19 reasons to learn to ruck

[Burgs]

19 reasons to learn to ruck

A comment posted at The Huddle from Paul Tyler, an SRU Level 3 Coach, and Joint Editor of Rugby Coach Weekly

The ruck is probably the least understood area of the game. But break any of the 19 laws relating to it and you will give away a penalty or a free kick.

A referee friend of mine recently challenged me to list all 19 offences that a player can commit at a ruck. I named 16 of them. I was quite pleased with myself until he pointed out that if I didn't know them all how could I expect my players to know them?
He was quite right and I have now made sure I know them all. More than that I had my players learn them as well.

The result is that my players can instantly recognise when a ruck has formed and know what they can and can't do. This has dramatically reduced the number of penalties they give away at the breakdown.

Junior players don't need to be able to recite all 19 possible offences, but they should have an understanding of what a ruck is and a good idea about what they are allowed (and not allowed) to do. They can only achieve this if they are constantly reminded at training and if you point out when they have committed a penalty offence.
So the big question: can you name all 19 ruck offences?

c/o: www.betterrugbycoaching.com

Joining a ruck

1 All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips. Free kick

2 A player joining a ruck must bind on to the ruck with at least one arm around the body of a team mate using the whole arm. Penalty kick

3 Placing a hand on another player in the ruck does not constitute binding. Penalty kick

4 All players forming, joining or taking part in a ruck must be on their feet. Penalty kick

Rucking

5 Players in a ruck must endeavour to stay on their feet. Penalty kick

6 A player must not intentionally fall or kneel in a ruck. This is dangerous play. Penalty kick

7 A player must not intentionally collapse a ruck. This is dangerous play. Penalty kick

8 A player must not jump on top of a ruck. Penalty kick

9 Players must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips [see 1 also]. Free kick

10 A player rucking for the ball must do so near the ball. They must step over players on the ground and not intentionally step on them. They must not ruck players on the ground. This is dangerous play. Penalty kick

Other ruck offences

11 Players must not return the ball into a ruck. Free kick

12 Players must not handle the ball in a ruck. Penalty kick

13 Players must not pick up the ball in a ruck with their legs. Penalty kick

14 Players on the ground in or near the ruck must try to move away from the ball. These players must not interfere with the ball in the ruck or as it comes out of the ruck. Penalty kick

15 A player must not fall on or over a ball as it is coming out of a ruck. Penalty kick

16 A player must not take any action to make the opposing team think that the ball is out of a ruck while it is still in a ruck. Free kick

Offside at the ruck

17 Players must either join a ruck, or retire behind the offside line immediately. A player loitering at the side of a ruck is offside. Penalty kick

18 All players joining or rejoining a ruck must do so from behind the foot of the hindmost team mate in the ruck. They may join alongside this hindmost player. A player joining offending team’s a ruck from the opponent’s side or in front of the hindmost team mate is offside. Penalty kick from the offside line.

19 If a player is in front of the offside line and does not join a ruck, they must retire behind the offside line at once. If a player who is behind the offside line oversteps it and then offending team’s does not join the ruck, they are offside. Penalty kick from the offside line.

[welshrugbyfan]

If there is an NH referee this weekend the Wallabies better remember these 3.

5. Players in a ruck must endeavour to stay on their feet.

6. A player must not intentionally fall or kneel in a ruck.

8. A player must not jump on top of a ruck.

[brokendown gunfighter]

the ruck laws are an ass
if for example,you put your arms around a teammate & initiate a counter ruck,how could you possibly avoid stepping on a player(s) lying on the ground infront of you,
do you say,"excuse me chaps would you mind rolling away so I can move forward"

bring back rucking like it it was 20 years ago,& no one would lie near the ball for long
& the referee wouldn't have these 19 laws to worry about

[Burgs]

You could pretty safely blow every single ruck up for an infringement, things like shoulders higher than arse etc are breached all the time.

[Ecky]

If there is an NH referee this weekend the Wallabies better remember these 3.

5. Players in a ruck must endeavour to stay on their feet.

6. A player must not intentionally fall or kneel in a ruck.

8. A player must not jump on top of a ruck.

NH or SH it's the same law. Just a different sanction under ELVs.

