RUGBY LAWS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 24, 14 June 1939, Page 8

RUGBY LAWS

THE OFFSIDE RULE TAKING OF PENALTY KICKS To-day's notes on Rugby laws deal with the offside rule and penalty kicks. OFFSIDE RULE (a) A player is offside, if he enter a scrummage from his opponent's side. ■ (b) If, while the ball is in the scrum he, not being in the scrum., remains with cither loot in front of the ball. (c) If, at a throw in from touch, before the ball is played, he stand or move in front of a line at right angles to the touch lines through the place where the ball went into touch. Note: This law merely applies to the case of a player who is participating in the line out. It is not intended that a player before throwing in the ball from touch should be obliged to wait until the players of his own team have returned to or behind the li T e out. Penalty: Penalty kick at the place of infringement. (d) If, in his own he is in front of one of his own team who is taking a free kick or penalty kick from behind the goal line. Otherwise a player cannot be offside in his wwn in_goa,l. (e) If the ball has been kicked oi touched or is being carried by one of his own team behind him no ofiside player shall play the ball or in any way obstruct an. opponent o r approach or wilfully remain within 10 yards of an opponent who is waiting for the ball. If a player be onside when an opponent plays tue ball, he can only be put offside by one of his* own team behind him playing the ball. An offside player may approach an opponent waiting for the ball up *■> a distance of 10 yards from him. The referee should whistle at once if an offside player, following up a kick, charge within 10 yards of an opponent waiting to receive the ball. Delay may provj dangerous to the latter pla\*cr. If a player carrying the ball i ar-s into an offside player of his own team, a scrum should be awarded for unintentional but if the ieferee be of opinion, that it was intentional he should award a penalty kick on the ground of obstruction. An offside player wilfully receiving or standing in front of another of his team Avho was in possession of ball, thereby preventing an opponent from reaching the latter played, should be penalised for obstruction. Similarly a penalty kick for obstruction should be given if a player* with the ball shield himself behind one of his own team. PENALTY KICK All players of the opposing team must retire to or behind a line parallel to the goal lines and ten, yauls from the mark, or to their own goal line, whichever is nearer to the mark ? and the ball must reach this line unless first played bv an opponent. If the mark is in-goal the line shall be the goal line. All players of the opposing team must remain motionless with their hands a.t their sides until the ball has been kicked. The kick must be taken at or behind the mark on a line through the mark parallel to the touch lines, while the ball, unless first played by an opnonent, must reach the line to which the opponents have retired. , If the mark is more than 10 yards from the goal line the ball must travel 10 if less than 10 yards from the goal line, the ball need only reach that line. Further, if the mark is in ih-goal the kicker is ream red to enter the lield of play and the ball must reach the goal line. ,For infringements by the kicker ,s team when the mark is in-goal p, scrum is to be awarded five yards from the goal line opposite the mark.