Clarification 7-2004

Ruling in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

This clarification was incorporated into law in 2009

Request

The SRU has requested a ruling with regard Law 19-Touch and Line-out.

(1) Ruling 4:2004 states that a receiver can only enter a line-out after the ball has left the throwers hand. How can he support the jumper if the ball is already coming into the line-out?

(2) Ruling 4:2004 states that the receiver can change places with any player in the line-out prior to the ball being thrown. This is contrary to 1 above, where the receiver cannot move until the ball is thrown.

Ruling of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

(1) After the line-out commences the receiver can enter the line-out, and is free to do that which is normally done by players in the line-out. The receiver's ability to support the jumper is not an issue in Law.

(2) Prior to the commencement of the line-out, participating players may change places. The participating players in a line-out are those that line up in the line-out, the thrower and his immediate opponent, and the two players waiting to receive the ball from the line-out. Who the "receiver" actually is, cannot finally be determined until the very moment that the ball is thrown in. Until that time the players standing in the normal #9 positions are merely participants and they can change their positions at any time until the ball is thrown.