Once again Sindile Mayende, such a promising young referee, answers readers' questions. He would love a question in Xhosa!

1. Name: Terence Westcott

Question: Hi there.

I myself am a referee and am loving it. I've got a concern at tackle time though. It is said that there should be "daylight" between tackler and tackled player, although it is also said that tackled player should be allowed to place the ball! I have had situations where tackler has provided "daylight" as such and still contested for ball before player had chance to place the ball. I have been awarding penalties for holding on as I feel tackler has complied by showing daylight. I await your response.

Thanks for the awesome website!

Sindile Mayende: Hi Terence,

Well, firstly you need to go through Law 15.5 (a) & (b) again because your statement that the tackled player should be allowed to place the ball is incorrect. It is actually stated that the tackled player should exercise his options immediately. And "immediately" is usually determined by the players in the tackler's team at the tackle. So, you've got no other option than giving the penalty for holding on provided that the tackler released the tackled player, created the "daylight", and got to his feet before playing the ball. Or when arriving players from the tackler's team got there legally and tries to get the ball.

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.
(b) A tackled player must immediately either pass, place in any direction, push or release the ball. He must get up immediately or move away from the ball.

2. Name: Craig Bailey

Question: G'day, guys.

An attacking player is tackled just short of the try-line, and a ruck forms. An attacking player in the midst of the pile up picks up the ball and manages to drive forward over the line and ground the ball (that is, the ball did not come to the back of the ruck and was picked up by a man well and truly inside the tangled mass of bodies). Is this a try?

I ruled no try for hands in the ruck last Saturday.

Cheers, Craig

Sindile Mayende: Hi Craig,

Sounds like you definitely made the correct decision. As Law 16.6 states: A ruck ends successfully when the ball leaves the ruck, or when the ball is on or over the goal line.

So, no hands in the ruck allowed picking the ball up unless it's a player in the scrumhalf position wanting to get the ball out of the ruck. A try would've been awarded if the ball moved forward with the players (on their feet) in the ruck, using only their feet, on or over the goal line and then grounded by one of the attacking players.

3. Name: Shane Kennedy

Question: If a kicked ball strikes a player, but is not charged down, do otherwise offside players of the kicking team still have to remain ten metres away from where the ball comes down?

In clip 12, May 19, the referee allowed Fourie, who was in front of the kicker, to catch the ball under 11.3 (c) because an opponent had touched the ball in an attempt to block the kick. It would seem that Fourie was offside under the ten-metre law, and 11.3 says that 11.3 (c) does not apply to a player offside under the 10-metre law. The discussion of clip 12 does not address whether the 10-metre law applies in this situation.

Sindile Mayende: Hi Shane. Yes, you make a truly valid point here because when reading Law 11.3 & 11.4 carefully it seems that a player can still be penalised when being offside under the 10-metre law. However, if a referee can determine that the ball was intentionally played (thus charged down) then he will not be concerned about Law 11.4 (Offside under the 10-metre law). So, the Sindile Mayende to your question then... Yes, offside players will have to retreat to the "10-metre offside line" until being put on side, provided that the ball was not intentionally played/struck by an opposition player when the ball was kicked.

Law 11.3 BEING PUT ONSIDE BY OPPONENTS
In general play, there are three ways by which an offside player can be put onside by an action of the opposing team. These three ways do not apply to a player who is offside under the 10-Metre Law.
(a) Runs 5 metres with ball. When an opponent carrying the ball runs 5 metres, the offside player is put onside.
(b) Kicks or passes. When an opponent kicks or passes the ball, the offside player is put onside.
(c) Intentionally touches ball. When an opponent intentionally touches the ball but does not catch it, the offside player is put onside.

Law 11.4 OFFSIDE UNDER THE 10-METRE LAW
(a) When a team-mate of an offside player has kicked ahead, the offside player is considered to be taking part in the game if the player is in front of an imaginary line across the field which is 10 metres from the opponent waiting to play the ball, or from where the ball lands or may land. The offside player must immediately move behind the imaginary 10-metre line or the
kicker if this is closer than 10 metres. While moving away, the player must not obstruct an opponent.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(b) While moving away, the offside player cannot be put onside by any action of the opposing team. However, before the player has moved the full 10 metres, the player can be put onside by any onside team-mate who runs in front of the player.

