IRB DIRECTIVE
BELOW IS SOME INFORMATION FROM THE iRB WHICH IS TO BE IMPLEMENTED NOW.
Gerry FitzGerald
iRB Educator
Charging into the ruck
February 2010
Players entering a ruck must do so in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Referees are reminded that appropriate binding is a requirement, and charging into a ruck is dangerous play and must be penalised as such.
The video clips below all show examples of illegal charges into the ruck.
Law text
16.2 JOINING A RUCK
(b) A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whole arm. The bind must either precede, or be simultaneous with, contact with any other part of the body of the player joining the ruck.
Sanction: Penalty kick
10.4 DANGEROUS PLAY AND MISCONDUCT
(g) Dangerous charging. A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to grasp that player.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(h) A player must not charge into a ruck or maul. Charging includes any contact made without use of the arms, or without grasping a player.
Video clips
Clip 1
Clip 2
Clip 3
Clip 4
Clip 5
Clip 6
February 27th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Hi Gerry,
I understand the call in each of the vids except No. 3. Can you explain to me why No. 3 shows an illegal charge? It looks to me like the rucker grasped the opponent simultaneously with his entering the ruck. I don’t want to embarrass myself on the sideline if it were to occur in front of me during a match. Thank you,
JM