“The Ruck – a Lawyer’s analysis of the rules of rugby’s ruck.”
All Black, Richie McCaw, ended active play many times by successfully tackling the opposing team’s ball carrier to the ground. Quickly joined by his team mates who bind together over the ball, each team’s players use their feet to play the ball. The winners of the ruck are the team that can drive the ball behind to the rear player’s back foot where it can be picked up and passed along. Offside lines for each team are drawn at the opposing rear player’s feet, and any encroaching team risks a penalty. As a result, the ruck has a material impact on the ability for teams to contest ball possession.
But what happens if the defending side chooses not to ruck?
Earlier this year, in a controversial match between Italy and England, Italy chose not contest any rucks. As a result, there was no offside line, and the Italian players were able to obstruct the flow of the game. The All Blacks use the rule more subtly with about half their tackles transitioning into rucks. It is also why many argued Richie McCaw was offside.
Therefore, rucking, or a lack of, seems to be wholly legal and within the black letter law of rugby.
Quirky Commonwealth Laws
Legislation does not always keep up with society so archaic but quirky laws of the Commonwealth remain on the statute books as shown in the examples below.
- United Kingdom:
- Under the metropolitan Police Act 1839 it is illegal to beat or shake any carpet or rug in the street. However beating or shaking a doormat is allowed before 8am; and
- Under the Salmon Act 1986 it is illegal to handle salmon in suspicious circumstances.
- Australia:
- The Summary Offences Act 1966 states that it is an offence to fly a kite or play a game in a public place “to the annoyance of another person”; and
- The Marketing of Potatoes Act 1946 states that it is illegal for a distributor of potatoes to be in possession of more than 50kg of potatoes that are sourced from a person or organisation other than the Potato Marketing Corporation.
It is apparent that the world moves on and people forget to clean up the statute books. Because repealing these laws does not seem to be a priority, these quirky laws seem to be here to stay.