4. Name: André de Klerk

Question: Red has line-out 5m from Blue try line, Red wins the ball and forms a maul with the ball at the back of the maul. Blue opts not to maul and lets Red maul uncontested. Blue doesn't at any stage touch Red. Red scores,

Is the try valid? If not, why not?

Sindile Mayende: Well, André, you've got a couple of misunderstood statements and facts in your question here. First of all, a maul is formed when the ball carrier makes contact with an opposition player and the ball carrier's team mate binding onto them (thus, the ball carrier and one from each team). So, I guess you are trying to ask whether the Red team can bind onto each other, move the ball to the back of all the team mates and go over the goal line, without the Blue team even contesting. Well, they can IF the Blue team leaves them completely because the Red team can only be penalised for obstruction if one of the Blue-team players makes an effort to get to the ball. Please note that the ball carrier from the Red team has to make contact with the Blue team first before the Red team can form a maul and move the ball to the back. And also that only the ball carrying team or the referee can end a maul.

5. Name: Mikel Burger

Question: Simple question: What is the restart on a ball not traveling 5 metres in a line-out? The ball is not prevented by an opponent from traveling 5 meters it is simply caught by a teammate before it passes the tramline. Does it result in a scrum/line-out option or a free kick for the opposing team?

Sindile Mayende: Hi Mikel, the Sindile Mayende is scrum/line-out choice. As per Law 19.6 and 19.7 being:

Law 19.6 - The player taking the throw-in must stand at the correct place. The player must not step into the field of play when the ball is thrown. The ball must be thrown straight, so that it travels at least 5 metres along the line of touch before it first touches the ground or touches or is touched by a player.

Law 19.7  If the throw-in at a line-out is incorrect, the opposing team has the choice of throwing in at a line-out or a scrum on the 15-metre line. If they choose the throw-in to the line-out and it is again incorrect, a scrum is formed. The team that took the first throw-in throws in the ball.

If any line-out player prevents the ball from traveling 5m a free kick must be awarded on the 15m line in terms of Law 19,10 (h)

Law 19.10 (h) Blocking the throw-in. A lineout player must not stand less than 5 metres from the
touchline. A lineout player must not prevent the ball being thrown in 5 metres.
Sanction: Free Kick on the 15-metre line

6. Name: Louis Prins

Question: Safety is a ref's main responsibility. What in the case when you have a very stronger pack against a weak one and you can see possible injuries especially in school games. Do you ask for uncontested scrums or do you contest as usual. Contesting leads to a player's injury. Does the law not require you as a safety officer to have taken reasonable steps to minimise injury?

Sindile Mayende: Hi Louis. I answered your question last week already but here it is again... Yes, safety must be a referee's main priority and it will happen that a referee will come across a team with a much stronger pack. Yet, a referee can't force uncontested scrums in a game other than for lack of front row players. A referee must do his best and manage these situations and ensure that none of the stronger pack's scrumming techniques are dangerous or illegal during the match. A referee can also make a "silent" request to the stronger pack to assist the situation and ensuring no injuries occur without making it obvious to the weaker team.

7. Name: Karel van Deventer

Question: Blou speel teen Groen. Blou op die aanval in Groen se 22. Blou speler skop die bal en word dan laat gevat. Die bal land in die doel gebied. Gee jy die straf skop daar waar die doodvat plaasgevind het of 5m vanaf die doel gebied?

Dankie.

Groete Karel

Sindile Mayende: Hi Karel. It's actually a choice, penalty where the late tackle occurred or penalty 5m from the goal line. See Law 10.4 () for all the correct explanations on where the mark would be 5m from the goal line though.

Law 10.4 (o) Late-charging the kicker. A player must not intentionally charge or obstruct an opponent who has just kicked the ball.
Sanction: The non-offending team may choose to take the penalty kick either at the place of infringement, where the ball lands or where it was next played.
Place of infringement. If the infringement takes place in the kicker’s in-goal, the penalty kick is taken 5 metres from the goal line in line with the place of infringement but at least 15 metres from the touchline.
The non-offending team may also choose to take the penalty where the ball lands or is next played before landing and at least 15 metres from the touchline.
Where the ball lands. If the ball lands in touch, the mark for the optional penalty kick is on the 15-metre line, in line with where it went into touch. If the ball lands, or is next played before landing, within 15 metres of the touchline, the mark is on the 15-metre line opposite where the ball landed or was played.