Grimlish wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:04 pm
Now i know why I dont ref the game! Has this really always been true?
The oldest law book I have is 1996 and it was still in then.
20.(14)
When the ball has touched the ground, any foot of any player in either front
row may be used in an attempt to gain possession of the ball subject to the
following: players in the front rows must not at any time during the scrummage
willfully:.......
Law 6.A.4(a) The referee is the sole judge of fact and of Law during a match.
Scott11 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:19 pm
Any of the front row striking is ridiculous too,if the LH strikes with his outside leg how is the ball gonna get to the back?!
If they were able to, which is highly doubtful, then it should be kept in by the flanker and then to the 8 that way. Back in the day many was the time the hookers couldn't lift their feet and the tighthead stole it
Now striking is compulsory is that now the end of the pushover try/walkover penalty try because technically that is now a free kick to the team on the receiving end.
Scott11 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:52 pm
Now striking is compulsory is that now the end of the pushover try/walkover penalty try because technically that is now a free kick to the team on the receiving end.
I suspect good coordination of any front row raising their leg and seeming to make an attempt to hook would suffice.
Leicester Tigers 1995-
Nottingham 1995-2000
Swansea (Whites) 1988-95
A game played on grass in the open air by teams of XV.
In my many years on the front row it was common for the hooker to simply stop the ball and me as a loose head prop had followed the ball in with my outside foot played the ball into the second row, when playing on the tight side I got my outside leg between the opposing hooker's leg and his loose head props thereby winning the ball against the head with my hooker being given the credit (damn it) not that I am bitter about that, its forty years ago and clearly forgotten by everyone else.
With the new laws the ball will be thrown into the scrum, possibly straight but nearer to 9's own hooker and possibly some spin on the ball to carry it towards his own second row.
Whatever happen we will have cause to complain about the referee, that's our job!
However the laws of the game change you will always discover that someone is trying to invent an angle to get round them. Looking on the negative side I suppose that that is just part of human nature. The Trick is to be always the first one who invents this new angle so that everyone else is playing catch up.
It is always easy to look back and wonder why the laws are being tinkered with rather than just properly applying the old ones. I have always believed that if the game was played/refereed according to the laws as (were) written then it would cause mayhem for a few months and then settle down to the quick flowing game everyone wants.
Anyway...these new trials...the one I really struggle to comprehend is the ruck offside. This is clearly to stop the tactics the Italians used to great effect last season (which I did not object to). In practice I can see it slowing the game down as opposition are more likely not to commit anyone to the "ruck" (aka "one player over the ball") and just reform a defensive line after a tackle. A ruck used to be (or should have been) a pushing competition over the ball with players trying to hook the ball out with their feet (hence "ruck" and "couter-ruck"); it became a pile of players off their feet with the scrum half digging the ball out with his/her hands; it has now become a tackled player with another standing over them who is allowed to pick up the ball (logic would say that once the offside line is created, then the ruck itself is created and there should be no hands on the ball and the player over the ball should kick the ball backwards)
As for scrums, I don't know why we just don't have uncontested and stop the pretence of it being a competition for the ball; the only competition will be who can fool the referee first into awarding a penalty for pulling down.
I will wait and see how this all works out in practice (general confusion I would forecast with different interpretations) but am willing to be pleasantly surprised.
AndrewL wrote: ↑Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:22 am
In practice I can see it slowing the game down as opposition are more likely not to commit anyone to the "ruck" (aka "one player over the ball") and just reform a defensive line after a tackle.
As for scrums, I don't know why we just don't have uncontested and stop the pretence of it being a competition for the ball; the only competition will be who can fool the referee first into awarding a penalty for pulling down.
...and then we can make it 13-a-side!
Happy days clearing straw from the pitch before the Baa-Baas games! KBO
Wear a Mask>Protect The NHS>Save Lives
No 8s are finally going to have put the ball in straight and hookers are going to have to hook? Finally seems like the obvious rules are going to be enforced which can only be good
mj2012 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 25, 2017 11:53 am
No 8s are finally going to have put the ball in straight and hookers are going to have to hook? Finally seems like the obvious rules are going to be enforced which can only be good
Talking of obvious and at the risk of being seen as an old f**t - I really don't understand the problem here. What's wrong with insisting the 9 puts the ball in exactly down the middle? (He can stand where he likes!) The side with the put-in has the advantage of their hooker's foot being closer and the opposing side can choose whether to have an 8-man shove or to try and hook one 'against the head'. It would bring back the skill of hooking and the excitement of winning on your opponent's put-in. Or am I missing something?
Happy days clearing straw from the pitch before the Baa-Baas games! KBO
Wear a Mask>Protect The NHS>Save Lives
Seems to me they have "legalised" the crooked feed, 9s shoulder turned in, straight behind own hookers heal, No 8 picks up from 2nd row, Rugby League, scrum over ASAP, H&S level improved, less decisions for ref to make!