Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRugbyologist
Does this possibly refer to new ruck law 16.4(b):
"Players must not handle the ball in a ruck except after a tackle if they are on their feet and have their hands on the ball before the ruck is formed."
This makes the life of the tackler attempting the turnover much less problematical, thus heightening the cult of the individual at the breakdown.
This appears to have been an attempt to simplify the breakdown and reduce penalties, but only serves to increase field clutter, by again discouraging mass participation at this phase.
|
I bet they meant to write "
as the ruck is formed", not "before", because otherwise it would seem anyone who'd handled the ball any time during the game until then....
So this means that you can be holding the ball in a maul, drop it to the ground voluntarily or involuntarily, and if even it stays between the players' feet to form a ruck, you can pick it up again? This must be a heck of a thing to referee, considering that any number of other players might've had a hand on the ball too at the qualifying time, and others might've had a hand near it but not on it. Who thinks up these crazy things?