RFL make two new rule interpretations
The RFL has made two small but important changes to the interpretations of the Rules of the Game for the 2010 season, both of which are designed to increase the safety of players.
The changes, agreed after full consultation with clubs and the Engage Super League coaches, will be implemented from this weekend and during all matches in 2010.
The first concerns the point at which a referee will call ‘Held’ in a tackle when the ball carrier’s leg is lifted by the defending team. In previous seasons referees have only called held when both legs of the ball carrier were lifted off the ground: from this weekend the referee will call held if just one leg is lifted.
The second is intended to outlaw the practise of dragging tackled players into touch or back towards their own in-goal area. As soon as the referee sees a tackler dragging the ball carrier in a tackle that involves more than one tackler he will call ‘Held.’
“We want to encourage players to complete the tackle as quickly as possible and this new interpretation will end the practice of players being dragged into touch where there is more than one man making the tackle,” explained the RFL’s Director of Match Officials, Stuart Cummings.
Details of the 2010 interpretation changes are summarised below:
Held called as soon as the ball carriers leg is lifted
Interpretation: “Where opponents tackle the ball carrier in an upright position the referee should immediately call held if they lift a leg of the ball carrier off the ground.”
Application: This occurs in an upright tackle and the leg of the ball carrier is lifted off the ground. Immediately this happens the referee will call held and players tackling cannot continue wrestling the player or driving him backwards. If they continue to work after the referee has called held then they should be penalised.
Dragging tackled players as opposed to pushing them
Interpretation: Where opponents do not make a tackle effective in the quickest possible manner but then attempt to drag an opponent into touch or back towards his own in goal area then the referee should immediately call held.
Application: This does not prevent players driving an opponent into touch or back into his own in goal area providing that a team mate of the ball carrier has not added their weight to the tackle. As soon as the referee sees a tackling player dragging the ball carrier in a tackle that involves more than one tackler he will call “held”. If the tackling players continue to move the ball carrier after the “held” call they should be penalised.