The TMO played a big part in the Super Rugby weekend, perhaps too big, yet it seems they still got it wrong with the “Try” scored by Chiliboy Ralepelle.
The Bulls were attacking when Francois Hougaard grubbered the ball towards the Stormers’ line as Siya Kolisi on one side and Frans Malherbe on the other side tried to stop him. The ball went between the two defenders. Ralepelle raced onto the ball, grabbed it and dived over.
The referee referred the decision to the TMO. It was clear that Ralepelle had been in front of Hougaard when Hougaard kicked the ball. The referee wanted to know if he had kicked the ball into a defender.
The TMO examined the situation. The ball had not touched Kolisi but he believed that the ball had touched a sliver of the toe of Malherbe’s boot.
On the strength of this the referee awarded the try. Ralepelle’s try took the Bulls out to 25-10 lead with 13 minutes to play …
The SA Referees website made the following call:
“It would seem that the referee should not have asked the TMO the question he asked him and the TMO should not have given the advice that he gave him: that the ball had been touched by Frans Malherbe and that Ralepelle had thus been put on side and the try should have been awarded.
It would seem that the correct decision would have been a penalty to the Stormers.”
For an in-depth look at the event, head to the SA Referees website …
Bulls Stormers Game Law Discussion.
Malherbe was charging Hougaard when Hougaard kicked. TMO said the ball struck Malherbe.
Why can this not be considered a charge down, allowing Rapelele to score???
Law 11.3 BEING PUT ONSIDE BY OPPONENTS
In general play, there are three ways by which an offside player can be put onside by an action of the opposing team. These three ways do not apply to a player who is offside under the 10-Metre Law.
(a) Runs 5 metres with ball. When an opponent carrying the ball runs 5 metres, the offside player is put onside.
(b) Kicks or passes. When an opponent kicks or passes the ball, the offside player is put onside.
(c) Intentionally touches ball. When an opponent intentionally touches the ball but does not catch it, the offside player is put onside.
It is debatable whether Malherbe intentionally touched the ball. He was trying to tackle Hougaard.
Everyone forgets that a player can also be put onside by his own team mate. Chilliboy stood dead still when Hougaard kicked the grubber and only started running once Hougaard went past him and thereby putting him onside. The refs question to the TMO was the wrong one, because it only checked one aspect of being onside or not.
Everyone forgets that a player can also be put onside by his own team mate. Chilliboy stood dead still when Hougaard kicked the grubber and only started running once Hougaard went past him and thereby putting him onside. The refs question to the TMO was the wrong one, because it only checked one aspect of being onside or not.
Rule 11.2
In general play, there are three ways by which an offside player can be put onside by actions of that player or of team mates:
(a) Action by the player. When the offside player runs behind the team-mate who last kicked, touched or carried the ball, the player is put onside.
(b) Action by the ball carrier. When a team-mate carrying the ball runs in front of the offside player, that player is put onside.
(c) Action by the kicker or other onside player. When the kicker, or team-mate who was level with or behind the kicker when (or after) the ball was kicked, runs in front of the offside player, the player is put onside. When running forward, the team-mate may be in touch or touch-in-goal, but that team-mate must return to the playing area to put the player onside