Three hundred up - and a ripple of applause to all those who have asked questions and all those who have answered them. Stu Berry has the honour of bringing up the triple ton.

1. Name: Damian Largier 

Question: Dear Stu, 

The question I have may be an obvious one and it relates to the 'hindmost foot' of a ruck in particular. 

A ruck frequently consists of players on their feet and on the ground. In the situation where some of the players on the ground have their a part of their body out of the back of the ruck (This could be as much as a metre), where is the offside line? Is it the hind foot of the rear most player standing or is it behind the players on the ground? 

A corollary to that is if the ball is behind the last man standing's feet but between the bodies on the ground is it still 'in' the ruck or out? 

Granted if the ruck then moves forward and the players on the ground are left isolated with the ball between them it is then open play. In lower leagues this is a frequent area of 'contention' and your input would be invaluable. 

Finally a compliment on your SA Referees site - I log on every week and have learned an enormous amount from the content.

Regards - Damian 

Stu Berry: Hi Damian, thanks for your mail and it’s great to hear that you have found such good value out of this site.  That’s exactly what the site aims to achieve, and the more people who can benefit from it such as yourself, the better for us at SA Referees.

The last mans feet refers to anyone who is part of the ruck, whether on their feet or not, so the offside line is based on an imaginary line that runs across the field set by the hindmost foot of the ruck or maul, whether on their feet or not.

In your query around the ruck ‘ending’ and the ball being isolated with a player on the ground, you are correct in saying that the ruck is over and so it is then open play.

2. Name: Al Dzerefos 

Question: If at the kick off, the ball goes directly into touch, can the team receiving the kick take a quick throw in?   

Stu Berry: Hi Al,

Thanks for your mail.  To answer your question, they most certainly can, provided that it is at the mark or behind where the ball alighted, and that the provisions for a quick throw are all adhered to by the team who’s throw it is.

3. Name: Keith Moore

Question: Mr Ref,

A question of interpretation for you.

At what point would a charge down become a knock-on? If a player is charging a clearance kick, and instead of just putting his hands in the air he actually tries to catch it and it bounces off his hands, is it a knock-on?

Kind regards, Keith 

Stu Berry: Hi Keith, good question.  The key question certainly is whether he is able to catch the ball or not, and whether he has attempted to catch it.  If a player has at no stage tried to catch the ball (so hands up and at no stage aligned to try and catch the ball), then we deem it a charge down.

The law also requires that the charge down take place as the opponent kicks the ball or immediately after the kick.

4. Name: Gordon Haas 

Question: In Ireland vs South Africa early in the match a free kick was awarded to Ireland when South Africa took too long to throw the ball into a line-out.   Someone on the offending team directed a comment at the ref to which he took exception so he moved the mark 10 metres forward.  The free kick was then taken.  

Given Law 10.4 (m) (or 6.A.5) shouldn't the second offence have resulted in a penalty kick? 

Law 10.4 (m) Misconduct while the ball is out of play. A player, must not, while the ball is out of play, commit any misconduct, or obstruct or in any way interfere with an opponent.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
The penalty is the same as for sections 10.4 (a)-(k) except that the penalty kick is awarded at the place where play would restart. If that place is on the touchline or within 15 metres of it, the mark for the penalty kick is on the 15-metre line, in line with that place.
If play would restart at a 5-metre scrum, the mark for the penalty kick is at that place of the scrum.
If play would restart with a drop-out, the non-offending team may choose to take the penalty kick anywhere on the 22-metre line.
If a penalty kick is awarded but the offending team is guilty of further misconduct before the kick is taken, the referee cautions or orders off the guilty player and advances the mark for the penalty kick 10 metres. This covers both the original offence and the misconduct.
If a penalty kick is awarded to a team but a player of that team is guilty of further misconduct before the kick is taken, the referee will caution or send-off the guilty player, declare the kick disallowed, and award a penalty kick to the opposing team.
If an offence is committed outside the playing area while the ball is still in play, and if that offence is not covered by any other part of this Law, the penalty kick is awarded on the 15-metre line, in line with where the offence happened.
For an offence reported by a touch judge a penalty kick may be awarded where the offence happened, or advantage may be played.

Stu Berry: Hi Gordon, I trust you are well and thanks for your comments and question.  It is a very good one.

The initial infringement, as you say, was a free kick for a delay in feeding the ball into the line-out.  That mark was on the 15m line.  While the ball was dead and play waiting to restart, an SA player “chirped” as such.

My understanding of the law is as follows:

·         This is covered by Law 10.4 (l), and is an act contrary to good sportsmanship, penalisable by a penalty.

Law 10.4 (l) Acts contrary to good sportsmanship. A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure.
Penalty: Penalty Kick

As referees, we commonly march a player 10m for a ‘chirp’ as such, however I think that you question has highlighted a possible flaw in law in that the correct law decision, in the example you describe above, is to award the penalty at the point where the free kick was, and should any further transgression to this degree then occur, you would march the penalty 10m further.

5. Name: Bunny Bolton

Question: Are you allowed to collapse your own maul?

You have the ball and a maul forms about you. But the other side are strong and wrap around you so that you cannot get the ball back. Are you then allowed to collapse the maul to make it easier to get the ball back?

Stu Berry: Hi Bunny. Your question needs to be dealt with by quoting law and then adapting that to what practically occurs within a game.

Law 17.2 (d) states that a player must not intentionally collapse a maul, as it is a dangerous act of play.  It does not at any stage differentiate between an attacking or defending player.  The key around the sanction against collapsing a maul is that it is dangerous, and so if the attacking team, at any stage, collapse their own maul in a dangerous manner, then they would be penalised for doing so.  The reality is that an attacking team will hardly ever collapse their own maul.

6. Name: Bryan Combrinck

Question: How do you like the idea of having specialist assistant referees?  What are the advantages of being a specialist assistant? 

If I wanted to become an assistant referee could I do so or must I first be a referee?

Are assistant referees paid? Well paid?

Stu Berry: Hi Bryan, thanks for your mail and comments.

Assistant referees are becoming an integral part of the game, and with such a professional player setup, I think that it makes sense.  A good referee doesn't necessarily make a good assistant referee. An assistant referee needs to focus on very different elements of the game to that of a referee, and if we can get a core group of individuals around who can perform this task well, I think that the game will be better off with it.

In terms of getting involved, all the assistant referees have been ex-referees who want to continue contributing to the game, which is really great, and so the process you would take is to join your local union's referees society and develop your skills from there focusing on being an assistant referee.

In terms of payment, referees or assistant referees who ‘run touch’ as such receive a match fee from SA rugby for their services and to cover basic costs.

7. Name: Des Barnard

Question: I hear what you people say about all the written reports that come up after every big match. Why aren't those reports made public?

Stu Berry: Hi Des, I trust you are well and thanks for your reply. 

The referee review process is an extensive one and certainly makes referees accountable for the decisions and performances.  We all understand that a referee can have a few bad games a season, just like a player, but the key and focus for us is to make sure that we limit our ‘off days’ as much as possible.

A referee who really does underperform in a specific game will at some stage come under the spot light by the IRB/SA Rugby or other controlling body.  I think the issue of the reports being made public is one that the authorities can only really decide upon.  I certainly see no issue with one of my reports being made public, should it be a fair reflection of the game and my performance (in other words a report that has been audited as well, which happens often in SA), however I understand the current confidentiality around it. We as referees are employees of SA Rugby, and these reports are company performance reports, and so the information contained therein is for the purpose of the company's heads and controlling individuals.  It is then their decision, in consultation with a referee, if any of the details contained within that report should be released for whatever reason.

Hope this answers your query effectively?