clearing out at rucks

[vin rouge]

Has anyone else noticed tom young's habit of hitting rucks hard to clear out with his shoulder, no bind. Was mentioned by some commentators last week and I notice he's doing it again today- concerns me as only a matter of time before he gets in trouble for it- or am I being unfair?

[G.K]

Been doing it for ages, generally illegal but rarely pinged. Sadly seems to be the norm nowadays.

[DickyP]

I agree - it is a bad habit TY has been pinged for it in the past. He's not the only culprit by a long way, however. I suspect he probably gets away with it because he's so short and doesn't go near heads, but it doesn't excuse it.

[jgriffin]

Three things unpinged these days - the shoulder is one, the player running through and taking out a defender is another the almost-croc-roll head grip a third. None of them is a legal engagement IMO.

[Iain]

Been doing it for ages, generally illegal but rarely pinged. Sadly seems to be the norm nowadays.

Precisely this. It is an accident waiting to happen. The law is very clear, you have to bind on to a ruck with your arm.

(b)
A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whole arm. The bind must either precede, or be simultaneous with, contact with any other part of the body of the player joining the ruck.

This needs to be properly policed. You cannot have players of the size that they are today charging into a standing target. It's only got to go slightly wrong and you get a big head collision.

I've been saying for a long time that with common practices such as this one someone is going to get killed on the field in a top level match. It's actually a wonder it hasn't already happened.

[jgriffin]

Been doing it for ages, generally illegal but rarely pinged. Sadly seems to be the norm nowadays.

Precisely this. It is an accident waiting to happen. The law is very clear, you have to bind on to a ruck with your arm.

(b)
A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whole arm. The bind must either precede, or be simultaneous with, contact with any other part of the body of the player joining the ruck.

This needs to be properly policed. You cannot have players of the size that they are today charging into a standing target. It's only got to go slightly wrong and you get a big head collision.
Yep, along with belly flopping, a pile of illegal practices initially ignored by Pro12 refs until the disease spread to the AP and beyond. I'm afraid most of these practices were invented by those lovely Kiwis.
I've been saying for a long time that with common practices such as this one someone is going to get killed on the field in a top level match. It's actually a wonder it hasn't already happened.

[Will S]

One of the great things I have seen recently is O'Connor at rucks. When not turning it over he is up and just driving straight over and past the ball. I don't know why more NH players don't do this - we all stop over it. I've seen him do this a few times already and it has lead to really quick, clean ball each time.

[Iain]

One of the great things I have seen recently is O'Connor at rucks. When not turning it over he is up and just driving straight over and past the ball. I don't know why more NH players don't do this - we all stop over it. I've seen him do this a few times already and it has lead to really quick, clean ball each time.

There was an excellent analysis piece on his performance against Stade that looked at this.

http://www.rugbyworld.com/countries/eng ... ebut-52423

Little detail in the way he plays make him a superb player.

[chewbacca]

I think the ruck has been poorly ref'd for years. Frequently hit illegally as discussed in this thread along with players not bound to the ruck being taken out.

[Noddy555]

This is a vital skill that should be practiced by all players as well as passing, tackling and offloading the ball. Players should also learn how to release the ball when they're taken to ground. We are not yet a third of the way through the season and I've already lost count of the number of penalties given for that offence.

[jgriffin]

Ball release is almost always prevented by the jackal unless immediate turnover is on, 'cos it usually draws a penalty. Refs never penalise for 'holding in', just like they always seem to penalise a player for 'not rolling away' when under a pile of bodies or being held down. This is the price of not having proper rucks (thanks SH!).

[Noggs]

This is a vital skill that should be practiced by all players as well as passing, tackling and offloading the ball. Players should also learn how to release the ball when they're taken to ground. We are not yet a third of the way through the season and I've already lost count of the number of penalties given for that offence.

Players clearly know how to present and release the ball; it's all a question of timing.

You hold on just long enough to ensure that your support is able to win the ball. If your support is not there quickly enough or the opposition are on you before they arrive you either release the ball and loose it or hold on a little bit longer in the hope that the officials miss it. If they don't you get pinged; simple as...