Clarification 7-2006

Ruling in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee

Request

The SRU has requested a ruling with regard to Law 10.2 Obstruction and
Law 10.4(n) Flying Wedge

Team A win their lineout and as the jumper returns to the ground his team mates bind onto him and stay and drive him forward. At no point do players from team B contest for the ball or bind on to any members of their own team or members of team A.

Is this deemed to be a “flying wedge” if the ball remains with the initial ball carrier who is at the front of the group of team A players and not preventing any player from team B tackling the ball carrier?

Is this deemed to be a “flying wedge” if the ball is transferred to a player in the middle of the group of team A players and preventing any player from team B from tackling the ball carrier?

Is this deemed to be a “flying wedge” if the ball is transferred to a player on the edge or at the back of the group of team A players and not preventing any player from team B tackling the ball carrier?

If the scenarios listed above are not deemed to be in the flying wedge category should they be considered obstruction?

Ruling of the designated members of the Rugby Committee

In this situation, players of the defending Team B have not committed to
make any contact or tackle of the ball carrying Team A. Play should continue as the actions of the Team A players are not preventing Team B players from making a tackle. Subsequently if the ball is not held by the lead player of the group of Team A players, and a Team B player attempts to tackle the ball carrier and cannot, then a PK should be awarded against Team A for obstruction.