Rugby Union Law 18.35

[TheLocalYokel]

Jerry,

Rugby Union Law 18.35

I regard you as the forum's rugby union expert and someone who follows the game closely, and I wondered what your opinion is on this. If you have the time a perusal of the article linked below will point up the problem that Bristol coach Pat Lam believes is not being enforced in the Premiership.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/pat-lam-hits-out-referee-2394062

Lam believes that one of Exeter's tries in their narrrow win over his side at Exeter yesterday should not have been awarded. Briefly, he believes that Exeter's backs are not retiring to their offside line (10 metres) when they have legally moved forward at a lineout after which the ball has not travelled 15 metres. He's noticed that Exeter tend to do this a lot and prior to yesterday's match against them he spoke to the head of match officials who told him that no-one enforces that law.

I wondered if that is so and whether it is enforced in the Pro14.

Lam is particularly incensed because in the home Prem match against Exeter earlier in the season the visitors won the match with an extremely controversial last-minute penalty try.

Many thanks if you have the time to read the link and give your opinion.

 

[Jerry]

Rugby union is becoming more and more harder to referee but if Exeter did infringe and were offside i can understand him being bitter especially as the touch judge should also be looking out for that but I'd be surprised if during the season Bristol haven't had the luck of the draw on a few occasions as well.
Generally in any league big mauls aren't really seen often and i haven't seen or heard of a similar controversy in the Pro 14. Most of the controversy tends to be around the quality of the referees and a lot of the time the nationality.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Rugby union is becoming more and more harder to referee but if Exeter did infringe and were offside i can understand him being bitter especially as the touch judge should also be looking out for that but I'd be surprised if during the season Bristol haven't had the luck of the draw on a few occasions as well.
Generally in any league big mauls aren't really seen often and i haven't seen or heard of a similar controversy in the Pro 14. Most of the controversy tends to be around the quality of the referees and a lot of the time the nationality.

For years rugby union seems to have been changing some of the laws almost annually. They try to block some unwanted facet of the game with a rule change that sometimes then leads to other problems - the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Add in the different interpretations by referees, especially between those from the southern and northern hemispheres, and it's little wonder that coaches let alone spectators are confused.

I confess that my knowledge of technical infringements is now poor. I never seem able to keep up with the rule changes.