Not the end of the consistency debate

David Matthews has doubts over the outcomes of Law changes

Fond memories of a magnificent Lions series in New Zealand which was compulsive viewing and helped to create a tremendous summer of sport. There were talking points galore from the three test matches, two of which were definitely match affecting: the sending off of Sonny Bill Williams in the Second Test and the decision, in the crucial Third Test, to change an offside penalty to a scrum for accidental offside, so robbing the All Blacks of the opportunity to win the game.

It could fairly reasonably be argued in both cases that they were a matter of opinion , even if there would not be any British & Irish Lions supporters who would disagree with either of them. The referee himself did benefit from assistance, but be honest, you will all have seen matches where a different decision was given. Yellow card might have been the outcome of the Sonny Bill Williams incident and the penalty could have stood for the original offside decision right at the end of the game. That would indeed have brought the house down, leading to discussion which would have been going on yet.

Well, in case you got distracted during the summer, some law changes were introduced from August 1st, with the potential to cause some ‘fun’. Cast your minds back to the England v Italy match and you will have no difficulty working out where the main one has come from:-

 Law 15.4 (c). The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then can only play from their own  side of the tackle “gate”.

 Ruck. Law 16.A ruck commences when at least one player is on their feet and over the ground which is on the ground (tackled player, tackler). At this point the offside lines are created. Players on their feet may use their hands to pick up the ball as long as this is immediate. As soon as an opposition player arrives, no hands can be used. Now, that should help Dylan Hartley and his appointed spokesman on the day James Haskell who made the plaintive cry, “What’s this ruck thing?” A player cannot kick a ball out of a ruck - easier to picture that than the previous description.

 Throwing the ball into the scrum. Law 20.5 and 20.5(d)5. No signal from the referee. The scrum-half must throw the ball in straight, but is allowed to align their shoulder on the middle line of the scrum, therefore allowing to stand a shoulder width towards their own side of the middle line. The number eight shall be allowed to pick the ball from the feet of the second rows and once the ball touches the ground in the tunnel, any front row player may use either foot to try to win possession of the ball. One player from the team who put the ball in must strike for the ball. The first of these amendments sounds only like an attempt to legalise a practice which has been going on for years.

So, it could easily be more appeals for consistency as the season unfolds which would be very familiar; given the complexity, it might be easier said than done.

DWM 16/8/17 (1)

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