@catogrande said in ABs v Scotland:
@kruse said in ABs v Scotland:
@catogrande said in ABs v Scotland:
@snowy said in ABs v Scotland:
@Chester-Draws
A rule like "A player must not take any action to make the opposing team think that the ball is out of the ruck while it is still in the ruck"?
Rule 16.4 (f) in other words.
Yep, definition of "still in the ruck" though is questionable?
*16.6: A ruck ends successfully when the ball leaves the ruck, or when the ball is on or over the goal line.
(c)
When the ball has been clearly won by a team at a ruck and the ball is available to be played the referee will call "Use it!" after which the ball must be played within five seconds. If the ball is not played within five seconds the referee will award a scrum and the team not in possession of the ball at the ruck is awarded the throw-in.*
So unless the ref calls "use it" the ball is still in, and "hands off' for the opposition as I see it. A lot of refs are getting that wrong I reckon.
Yep. And five seconds seems an awful long time often.
It sure as hell did during the Lions tour.
Hmm. Strong is the bitterness in this one.
Ha - yeah. A little bitter, if only because it felt like we lost a couple of minutes of rugby, per game, with the Lions taking FULL advantage of that 5-seconds, every single fucking time. Well within their rights, of course, but it was jarring, after a season of Super BANG BANG BOOM BOOM Rugby.
And @Chester-Draws comment is a good point - it's better having clear ball and getting the game going again ASAP... perhaps the current laws are all good, we just need an edict to the refs to be more aggressive about giving the "use it!" command?