RUGBY RULINGS

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22682, 9 August 1945, Page 8

RUGBY RULINGS

REFEREE’S VIEWPOINT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS An official or the Hamilton and Waikato Rug-by Referees’ Associations in this week’s article, which is in the form or questions and answers, deals with the laws relating: to free kick, penalty kick, and kick at goal after a try. What is the difference between a free kick and a penalty kick? A free kick can only be awarded to a player who makes a fair catch, or what is more generally known as a “mark,” whereas a penalty kick is a kick awarded to the non-offending team for an infringement of the laws by one or their opponents. In the case of a free kick, the opponents are permitted to stand on the mark, and can charge as soon as the kicker begins his run, or offers to punt, or drop-kick the hall, but ir it was a place kick they could not charge until the ball had been placed upon the ground. With a penalty kick no charge is allowed, and the opposing players must retire to a distance of ten yards from the mark, or to their own goal line, whichever is nearer to the mark, and they must remain motionless with their hands at their sides until the kick has been taken. When a free kick is awarded, the player who made the fair catch must take the kick, otherwise a scrum would he ordered. Any player is permitted to take a penalty kick, with this exception, that should a second kick be allowed on account of a further infringement by the opposing team, the same player must take the kick, hut it need not he the same type of kick as was taken in the first instance. If a penalty kick has been awarded and a place kick is being taken, the kicker can handle the ball after it has been placed on the ground. But not so with a free kick, the kicker must not handle the hall after it has been placed on the ground, even though a no charge may have been awarded to the kicker’s Option of Another Kick Should a free kick be taken, and In doing so the opposing team infringe, the kicker shall be allowed tlie option of another kick, under the original conditions, with the right to charge taken from the opposing team. This portion of the law is exactly the same lor a place kick at goal after a try. Some players have the idea that once the charge is forfeited by the offending team, the kicker can do'what he likes with the ball. Such fs not the case, for as- stated above, the original conditions still apply, without the charge. Can a referee, having awarded a free kick when a fair catch has been made, alter it to a penalty kick? Yes, only when an opponent unfairly charges . the player who made the fair catch; any other infringement by the opponents when the free kick is being taken are provided for by not allowing the charge. If a place kick at goal is being taken for a free kick, penalty kick, or after a try has been awarded, all players of the kickers’ team, other than the placer, must be behind the ball until the kick has been taken; otherwise the kick would be disallowed. A question often asked is, would the kick be disallowed If the placer stood up and was in front of the ball berore it was kicked? Yes, the kick would be disallowed because the placer ceases to be the placer within the meaning of the law once he gets up onto his feet. Some years ago the New Zealand referees’ executive In replying to a query from the Waikato referees, gave the following interpretation: That if the placer stood while placing the ball (owing to the ground being in a bad state) and remained in front of the ball while the kick was taken, the kick would be in order. However, two years later this decision was reversed when West Coast submitted a similar query, and the position is now as quoted above. The decision is an important one, particularly so If the successful kick at goal was the deciding factor for one of the coveted trophies of New Zealand Rugby. No Charge Ruled If the rereree whistles Tor no chargfe as the kick is in the act of being taken, and the ball goes over the cross-bar, even though the ball may have been touched by an opponent, should the goal be allowed, or should another kick be given? Yes, the goal is allowed, but if the ball did not go over the cross-bar another kick would be given under the original conditions without the charge. This is the one occasion when the ball is not considered to be dead when the whistle was blown, should the kick result in a goal. The position is quite different, however, in the following instance. A player In the ordinary run of play essays a dropkick at goal, which goes over the crossbar. Just as he does so, the referee

blows his whistle to penalise an opponent who was offside within ten yards of the player kicking the ball. He makes no verbal decision at the time, but watches the ball go over the cross-bar. Should he then allow the goal or award a penalty kick for offside play? The goal is disallowed, for the whistle being blown makes the ball dead, and the penalty kick would be awarded. The advantage law does not apply to kick-off, drop-out, free kick, or penalty kick.