Clarification 3-2004

Ruling in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

This clarification was incorporated into law in 2009

Request

The JRFU has requested a ruling with regard Law 15 Tackle

The players of Team A hold on to the ball carrier of Team B. The players from Team A drive the ball carrier towards the Team B's goal line (i.e. Team A players are going forward). After the ball carrier goes to the ground, one of the players of Team A holding on to the ball carrier also goes to the ground whilst the other player of Team A is still on his feet holding on to the ball and the opposition's arm.

By definition, a tackle occurs with the ball carrier being the tackled player and the player of Team A on the ground being the tackler.

In this situation,
(1) Should the Team A's player still on his feet retire to the position behind the ball to approach from directly behind the tackled player or the tackler closest to his goal-line?
(2) Should that standing player in retiring to the position as aforementioned release the ball in the tackled player's hands?
(3) Does the tackled player have to release the ball immediately?

If the answer to the 1) and 2) are yes, it may seem as though as far as the contest for the ball is concerned, it would be advantageous to go to the ground.

Our view is that the player on his feet in the above case should be allowed to continue to play as he is involved in the tackle from the beginning of the tackle without being defined as a tackler. It is not appropriate to define him as the other player.

In order to codify the spirit of the fair contestability of the ball in the Playing Charter, the concept and definition of an "arriving player" should be introduced to avoid such anomalous treatment of a player endeavouring to stay on his feet.

Ruling of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

The answers to the abovementioned questions are:

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

To reconfirm the position stated in Ruling 13:2003:
By definition, any opponents of the tackled player who go to ground are known as tacklers. Therefore a player on his feet is not a tackler as defined by Law.

A player on his feet in the situation described is not a tackler as defined by Law. That player is not part of the tackle, as he has not gone to ground. He can only therefore be described as an ‘Other Player’ in Law 15.7 Other Players. Specifically Law 15.7(c) would apply, where that player can only play the ball if he approaches from behind the ball and from directly behind the tackled player or the tackler closest to those players’ goal-line.