Game Management Guidelines for Community Rugby 2010

1. Game Management Guidelinesfor Community Rugby 2010

2. GMG 2010 • Based upon the outcomes of various conferences and workshops held over the past 5 years • There are major Law changes from 2009. Some ELVs were adopted worldwide, some were rejected • SANZAR also has decided upon some areas of focus which we will encourage at community level • This presentation complements the written GMG which will be provided to everyone at the conclusion

3. Structure of Presentation • For each element of the game we will cover: • Any changes to Law from 2009 • Revision of important concepts • Any areas of emphasis for 2010

4. Scrum – Law changes from 2009 • Incorrect binding in the front-row returns to PK

5. Scrum – Revision • Engagement sequence remains • CROUCH – TOUCH – PAUSE – ENGAGE • These must be 4 distinct stages • Arms must be withdrawn after touching • Scrums to be square and steady before the feed • Double crutch binding by locks is illegal

6. Scrum – Revision • Flankers must remain bound to locks and cannot ride up onto props • A legal wheel goes forward and through the opposition. A wheel that goes back and around at pace is illegal (whip) • Scrum half offside lines remain the same as 2009 (more detail outlined in written GMG)

7. Scrum – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • Referees to take greater ownership of the engagement sequence • Ensure the touches are not haphazard and are to the point of the shoulder • The pause needs to be a pause • Referee to ‘win the hit’ – don’t be rushed into calling engage on the teams’ timing

8. Video – Scrum call rushed

9. Video – Scrum call rushed

10. Lineout – Law changes from 2009 • The team throwing in the ball determines the maximum number of players in the lineout • Minimum remains 2 from each team • Non-throwing team may match or have fewer • Receiver (optional) must stand 2m away and may not join until the ball leaves the hands of the thrower (IRB Ruling) • Receiver involvement is therefore less likely – remember players in the lineout may change positions

11. Lineout – Revision • Quick throws may be thrown backward (and must cross the 5m line) • Quick throws may only be taken from between where the ball crossed the touchline and the goal-line (consider kick-off or ball out on full) • Non-throwing hooker (mandatory)must be 2x2 • Touch Law is as 2009 – ball taken back into 22m still results in no gain in ground

12. Lineout – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • Throwing team must not delay formation of a lineout by forming a line or huddle away from the line-of-touch • The throwing team must set their numbers clearly and give the opposing team time to match • Early jumping – players may not jump until ball leaves hands of the thrower • Obstruction at lineouts in formation of mauls should be penalised – further details in section on maul

13. Tackle – Law changes from 2009 • Sanctions at the tackle return to PK from FK • There are no FKs at the tackle • If the ball becomes unplayable at the tackle we return to awarding a scrum to the team moving forward

14. Tackle – Revision • Order of priority at a tackle is almost always: • 1) Tackler 2) Tackled player 3) Arriving players • A tackler is defined as a player who makes a tackle and goes to ground in the act of making the tackle • A tackler may play the ball from any direction and does not need to worry about a gate • ‘Rolling away’ means to get out of the way (clear intention to open up if caught)

15. Video – Tackler steals legally

16. Video – Tackler steals legally

17. Video – Tackler steals (but ruck formed?)

18. Tackle – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • The tackler MUST clearly release the tackled player • The tackler MUST get to his feet before attempting to play the ball • The tackler MUST NOT hold onto the tackled player as he gets to his feet

19. Video – Tackler doesn’t release

20. Video – Tackler doesn’t release

21. Video – Tackler doesn’t release

22. Video – Tackler gets ball before on feet

23. Tackle – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • A player who remains on his feet while making a tackle is NOT a tackler. Such a player MUST: • Release the ball and the ball carrier before attempting to play the ball • Come back around through the gate if on the ball carrier’s side

