Mark Lawrence has a big appointment for Saturday - the Sharks against the Waratahs in Durban at a crunch time in the Super 14 but he still has time to answer readers' questions from remote Standerton.

1. Name: George Halgryn 

Question: Hi All

Great informative site - Thanks to all.

Please explain the offside line at the ruck/maul to me. The law 16.5 (a) and 17.4 (a) states, There are two offside lines parallel to the goal lines, one for each team. Each offside line runs through the hindmost foot of the hindmost player in the that ruck/maul. The refs always tell defending players to step back. What about the players right next to a ruck standing as pillars. You see in every game that it is clear as daylight that these players are offside but hardly ever get punished for said offence. is a case of letting the game flow (no influence on play) or not being strict enough. Defenders in front of the offside line can change the decisions made by the attacking team.

Keep up the good work. Regards

Mark Lawrence: Hello George,

I am glad you enjoy this site and thanks for your question.

You highlight an area of concern and one that has been continually addressed by the International Rugby Board and to their credit it is an area that has certainly improved. Referees certainly do determine the influence of an infringement and will often use management skills rather than punitive measures( like blowing the whistle) which helps with creating flow. Also and very often, the camera angle is misleading and sometimes players appear offside when they are actually not. But despite this, be assured it is an area that is being addressed. If you hear the word “pillars” you know what the referee is referring to.

Regards

Mark

2. Name: Peter Poupart 

Question: Hi Mark,

Just to let you know I love this site, I think I visit it a least two or three times a week.  

My question for you is if you penalise team "A" for an infraction and then a player from team "A" calls your refereeing ability, and family heritage into question ( dissent) and you then penalize that player, where is the mark for the penalty? At the original spot or do you tack on another 10 metres?  thanks         

Mark Lawrence: Hi Peter,

Thanks for your interest in our site and I trust it is helpful and informative.

To answer your question, the penalty is advanced 10m and the player liable to a yellow/red card.

The best chirp from a referee after he advanced a penalty, was by André Watson, when he told a player “ and leave my family out of this!” You can imagine what was said.

Keep well

Regards, Mark

3. Name: John McCabe 

Question: A question from Europe that concerns the 10m zone question after a kick.

As we all know, any teammate of a player ahead of the ball after a kick that finds himself in the 10m zone is obliged to retreat to the 10m line before rejoining the game. What I often see is when this kick (invariably from inside your own 22) goes into touch and players who were in the 10m zone turn around to prevent the quick-throw in. Even though the ball is not in play at that moment, they're surely interfering with play. Why don't referee's penalise this very much? (I've seen it at least four times in the two Heineken cup semi-finals last weekend)

Mark Lawrence: Hello John,

I hope you are enjoying the Heineken Cup! The referees are correct in not penalising players in that the ball is out and general play is over. The ball is dead and players are now required to form the line out without delay.

This was a huge debate when I first started refereeing but was quickly settled with the above in interpretation.

Thanks for your question

Regards, Mark

4. Name: Monde Skeyi

Question: The attacking player is tackled and the tackler rolls away. The tackled player moves with the knees on the ground to make plan to score a try. What the referee should do?  

Mark Lawrence: Hello Monde

Law 15.5 tackled player explains it all and is quoted here.

Law 15.5 THE TACKLED PLAYER
(a) A tackled player must not lie on, over, or near the ball to prevent opponents from gaining possession of it, and must try to make the ball available immediately so that play can continue.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(b) A tackled player must immediately pass the ball or release it. That player must also get up or move away from it at once.
Penalty: PenaltyKick
(c) A tackled player may release the ball by putting it on the ground in any direction, provided this is done immediately.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(d) A tackled player may release the ball by pushing it along the ground in any direction except forward, provided this is done immediately.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(e) If opposition players who are on their feet attempt to play the ball, the tackled player must release the ball.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(f) If a tackled player’s momentum carries the player into the in-goal, the player can score a try or make a touch down.
(g) If players are tackled near the goal line, these players may immediately reach out and ground the ball on or over the goal line to score a try or make a touch down.

NB In Super 14 the Penalty Kicks would be Free Kicks.

In short the tackler has done what he is required to do by rolling away, but then the tackled player must do what he is required to do, that is do what is in Law 15.5 (b).

Regards, Mark

5. Name: Monde Skeyi

Question: The attacking team forms a maul on 15 metres from the in goal area. Then the inside centre of the defending team comes from the side deliberately to kill the maul and with the intention of stopping the try from being scored. The referee calls on the player not to join but the player does. What should the referee do?  

Mark Lawrence: Hi again Monde,

This is a deliberate infringement and requires the player to be penalised for off side and a yellow card for the deliberate act,

Law 10.2 UNFAIR PLAY
(a) Intentionally Offending. A player must not intentionally infringe any law of the game, or play unfairly. The player who
intentionally offends must be either admonished, or cautioned that a send off will result if the offence or a similar offence is
committed, or sent off. After a caution a player is temporarily suspended for a period of ten minutes playing time. After a
caution, the player commits the same or similar offence, the player must be sent off.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that would probably otherwise have been scored. A player who prevents a try being scored through foul play must either be cautioned and temporarily suspended or sent off.