SECTION 15

PLAYER’S MISCONDUCT

Definition of 1. A player is guilty of misconduct if he:

misconduct (a) trips, kicks or strikes another player.

(b) when effecting or attempting to effect a tackle

makes contact with the head or neck of an

opponent intentionally, recklessly or carelessly.

(c) drops knees first on to an opponent who is on the

ground

(d) uses any dangerous throw when effecting a

tackle.

(e) deliberately and continuously breaks the Laws of

the Game.

(f) uses offensive or obscene language.

(g) disputes a decision of the Referee or Touch

Judge.

(h) re-enters the field of play without the permission

of the Referee or a Touch Judge having

previously temporarily retired from the game.

(i) behaves in any way contrary to the true spirit of

the game.

(j) deliberately obstructs an opponent who is not in

possession.

NOTES

Law breakers 1. (e) When a player repeatedly breaks the Laws in a

‘specialist’ position, e.g. hooker or scrum half, the

Referee should, when administering the final caution,

inform the player’s captain. The latter may, at his

discretion, move the offending player to another position.

The Referee cannot order a player to change his

position.

Dangerous throw (d) If, in any tackle of, or contact with, an opponent that

player is so lifted that he is placed in a position where it

is likely that the first part of his body to make contact with

the ground will be his head or neck (“the dangerous

position”), then that tackle or contact will be deemed to

be a dangerous throw unless, with the exercise of

reasonable care, the dangerous position could not have

been avoided.

Explain reason for (g) A player may ask the Referee the reason why a penalty

penalty kick has been given provided he does so respectfully.

Delay restart of play (i) To deliberately delay the restart of play from the goal

line, 20 metre line or halfway line constitutes misconduct

for the purposes of this rule.

Obstruction after kick (j) A common form of obstruction occurs when a player, after

kicking the ball forward, is tackled or impeded by an

opponent. However, a tackler cannot be expected to delay

making a tackle because the player in possession might

decide to kick the ball. The onus is on the kicker to get his

kick in before his opponent commits himself to the tackle.

Section 15. Players’ Misconduct (continued)

The player in possession has

delayed kicking the ball until

the tackler has commenced to

dive. The tackler should not

be penalised.

The ball has been kicked before the

opponent commits himself to the

tackle. He should be penalised if he

obstructs the kicker.

Obstruction sometimes occurs in a passing movement as

follows:–

It is permissible for player 4, after

passing the ball, to slow down in order

to position himself for a return pass from

player 5. He must give ‘right of way’ to

opponents who are running across in

front of him to tackle player 5 but is not

guilty of obstructing opponents who are

coming from behind him.

Player 4 passes to player 5 but

continues to run in front of him in order

to obstruct opponents who are running

across to tackle. Player 4 should be

penalised.

Obstruction can be either active, passive or accidental. Passive

obstruction is where a player impedes an opponent by deliberately

remaining in his path although he has had the opportunity to

remove himself. If a player is in position which is likely to cause

obstruction and he feels that any movement by him may aggravate

the situation he should raise his hands above his head and thus

indicate to the Referee that he is taking no part in the play.

Examples of accidental obstruction in tactical moves are shown on

the next page. Where accidental obstruction irregularly affects the

play, the game should be stopped and restarted with a scrum. If

play is not affected then the game should not be stopped.

Accidental

obstruction

Obstructing passing

movement

5

5

5

5

4

4

4

4

Pass

Pass

Scissors’ move Player 3 is in possession and veers towards the wing bringing his

opposite number, player 4, across with him, and opponent 5 in

towards him.

His player 2 runs across and

when just behind him receives

a back pass. After giving the

pass, player 3’s momentum

carries him in the direction in

which he was running. It is

quite easy to see that he may

collide with opponent 5. It

would not be fair to penalise

him for deliberate obstruction

and a scrum should be formed

for accidental obstruction only

if player 5 is actually prevented

from tackling player 2.

‘Dummy’ Player 3 is in possession and

veers towards the wing. This

time he dummies to pass to

colleague 2 but sidesteps to

the left and runs in-field. Player

2, expecting the pass, has his

eye on the ball and his

momentum carries him

forward. He can easily collide

with player 5 without being

guilty of obstruction, and once

again the Referee will allow

play to proceed unless player 5

was actually prevented from

making the tackle, in which

case a scrum will ordered.

Obstructing It is illegal to obstruct any opponent not in possession, even one

– off side player who is off side or one who is endeavouring to get to the ball after

– after knock-on it has been knocked on or thrown forward.

Player in possession The player who is in possession of the ball cannot be guilty of

cannot obstruct obstruction. He can make use of the goal posts to avoid a tackle,

or dodge behind a ruck of his own players or bore a way through

his own pack.