24. Video – Player on feet doesn’t release

25. Video – Player on feet doesn’t release

26. Video – Player on feet doesn’t release

27. Ruck – Law changes from 2009 • Sanctions at the ruck return to PK from FK • The only FKs at ruck are returning the ball to a ruck (rare) and dummying from the ruck (rare) • If the ball becomes unplayable at the ruck we return to awarding a scrum to the team moving forward • Players joining the ruck from the last feet may now bind on an opponent as well as a teammate

28. Ruck – Law changes from 2009 • Any player on their feet who has their hands on the ball immediately after a tackle and before a ruck forms may keep contesting the ball even if a ruck forms around them • No arriving player at this point may play the ball with their hands • These poaching players have one shot at the ball. If such a player is driven off the ball by the opposition then his opportunity to play the ball with his hands has ceased

29. Video – IRB video on ruck Law

30. Ruck – Revision • Even with a focus on the defending team, this is not a license for attacking teams to go off feet and kill a contest • Distinguish between a ‘drive out’ of opponents and a ‘seal off’ on the ball without contacting a legitimate threat • Zero tolerance on players who charge into the sides of rucks without binding

31. Ruck – Revision • ‘Rucking’ is legal. Stamping and trampling are illegal (ie use words from the Law Book) • Referees should be strong on pillars cutting down attacking options • The ball is only out when completely clear of bodies. If the ball is being dug out, the scrumhalf cannot be touched until the ball is clearly out of the ruck

32. Maul – Law changes from 2009 • Collapsing a maul is illegal again, at all levels of the game • If the maul becomes unplayable, we return to awarding a scrum to the team not in possession when the maul began

33. Maul – Revision • Players who join the maul legally and are either caught up in the maul or have remained bound are legally entitled to be in the maul and contest the ball carrier • The referee should not call out such players even though they may appear to be on the ‘wrong’ side • Players detaching from a maul with the ball being carried by a player behind the lead player = obstruction (‘Truck and Trailer’)

34. Maul – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • Defenders must have access to the ball carrier at the formation of a maul • It is obstruction if before the maul is formed the ball is transferred to a player behind the ball carrier and the two remain bound to each other and/or if blockers move in front of the ball carrier • This is most likely at mauls formed from lineouts, but also could happen at kick-offs or drop-outs

35. Video – Obstruction at lineout

36. Video – Obstruction at lineout

37. Video – Obstruction at lineout

38. Penalty Kicks – Revision • Zero tolerance on ball being thrown away at FK/PK • When a Free Kick or Penalty Kick is taken quickly, defending players who are not back 10m are not put onside until a teammate who was back 10m runs past them • No action of the team taking the penalty kick can put them onside (including running 5m)

39. Kicks in General Play – Revision • If offside players are within 10m of where an opponent is waiting to play the ball or where the ball may land, they must immediately retreat outside this 10m zone • Offside players who are not within 10m must not move forward or towards the ball • Referees must be confident as to how these players may be put onside (further details in written GMG)

40. Kicks – Areas of emphasis for 2010 • Offside players who are advancing are cutting down options for counter attack and forcing the receiving team to kick as their first option • Referees must penalise offside and should no longer rely on continually verbally managing these players • By advancing, they have already had an impact on play

41. Video – Chasers advancing

42. Video – Chasers advancing

43. Video – Chasers advancing

44. Other • A referee must warn a team through the captain about repeated infringements prior to taking yellow card action • Deliberate infringements can result in a PK and a caution (yellow card) without any warning, depending on the cynical nature of the infringement • Referees should apply the lessons learnt in 2009 regarding escalation – the approach should be “firmer, earlier” • Player questioning of Referee decisions will not be tolerated and referees should take strong action

45. Other • Any tackler who lifts a player into the air or causes a player to be put in the air has a responsibility to ensure that the player is brought back to the ground safely • Tackles where a player is lifted, tipped and ‘speared’ into the ground or dropped from a height must result in a send-off (red card) • In U19 matches, punching and stamping are an automatic send off (red card) • The corner post is play-on, as in 2009

46. Questions?