[WaterBoy]

[QUOTE=Burgs;218895]19 reasons to learn to ruck


12 Players must not handle the ball in a ruck. Penalty kick

Hi Burgs,

Which players cannot handle the ball, the ones off their feet or any other player?
How are you legally allowed to contest possesion of the ball if you can't handle it in the ruck i have always been a bit confused about this one how does that work

[Ecky]

[/COLOR]

the ruck laws are an ass
if for example,you put your arms around a teammate & initiate a counter ruck,how could you possibly avoid stepping on a player(s) lying on the ground infront of you,
do you say,"excuse me chaps would you mind rolling away so I can move forward"

bring back rucking like it it was 20 years ago,& no one would lie near the ball for long
& the referee wouldn't have these 19 laws to worry about

You could pretty safely blow every single ruck up for an infringement, things like shoulders higher than arse etc are breached all the time.

A lot of the time one must consider what is termed "material effect". For example, if a player intentionally goes to ground but ends up 2+ metres past the ball on the wrong side of the ruck, then the ball is still able to be contested and one would hope the referee plays on. There are some pedants who might blow the infringement just because it contravenes the law. I'd like to think I am not one of 'em. Mostly.

[Action Hardcore]

Strange that you bring this up, because I was just thinking that the ruck is probably the least understood area of the game...

[retiredrucker]

Waterboy Ecky,

I don't think this has been updated to include that the tackling player, while on his feet can hold onto the ball even when the ruck is formed, is this correct? I thought this came in as part of the ELV adjustments recently?

This will be a boon for the likes of Smith,waugh, poccok!

[welshrugbyfan]

NH or SH it's the same law. Just a different sanction under ELVs.

Ok I should have made myself more clearer. The NH refs were enforcing these laws very strictly under the ELV's. It has continued as it should now and all I meant was NH refs still seem alot harder on enforcing them.

I guess the IRB will want SH refs to catch up with the enforcement as well.

[Burgs]

Ecky's the fella for this Water Boy, but my take on that is anyone who is part of the ruck as once it is called a ruck all others (tackler etc) have lost entitlements.
Therefore, the only people able to then handle the ball legally need to be entering from behind the hindmost feet, be on their feet and not be bound in any way to player forming the ruck.
Somehow the ball always magically gets "moved" to a position for one of the Scrumhalves to be able to reach without anyone touching it with their hands or rucking it with their feet which is a remarkable achievement...

[welshrugbyfan]

The issue is has the ruck formed?

Most refs are good and say "Ruck" or "It's a ruck now" which means hands off and don't come in from the side or its penalty time.

Players need to know when its a ruck otherwise they might hesitate to grab the thing and miss out on taking possession of the blo*dy thing.

Ruck = 1 player from each team in the field of play, on their feet and shoving each other, with the ball on the ground between them. The offside lines run through the tail ends of the ruck. You must either join it, from behind your own offside line, or get behind it. If you join it, you must do so alongside the hindmost player - not in front of him. You're not in a ruck unless you're bound onto it. Shoulders must be no lower than hips.

What's hard about that?

Once a ruck is formed the half back should be able to walk up and throw the damn thing. Anyone sticking their hands on it should STILL be able to be rucked (bring that law back).

---------- Post added at 16:35 ---------- Previous post was at 16:24 ----------

This might help the confusion.



That ball should be nicely heeled out to the yellow half back to pick up.

[retiredrucker]

Welsh,

So the new rule about the tackler being allowed to keep his hands on the ball while stands up, then the ball carrier must release, means a ruck has never formed and it is play on in open play or a maul?

[GIGS20]

I always thought if you were off your feet, you were out of the game, so a tackler who plays the ball whilst standing would be in the wrong, as would a tackled player who doesn't play the ball immediately.

I would suggest the situation you mention would be interpreted as a foul from both players and allowed to continue. Once the tackler regains his feet and can legally play the ball that would change......I would be concerned though if the tackler keeps their hand on the ball in order to PREVENT the tackled player from playing it......that would be foul play in my books, and I reckon if I were a ref, I'd be trying to judge whether the tackled player was making a reasonable attempt to play the ball.....if so, I'd ping the tackler.

but then I only ref under tens, they're pretty forgiving

[welshrugbyfan]

Welsh,

So the new rule about the tackler being allowed to keep his hands on the ball while stands up, then the ball carrier must release, means a ruck has never formed and it is play on in open play or a maul?

The new law is this, after a tackle, if a player (on his feet) can get hands on the ball before a ruck forms, he need not release the ball if a ruck then does form.



It seems to be causing some confusion in the rugby world. Should have left em alone, they weren't broken.