OFF-SIDE AND ON-SIDE

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1946, Page 7

OFF-SIDE AND ON-SIDE

(By Full-Back) Previously the provisions of Law JP rei'erniig to off-siae and its penaltics and Law 19 covering the way in whieli a player becomes on-side were deal't with. Now, interpretations and notes 011 these laws are given. Gff-Side Under Law 18 a player is off-side because he is in front of the man of his own team who was the last to play the ball. He is not off-side because he is in front of the ball imless the ball is in a scrummage, and he, not being part of that scrummage, rcmain with either foot in front of the bail. A player is not penalised for being olf-side unless he actually does one or morei of certain things. i A penalty kick or scrummage as ; sated last week is awarded if an off-side player (1) play the ball;' (2) tackle an opponent; (3) j

approach within ten yards of an vjpponent waicmg for the ball; (4) ooscruct in any way an opponent I waiting for the ball; (5) winuliy 1 remain within ten yards of an ! opponent waiting for the ball ; or , j (6) shout "all on-side" or words to ' I ihat enect wnen piayers are not an j on-side. A penalty kick is awarded if ! 'an oft'-side piayer (7) remains with j either foot in front of the ball when ; ! it is in the scrummage; (8) enter a J scrummage from his 'opponents' ' jside; or (9) stand in front of the! jline at right angles to the touch at: I a throw in. | If an oft'-side player (10) be he| • accidentally touched by the ball or ,a player carrying it, the penalty is' a scrummage. Further if an off- j ;side player is (11) in his own in-l 1 gc al when one of his own side takes I |a free kick or penalty kick, the; I penalty is a scrummage five yards i iin the field of play opposite the! i criginal mark. 1 On-Side Off-side piayers are put on-side , | in the following ways: — By their ! opponents under sections (a), (b), 'and (c) of Law 19; or by their own ' team under section (d) of Law 19. ; Ln each of the cases of (a), (qj i and (c), however, the off-side piayer cannot play the ball if he 1 emained within ten yards of an ; pponent waiting to play the ball. under (d) an off-side player can put himself on-side by retiring be- ! nind the player of his own side who ! .ast touched the ball, provided that ; player is not in touch. Thus a ' player off-side is out of the game .uitil put on-side by one of the four ; .vays mentioned. Remember he is : lot in a position under (a) , (b) and ' (c) to play the ball if, while in an 1 uf-side position, he was within ten yards of an opponent waiting for the ball. Under (d) he can be placed on-side at any time if the ; player of his ov/n side is carrying ' the ball, but not if the latter has! kicked it and the off-side player remains- withim.ten y&r-ds of an" opponent waiting for the ball.

a piayer off-side must not even stand still, if in the way of his opponents so as to distract or hinder them in any way. The onus is upon him to get out of the way and get oeyond the ten yards limit. Then if the opponent do anything.as set )ut in (a), (b) or (c) of the law he off-side player becomes on-side igain. However, if the off-side >layer just remains where he is, and within ten yards, he will be penalised. A player waiting to catch the ball may have a penalty uck allowed when he fails to collect the ball, if the referee considrs that the presence of an off-side fiayer has distracted or intimidat•d him.

i A player off-side may intercept l a pass from an opposing player j irovided that the off-side player 1 vas outside the ten yards limit • \vhen the first opposing player re- | .eived the ball. Actually nothingj ! hat the opponents can do can put 1 ' !. player of the other team off-side; j ; ut provided the oft'-side player is ! ; utside that ten yards limit any of j i he actions in (a), (b) or (c) of j i he law automatically places him! ; n-side. ; Regarding (d), a player off-side an oe put on-side by any player vho is on-side running in front of j lim only if the latter is carrying j 1 he ball, or has kicked it while! 1 xehind him. He cannot be put on-' ; ;ide by any other member of his j ! own team, except the one who was | last to play the ball. In all cases of accidental off-side 1 a scrummage will be formed at the ] . place where' it occurred, unless the • opposing team gains an advantage. : \n accidental off-side in a player's j )wn in-goal carries no penalty at all ; but if in the opponents' in- | goal, the decision is a touch t iown and a drop-out at the | iwenty-five. All scrummages with- ! in the twenty-fives shall take place j where the inf ringement occurs ; but i all scrummages between the ! '■ wenty-five yard lines and within ! m yards of the touch-line shall i ;o down ten yards in-field., Other I .crummages in the area shall go 1 down where the breach occurs. If the ball accidentally touches j an opponent after being kicked offside piayers of the kicker's team are not put off-side though they may be outside the ten yards limit. There must be definite intention on the part of the opponent to play the ball. A player does not become a part of any scrummage by placing his hand on the scrummage. It is pointed out that it is not the intention of the off-side law to penalise a player who over.-runs the ball while it is in the scrummage, provided that he does not remain there but makes a definite attempt to retire behind the ball. A line-out exists from the time that the ball is thrown in by a piayer, with both feet in touch antil it is played by ariy other player, or has touched the g.iound. After that the • ball is in general play unless a breach ocoun.