What does the law say?

Hi

I was watching this match on the TV this morning and an interesting incident happened.

The Rebels had a penalty, 35 metres out, midfield. They signal for a shot at goal.

The Stormers gather in a huddle on their own 22

The rebels kicker then chips the ball, off the tee towards the corner. Had this been allowed, the winger would almost certainly have scored.

The referee blows up, says something about making a genuine attempt at goal, and allows him to take it again. He slots the penalty.

I have had a look through the rules, and it seems to me the ref had two options under the laws as published

1/ Allow it

2/ Ping the rebels for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Is there a law about a genuine attempt at a place kick? I cant see it anywhere in the laws published on the IRB site.

Regards

Jon Noble

Hi John

In the opinion of The Rugby Ref, the referee got it wrong.

Law 21.5

(b)If the kicker indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, the kicker must kick at goal. Once the kicker has made the intention clear, there can be no change of the intention. The referee may enquire of the kicker as to the intention.

Sanction: Unless otherwise stated in Law any infringement by the kicker’s team results in a scrum at the mark. The opposing team throws in the ball.

In the opinion of The Rugby Ref, this was not a genuine attempt at goal (although it is difficult to comment without seeing it), so the result should have been a scrum to the opposition.

The Rugby Ref