FW: IRB Rulings 2 and 3 of 2008

[Mike Cobb work]

Please forward to all your refs and clubs.
 
Mike

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From: Peter Watson [ mailto:Peter....@mailgw.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 11:04 AM
To: David Pelton; Dave Peters; Calum Pender; Joe Otten; Mike Cobb; Len Borcky; Neal Dill
Cc: Tom Lyons; Jeff Jurin; Al Klemp; Andy McDonnell; Bill Connolly; Bruce Carter; Charlie Haupt; Chris Grove; Dave Haines; Doug Kendall; Doug Syme; Gerry FitzGerald; Graeme Payne; Harry Laws; Jay Lee; Jeff Anderson; Jem McDowall; Jess Snider; John Chapman; John McConnell; Judah Boulet; Judd Worrall; Kevin Griggs; Kevin McCaslin; Kirk Borger; Kurt Zorn; Len Watkins; Marc Nelson; Mark Handel; Mark Ormsby; Patrick Platteuw; Paul Rosenzweig; Paul Wood; Ram Eddings; Rob Kortus; Roger Yokoyama; Sam Merrill; Stephen Weeks; Steve Glentzer; Steve Montez; Steve Parrill; Tammy Cowan; Timm E Lindeman; Tom Barr; Tom Coburn; Nigel Melville; Ron Weatherill; Rick Humm; Peter Watson; Mike Malone; Michael Luke; Josh Tameifuna; Jay Abom; Graeme Bullen; George Betzler; Dick Podmore; Ed Todd; Richard Every; Don Morrison; Jim Russell
Subject: IRB Rulings 2 and 3 of 2008
 
Dear Territorial Chairs,
 
Two Rulings are attached.  Please ensure distribution to all referees, teams and Unions in your area.  Take particular care to reach teams involved in playoffs this weekend. 
 
The first (# 2) is more for Union management, and how they choose to deal with teams that fail to meet the requirements for "suitably trained and experienced" front-row players.  >From the referee end, if the game situation requires non-contested scrums then that's what happens.  Don't artificially impose other sanctions.
 
The second (# 3) addresses the binding of players at scrum engagement. 
 
An engagement strategy has become popular over the last year or so.  The technique involves the # 8 not fully binding prior to the referee giving permission to engage.  Instead the # 8 grips the shorts of the second-rows without any other contact.  When the scrum goes in to engage, the # 8 joins the back of the scrum forcefully, acting as a pile-driver to increase the impact at engagement.
 
The Ruling makes it clear that this is not legal.  All participants in a scrum must be fully bound prior to engagement (penalty kick).  The bind must involve the entire arm of the player up to and including the shoulder.
 
Referees should be observant for this prior to giving permission to engage, and should manage the players to bind properly.
 
Peter Watson
Chair USA Rugby Laws sub-committee