HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE OFFSIDE RULE

Chronicle (Levin), 2 September 1948, Page 7

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE OFFSIDE RULE

"Critic")

(By

Noah Little and Wiiiterbotham cpposed each other on the rugby . field last Saturday. They played1 ihe game again on Saturday night and probably will each time they, rneet this week. Let's iisten in to their. conversation ... "He was offsiffe," Noah' is saying, afiparently- in search of the usual Saturday night argument. "He- may have been," repiies Winnie, "but I'm not sure that you know exactly when a player is j offside" Noah, who . was sure of this point, threw out his chest ^andi said, "A player is offside because he is in front of the rnah of his own team who was the last to play the ball." "And is he aiways penalised, Noah?" ' a "No," replied Noah, "he is penalised if, being in an offside position, he approaches or remains within ten yards of the ball or an opponent waiting to receive it. He is also penalised for offside if he enters a scrummage from his opponent's side. If, while the ball is in a scrummage and he is not,. he remains with either foot in front of the ball, he can be penalised, "and also if, being a member of a lineout, he moves in front of a line at right angles to the touchline through the place wliere the ball ' went into touch. There are others which apply in goal, but we'll leave that for the present." "Oh Saturday," said Winnie, -"I was dn an offside position and the maia who kicked the ball would not 'run-up to put me on side. What could I do?" Noah, who -liked a joke with Winnie, . said he could have run back behind the kicker and once again been able'to take part in the game. After a little thought, he put Winnie on the right. t'rack by teiling him that an offside player can become on 'siae as follows: — (1) By one 'of his team who is carrying or has kicked the ball running 'in front of him — an easy one; (2) when an opponent carrying the " ball -has run five yards ; (3) when an opponent^has played

when an opponent has' intentionally touched the ball, provided he does ftot catch or gather it. Winnie did not know of the last three and he has already forgotten that he had to be ten yards away from the opponent mentioned in the last three, or at least making an effort to get ten yards away,1 otherwise he wou'ld be penalised before he could be put on side by the action of the opponent.