Just before he heads off - yet again - for New Zealand where he will referee the match between New Zealand and Wales, Jonathan Kaplan answers readers' questions.

1. Name Andries Nienaber

Question: When does a ruck end?

If all the players in a ruck go off their feet, not deliberately, is the ruck over? May any player then step in and claim the ball or do they have to wait for it to emerge to a scrumhalf? 

Jonathan Kaplan: Once the ruck has been formed, we as referees set offside lines. The only option then available to the opposition is the counter-ruck which is why it is important to keep players on their feet.

2. Name: Paul McKay

Question: Hello.

I am a Durban Ref and was watching the Stormer’s Waratah’s game on Saturday and noticed something which I would like to query.

In about the 18th minute, there was a ruck and the ball popped out on the Waratah’s side. A Stormer’s player dived on the ball and knocked it on. Mark Lawrence blew the infringement as a knock on and scrum. I want to know whether it should have been a penalty to the Waratah’s as law 16.4 (e) states “A player must not fall on or over a ball as it is coming out of a ruck.” Sanction: Penalty kick.

Your thoughts please?

Thanks

Jonathan Kaplan:  I cant really remember the incident mentioned but I would say that if the ball had already emerged, and the player who dived on it was onside, then play should be allowed to continue. The knock-on appears to have been a fair call.

3. Name: John Davies

Question: Re quick throw at the end of the Heineken Cup Final following a kick direct into touch from a kick off. The player caught the ball and ran to the  10-metre  line where he threw in the ball.Should he have been allowed to do this? Should it have been on the half-way line or where the ball first went into touch?   

Jonathan Kaplan:  I think in the case of a quick throw, that play should have been allowed to continue as long as the ball was taken behind the place where the ball went out and the player did not run up the touch line trying to find a suitable place for a quick throw.

4. Name: Nico Lessing

Question: There is a scrum on the 5m line. Scrumhalf puts the ball in, then passes to the flyhalf who is standing in the goal area. The flyhalf attempts to kick the ball out but it is charged down by an opposition player and then ball then goes dead. Where does play start from again? 22m drop out or 5m scrum for the attacking side?

Jonathan Kaplan: It depends where the charge down took place. If it was in in-goal already then it is a 5m scrum, attack ball. If the charge down took place in the field of play and then the ball went dead, then it is a 22m drop-out.

5. Name: Elfranco Swart

Question: Ek will graag weet of daar enige vuil spelAl betrokke was toe Andries Bekker uitgewys is deur Cobus Wessels in Saterdag se S14 finaal? Volgens die reels word lynregters aangestel om die ref by te staan om te wys waar die bal uit is en tweedens enige vuil spel uit te wys. "Entering the ruck from the side" is mos nie vuilspel nie en behoort nie 'n vlag werd te gewees het nie.

Help my asseblief met die beslissing?   

Jonathan Kaplan:  Na my mening is jy reg. Die “ongeoorloofde” spel was glad nie van so n aard dat iets moes uitgewys word nie.

6. Name: Charles Volschenk

Question: My father-in-law and I are having a small argument regarding consequences of being issued with a yellow card in a Super 14 match. Is a player automatically banned from playing the next game, when receiving a yellow card - or not.

Thanks for helping us avoid a family feud.   

Jonathan Kaplan: The player does not automatically receive a ban. Once he accumulates three in the same competition, then he gets the ban.

7. Name: Derek Summers

Question: What is the call on grounding the ball against a corner flag as opposed to simply touching a corner flag? 

Jonathan Kaplan: The cornerflag is not part of the equation any longer. You may touch it whilst grounding with no consequences.

8. Name: Craig Bailey

Question: G'day guys,

A ball-carrier has the ball (a) knocked out of his hand in a forward direction (towards the defence's goal line by a defender and (b) ripped from his grasp in the same forward direction by a defender. The attacking and defending players  had  lost contact with the ball simultaneously.

Should this be a knock-on against the attacking side, or play on (knocked back by the defending player).

Cheers, Craig Bailey

Jonathan Kaplan: In both instances i believe play should continue as the ball-carrier has not knocked the ball on or lost it forward.

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