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Hands in the ruck:

DON'T BLAME THE REF
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Don't Blame the Ref
Free for all at the tackle?

This letter is typical of several I receive from players confused as to why they are constantly penalised for handling the ball or being off their feet at the tackle and ruck.

Hi Steve, I am confused as to why I am constantly penalised by referees in our level 8 matches for tackle and ruck offences when, at the weekend in the 6N, players are allowed to constantly 'go off their feet and handle the ball on the ground' without penalty. It is like watching a completely different game and very frustrating. Can you help please? Kevin, Chelmsford

I understand how you feel Kev and you are certainly not alone. Rest assured it is the same game and laws but often it is the skill of the players and speed of the game that dictate how they are applied.

Take for example players 'off their feet'. Although the laws say that players must be on their feet to play the game, the mere fact that they have ended up on the ground after the collision is not the offence, it is whether or not they subsequently interfere with play.

"Ah, but they do interfere with the winning of the ball" I hear you say. Perhaps so on occasion, but it is for the referee to decide. Events happen so fast it is often difficult to tell exactly what has happenened. Remember, using the laws to their limits, the less enlightened may term this cheating, is also a skill!

I do agree that attacking players are apparently given more latitude than defenders. It seems common-place for supporting players to go to ground very easily claiming there were no defenders there! All too often you can count four or five players on the ground post tackle from the support, not surprisingly they are not on their side of the tackle!

As far as handling the ball on the ground is concerned, pre-tournament agreements between coaches and officials allow for players to 'help' the ball back once the contest is over. Referees are instructed to be vigilant with regard to players using hands to secure the ball as part of the contest.

Above all players and coaches should be able to expect consistency from the officials. Highly skilled players operating in an intense environment have not got long to think. If they have concerns as to how the ref will interpret the situation they have already lost the contest!

The officials operating at 6N level have to be highly skilled in order to match the skills and thinking of coaches and players and, whilst their interpretations of some situations may not be quite the same as yours they are in fact consistent and equitable.

Therefore to compare what happens in your matches with those of the 6N is not comparing like with like. The key for coaches and players at all levels is to demand consistency from the ref but more importantly, take time to understand the laws and how he is applying them.

The tackle and ruck is not a 'free for all' and there is 'method in the madness'. After all the 'art' to managing the game, whether that be Level 8 or Test level, may not be which laws you apply, but rather where you set the level of cheating!

ASK THE REF!
STEVE LANDER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

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TMO TALK
Steve, So far in the 6N the quality of refereeing on show has been tremendous. However one thing that I was puzzled about over one weekend was the decision in the Scotland v France game. I thought that a TMO could only help the match official in regards to the awarding of the try in question. Can the Match Official now ask the TMO on anything regarding the try/tryline area? If so then where does it stop? Will we see rugby league style officiating, as in going back three phases to what was possibly a forward pass, and if that's the case why didn't the TMO point out the forward pass in the run up to the try and the then altercation? Anon.

STEVE SAYS: Hi, You are correct in that the ref can only seek help from the TMO with regard to events affecting the scoring of the try. The TMO can advise that the ball was passed or knocked forward in the act of scoring but not on whether a pass was forward or knocked on several metres out prior to the attempt to score. We are not yet in the Rugby League scenario although with the advent of TJ s being able to assist referees in all matters with the ELV s in the Super 14, it may only be a matter of time! Watch this space! Cheers stv

FIGHTING TALK
I don't and will never condone violence on the rugby pitch however if the ref and none of his touch judges saw the incident then it must surely be left to the citing officer after the game. Even though it was a feeble attempt by Mr Henderson (Scotland v France), I felt this was worse as it was pre-meditated compared to Scott Murray's reaction against Wales that got him a red card. I don't understand, and I am a Scotland supporter, how Andrew Henderson didn't go off for at least 10mins. Many Thanks, David Sumner, Edinburgh.

STEVE SAYS: Hi David, I think we all agree that premeditated violence has no place in the game. There are three pairs of eyes looking out for everything but sometimes, due to the speed of the game or position of players, match officials cannot be sure of what occurred. To send a player off in a Test match is a major decision that usually affects the entire contest, referees are well aware of their responsibility to 'manage' the occasion and, whilst none would condone serious foul play, they need to be 100% certain of what has occurred. That is why there is an appointed citing commissioner to review each match and, if necessary, deal retrospectively with players. We all view incidents from a different angle and I fully appreciate your point re: inconsistency, maybe one player was just more fortunate than the other, after all, luck is a major element in all sport!

RUGBY UNION RULES
Steve, What do you make of the new law changes, the ELVs that they are trying out in Super 14? I know it is early but I wondered if you thought that they would help speed the game up or is it just a matter of time before these canny coaches find a way of slowing the ball down another way? Also, what is it like for the refs when these new rules come in - do you just get more abuse from the crowd because they don't understand the changes? Thanks, Tony, Aylesbury.

STEVE SAYS: Hi Tony, I like everyone else watched Super 14 last weekend to see what affect the ELVs would have on the game. After all the southern hemisphere pundits, coaches and players are forever telling us that their game is faster and more exciting than ours, I have to say that first impressions were that everything has changed but nothing has changed! It is early days but players seemed to feel that they had to play quickly and all too often ran up 'blind alleys'.

It appears to me that too many players are playing the ball on the ground at the tackle and ruck knowing that the sanction is likely to simply be a free kick rather than a penalty. It appears a kick at goal or lineout 50 metres down the field is no longer a deterrent and well worth the risk. When I took my RFU Coaching Award, 'Chalkie' White pointed out to me that referees were the guardians of the law and coaches were the users of the law - as far as I can see nothing has changed, it is only a matter of time before coaches and players work out how best to use the ELVs. If you took a poll of coaches, most would settle for a one-point win rather than an aesthetically pleasing spectacle which they lost by one score! Cheers stv