You Be The Ref: Aussie Places v African Tribes
You be the Ref is back - a chance for each reader to test his/her knowledge of the laws of the game. After all, if you don't know the laws properly you cannot referee and if you don't know the laws properly, you cannot judge a referee.
You have an easy task.
The scene is set and you are given possible answers. In peace and quiet you can decide on the decision and then check up afterwards to see that your score is. It's easy - no players in your way, no rain in your eyes, no time pressure, no spectators shouting advice or rude things - just you and the incident in the privacy of your personal computer and nobody else will know if you were right or wrong.
But don't cheat. That would be even worse than cheating when you're playing solitaire!
The two teams playing are the Aussie Places against the African Tribes.
1. Matt Canberra of the Aussie Places kicks off after the African Tribes score but his kick goes directly into touch on the African Tribes' 22. Tswana Smit, the African Tribes captain, says to you: "We'll have the throw in." Xhosa Ndungane, the African Tribes wing, then runs to the half-way line and throws in quickly to Pondo Spies, the African Tribes No.8.
You, the referee, will:
a. let play go on
b. tell the African Tribes to form a line-out
c. give the Aussie Places a choice of a scrum or a line-out
d. award a free kick to the Aussie Places.
2. Bapedi du Preez of the African Tribes kicks high. Lachie Mittagong of the Aussie Places catches the ball and is immediately gabbed by Zulu Habana, the African Tribes wing, who drives Mittagong back three metres as both go to ground in the tackle. Players from both sides then join in to contest the ball but it will not emerge.
Not seeing any infringement, you blow your whistle and award a scrum to:
a. Aussie Places
b. African Tribes
3. The African Tribes score and Matt Canberra kicks off. He kicks high. The ball does not reach the 10-metre line and bounces back. Shona Mtawarira, the African Tribes prop, advances and grabs at the ball. He knocks on but falls on the ball and his forwards get behind him to get the ball back.
You will:
a. let play go on
b, award a scrum to the Aussie Places
c, give the African Tribes the option of a scrum or a kick again.
4. The match is drawing to an end. The Aussie Places are to put the ball into a scrum. Will Karamba puts the ball into the scrum. The scrum collapses though you see no infringement. The final siren goes. You see that time is up.
You will:
a. blow the final whistle
b. reset the scrum.
5. Will Karamba of the Aussie Places puts the ball into the scrum but the African Tribes get a shove on and heel the ball. The ball is still in the scrum when it collapses. You see no infringement but reset the scrum.
You will give the put-in to:
a. the Aussie Places
b. the African Tribes
6. Zulu Habana of the African Tribes races for the corner as Lachie Mittagong comes to cut him off. As Habana dives his left should, in the air, crashes into the corner post. The ball is in his right hand and before he crashes to the ground he grounds the ball with his right hand.
You will award:
a. a try
b. a drop-out
7. Drew Bowral of the Aussie Places kicks the ball a long way downfield. With a foot on his dead-ball line Fingo Pienaar of the Aussie Places waits for the ball as it rolls nearer and nearer to him. The ball stops rolling and Pienaar reaches down and picks up the ball, his right foot still anchored on the dead-ball line.
You will:
a. award a drop--out
b. award a scrum where Bowral kicked the ball
c. give the African Tribes the option of a drop-out or a scrum where Bowral kicked the ball.
8. Rocky Kogarah is tackled just short of the African Tribes goal-line. Kogarah reaches out to place the ball on the line to score a try. As he does so and is hovering over the goal-line Tembu Brüssow arrives and kicks the ball from his hand and into touch-in-goal.
You will:
a. penalise Brüssow
b. award a drop-out
c. award a five-metre scrum, Aussie Places ball.
9. Sotho Matfield of the African Tribes jumps high for the ball in a line-out helped up by Ndabeli Smith and Tswana Smit. His supporting players fail to hold Matfield and he falls to ground, still controlling the ball and playing it back to Bapedi du Preez.
You will:
a. let play go on
b. penalise African Tribes
c. award a free kick to Aussie Places
10. From seven metres out side of his 22 and five metres in from touch Johnny Dubbo of the Aussie Places kicks downfield. After he has kicked Xhosa Ndungane tackles Dubbo. It is a late tackle. The ball bounces 6 metres inside the African Tribes half and rolls on till it goes into touch on the African Tribes 22.
You penalise Ndungane and:
a. give the penalty on the African Tribes 22, 15 metres in from touch
b. give the Aussie Places a choice of a penalty where Dubbo kicked the ball and where it bounced, 6 metres inside the African Tribes half.
c. give the Aussie Places a choice of a penalty where Dubbo kicked the ball and where it bounced, 6 metres inside the African Tribes half, but 15 metres in from touch.
d. give the Aussie Places a choice of a penalty where Dubbo kicked the ball and where it went into touch, on the African Tribes 22, but 15 metres in from touch.