes place in the kicker’s in-goal, the penalty kick is taken 5 metres from the goal-line in line with the place of infringement but at least 15 metres from the touch-line.

The non-offending team may also choose to take the penalty kick where the ball lands or is next played and at least 15 metres from the touch-line.

Where the ball lands. If the ball lands in touch, the mark for the optional penalty kick is on the 15-metre line, in line with where it went into touch. If the ball lands within 15 metres of the touchline, the mark is on the 15-metre line opposite where it landed.

The Lions should have been offered the choice of where they wanted to take the penalty - on the half-way line (i.e. where the infringement occurred) or where the ball landed inside the Griquas 22 and 15 metres in from touch. It is likely that they would have chosen the latter!

7. Offside?

James van der Walt of Griquas throws into a line-out. He throws deep to Heinrich Stride who backs and goes up high for the ball. He taps it down but there is Willem Alberts of the Lions waiting for the ball with Cobus Grobbelaar, who had been the Lions' receiver at the line-out, waiting on the Griquas side for the ball.

Are they offside?

On the run the referee deals with the query, explaining that the line-out had been over because Stride had backed over the 15-metre line to play the ball.  There was thus no offside line for Alberts and Grobbelaar  to obey.

The referee was right.

Law 19.8 (b) When the ball is thrown beyond the 15-metre line or when a player takes it or puts it beyond that line, the line-out ends.

8. Quick throw from way out

Stefan Terblanche of the Sharks kicks the ball long way down the field and into touch. Bevin Fortuin fetches the ball in touch where it has bounced behind some advertising boards and against the railing. From behind the railings Fortuin hurls the ball in to Robert Ebersohn. Play goes on.

But, but ...

But me no buts, as Shakespeare said. There is nothing wrong with this.

Law 19.2 QUICK THROW IN

(a) A player may take a quick throw in without waiting for a line-out to form.

(b) For a quick throw in, the player may be anywhere outside the field of play between the place where the ball went into touch and the player’s goal line.

Anywhere outside the field of play

9. Give me a hooker

Berrick Barnes of Australia grubbers the ball into touch. South Africa are to throw in at the line-out. When the ,line-out has formed, the referee says to Australia: "We need a hooker." Australia put Luke Burgess there.

Right?

Yes.

By what Law?

The experimental law variations require it.

Law 19.7 FORMING A LINE-OUT

(f) Player between touch and five metres. The team not throwing in must have a player standing between the touch-line and the 5-metre line on that team’s side of the line of touch when the line-out is formed. That player must stand at least two metres from the five metres line.