IRB rules on ruck binding
In response to a request by the USA for clarity on the obligations of a player joining a ruck, the IRB has ruled that a player is required to bind on a team-mate if one is there or on an opponent if no team-mate is there.
This is Ruling 7 of 2009 and was given by the Designated Members of Rugby Committee, a committee which deals with matters of law. That there are so many rulings so soon after many changes to the laws is indeed a pity for it means that the laws are not expressed clearly enough.
The request from USA Rugby
The request for a Ruling arises from the way that players are required to join a ruck which appears to be covered by a number of sections in the Law Book and in particular:
Law 16.2 (b) A player joining a ruck must bind onto the ruck with at least one arm around the body of a team-mate using the whole arm.
Law 10 4 (j) Players must not charge into a ruck or maul without binding onto a player in the ruck or maul.
This leads to the following questions:
1. Does a player joining a ruck have to bind on a team-mate?
2. Can a player joining a ruck bind on to an opposition player?
3. Does the contact with the arm have to precede contact with any other
part of the body?
4. Does the contact with the arm have to be simultaneous with contact with
any other part of the body?
5. Can contact with the shoulder precede contact with the binding arm?
Ruling
The Designated Members in reviewing the request for ruling also had in mind Law 10 4 (g).
Law 10.4 (g) Dangerous Charging. A player must not charge or knock down an opponent without trying to grasp that player.
The grasping of a player on contact in open play and binding on contact at rucks and mauls is designed to protect players on impact. Bearing this in mind the Designated Members have ruled:
1. If a team-mate is the hindmost player in the ruck then a player must bind onto that player in accordance with Law 16.5 (c) – Offside at the ruck
Law 16.5 (c) Players joining or rejoining the ruck. All players joining a ruck must do so from behind the foot of the hindmost team-mate in the ruck. A player may join alongside this hindmost player. If the player joins the ruck from the opponents’ side, or in front of the hindmost team-mate, the player is offside.
Penalty: Penalty Kick on the offending team’s offside line
2. It is recognised in a dynamic game that rucks are not perfectly formed and therefore to comply with Law 16.5 - Offside at the ruck, contact may have to occur with an opposition player. This contact would require a bind to take place in accordance with Law 10.4 (j).
Law 10.4 (j) Players must not charge into a ruck or maul without binding onto a player in the ruck or maul.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
3. In answer to questions 3, 4 and 5 the bind onto another player when joining the ruck must either precede or be simultaneous with contact with any other part of the body including the shoulder of the joining player