Category: Laws

7s: 50/22, and GLDO

Folks: This will seem bizarre, but there has been a big conflict in the law trials and the 50/22 and the goal line dropout (GLDO) as they apply to 7s. Basically:

  1. The lawbook (online) shows that the 50/22 and GLDO apply for both 15s and 7s. That’s the way it was played in tournaments after last Summer (Xmas 7s, UofR 7s, etc.).
  2. However, this is wrong, based on a World Rugby memo (09/10/2021) that (a) no one had seen until recently and (b) cannot be located online. [“No one” = inside or outside of the RSV from what we can determine (at least regionally, if not beyond).]
  3. Even though this is a World Rugby memo, they NEVER fixed the applicable online laws. That’s supposed to happen sometime soon. [Insert cursing here.]
  4. Thus, the 50/22 and the GLDO do not apply to 7s.

This has been verified by MARR.

Collapsed mauls

When a maul goes to ground and is not deemed to be collapsed intentionally:

  1. There is no obligation for any players to release the ball or roll away.
  2. If the ball is available, play should continue. Availability would constitute that the referee can see the ball and the team in possession are in the process of recycling the ball.
  3. If the ball is not available, a scrum is awarded to the team that did not have possession of the ball at the commencement of the maul.

Regards

RICHARD EVERY  |  High Performance Referee Manager | USA Rugby
e: revery@usarugby.org   c: 00 +1 773.895.6013
2500 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite 200 | Boulder CO 80302