Global Law Trials adopted for MidSouth Rugby Ref Society

50:22

  • Kick from inside own half, bounces into touch inside opponents’ 22m area
  • Kicking team gets the lineout throw
  • Quick throw is possible
  • Cannot be taken back into the 50 and immediately kicked
  • If you take back, must be a tackle/ruck/maul/touched by opponent

[Just like a 22-meter mindset, some of us may verbally say “taken back” to ensure players know the scenario; something to consider with the new 50:22 law]

Goal-Line Dropout (slide 1)

  • The ball is played or taken into in-goal by an attacking player and is held up by an opponent
  • An attacking kick (other than a kick-off, restart kick, drop goal attempt, or penalty kick at goal), is grounded or made dead by the defending team in their own in-goal
  • An attacking player knocks on in the opponents’ in-goal
  • Opponents must move to the 5m line, ball must cross 5m line (options like 22m)

[Only three scenarios for a GLDO to be considered.  Other than those three… No change.]
Still a 22m (slide 2)

  • An unsuccessful penalty kick at goal, or an attempted drop-goal is kicked through in-goal, or goes into in-goal and is made dead
  • A kick in general play or a penalty/free kick is kicked dead through in-goal, and the opposition team chooses a drop-out
  • The ball is put into in-goal by an attacking player (not from a kick) and a defender gains possession of the ball and makes it dead
  • A kick-off or restart goes into in-goal and a defender does not make it dead immediately

Flying Wedge (slide 3)

  • More than one team-mate must not latch/bind on each side of the ball-carrier in a wedge formation before engaging the opposition
  • Often near goal-line or in open play
  • (Not intended for use at lineout-to-maul scenario)
  • All forms of 3-person pre-bind? Will be in GMG.

1-Player Latch (slide 4)

  • 1 player may pre-latching prior to contact
  • This player must observe all of the requirements for a first arriving player, particularly the need to stay on their feet
  • Latcher must not be in front of ball-carrier

[This is intended to remove that “flop ruck” scenario we’ve all seen near a goal-line where the latcher–or the ‘trailer’ for those that call it a truck & trailer–needs to stay on her feet, i.e., bridging/flopping/sealing/falling on top of the ball carrier is liable for penalty.]

Jackal Clean-Out (slide 5)

  • The first arriving team-mate of the tackler at the tackle is the ‘jackler“
  • Clean outs which target or drop weight onto the jackler’s lower limbs are not allowed
  • Often these players are entering illegally anyway, but this action is Foul Play
  • “A player may lever the jackler out of the contest at the ruck”
  • Body roll without neck/head contact is still allowed ‘gator roll’)

[Think safety – where a ruck is contested and someone attempts to gator roll the jackler–and does so by falling down with a twist to get the jackler out of the ruck.  Whether it’s called as side entry, collapsing a ruck, etc.– it doesn’t matter.  Safety first.  Reasoning:  World Rugby wants to remove the ‘drop roll’ that can impact a jackler’s knees, ankles, etc. (lower limbs).]