Throwing/kicking the ball away.

[Saint Billinge]

Seen a few times this act penalised or even ten minutes off for this offence. Yet on other occasions nothing happens. Is there a defining rule for kicking/throwing the ball away?

[Segovia Carpet]

Think its referee discretion. In pre SL it was a penalty AND the player had to fetch the ball. Bring it back I say.

[Stan Doffarf]

Seen a few times this act penalised or even ten minutes off for this offence. Yet on other occasions nothing happens. Is there a defining rule for kicking/throwing the ball away?

If not there ought to be. It's either dissent or time wasting, and should be penalised.

I remember watching a Northern-Cas game at Odsal back in the sixties. The Cas loose forward hoofed the ball in frustration right to the other end of the pitch after an infringement. The ref made him fetch it back, he looked about six inches tall by the time he got back.

[Bitofaboogie]

Seen a few times this act penalised or even ten minutes off for this offence. Yet on other occasions nothing happens. Is there a defining rule for kicking/throwing the ball away?

Once saw Russell Smith send Denis Betts to the sin-bin for throwing the ball away then later in the same game when a Leeds player did the same thing, no action was taken. No change there then.

[shrek]

I saw a lad penalised yesterday in the National Conference for throwing the ball to the opposition hooker who was in position waiting to take the tap. The referee could only see the penalised player throw the ball and had his back to were it ended up. Was rather amusing I think for all involved!

Common sense should be applied, but when its wilfully thrown away to nobody then march them back another 10 and send the offender to the bin, they'll soon stamp it out.

[Saint Billinge]

Once saw Russell Smith send Denis Betts to the sin-bin for throwing the ball away then later in the same game when a Leeds player did the same thing, no action was taken. No change there then.

I know at least two Saints' players sin-binned for the offence while others didn't even get a warning!

[Impartial Observer]

It happened in the Leigh Vs Sheffield game on Thursday, there was a knock on, the player re gathered the play and then kicked the ball away, it wasn't dissent but the clock was stopped which allowed water carriers on and the side who had knocked on gained a short rest before having to defend from the scrum. Though you could also argue the team who would now be attacking also had a break so no gain either way.

[Blind side johnny]

It happened in the Leigh Vs Sheffield game on Thursday, there was a knock on, the player re gathered the play and then kicked the ball away, it wasn't dissent but the clock was stopped which allowed water carriers on and the side who had knocked on gained a short rest before having to defend from the scrum. Though you could also argue the team who would now be attacking also had a break so no gain either way.

Whereas in the Dewsbury vs Sheffield game, also televised, a Dewsbury player kicked the ball away in frustration after knocking on in the last minute and was penalised in front of the sticks. Sheffield duly won by two points. At times these kinds of decision can appear overly harsh.

[davo99]

Think the main problem,once again, is inconsistency.

It's either a penalty (should be IMHO) or it's not, not one way or the other depending on which way the wind's blowing

[Saint Billinge]

Think the main problem,once again, is inconsistency.

It's either a penalty (should be IMHO) or it's not, not one way or the other depending on which way the wind's blowing

Another grey area which needs clarifying. Sin-bin, penalty or talking to!

[T Dub]

Once saw Russell Smith send Denis Betts to the sin-bin for throwing the ball away then later in the same game when a Leeds player did the same thing, no action was taken. No change there then.

Remember that.

Sky showed Betts sulking in the dugout, obscuring the first three letters of the sponsors sign behind him CADDICK.

How we laughed.

[T Dub]

I know at least two Saints' players sin-binned for the offence while others didn't even get a warning!

Obvious anti-Saints conspiracy, Ray

As a variation to this subject, what is the ruling when a player kicks a second ball on? Remenber that one as clearly?

[Blind side johnny]

Not quite the same but I do recall Colin Whitfield of Halifax being sin-binned (at Widnes I believe) because the conversion that he was trying to take kept blowing over in the wind. (Before kicking tees this was.)

Now there's real inconsistency!

[Saint Billinge]

Obvious anti-Saints conspiracy, Ray

As a variation to this subject, what is the ruling when a player kicks a second ball on? Remenber that one as clearly?

Hello Tim. We have had players get away with kicking the ball away which does confuse when other Saints' players have been sin-binned! Balls to your second question!

[T Dub]

Maybe we should all just accept that this is sport not clinical surgery and inconsistency has and always will happen

[Kenilworth Tiger]

To ber fair, with the amount of balls used in games now and the speed in which replacements are thrown on to the the pitch, kicking the ball away nowadays hardly means anything.

[Dave T]

To ber fair, with the amount of balls used in games now and the speed in which replacements are thrown on to the the pitch, kicking the ball away nowadays hardly means anything.

I'd agree with that. I think it is one of those things which infuriates fans, but has little impact. This often happens when a player gets tackled with the ball over their own line, they usually throw the ball away. This doesn't actually slow the game down at all, as the play will stop for a good minute or so anyway while the defenders get set, and the ref will allow this.

Quick taps are not allowed nowadays from penalties, so often it looks frustrating when a player keeps hold of the ball and runs away or tosses it away, but again, no imapct.

The main one where people do get punished is when a team are going for a quick 20m tap, which is allowed in circumstances - if a defending player gets involved here, you often see them sinbinned.

I don;t have too much of an issue with how this is policed nowadays.

[Saint Billinge]

I'd agree with that. I think it is one of those things which infuriates fans, but has little impact. This often happens when a player gets tackled with the ball over their own line, they usually throw the ball away. This doesn't actually slow the game down at all, as the play will stop for a good minute or so anyway while the defenders get set, and the ref will allow this.

Quick taps are not allowed nowadays from penalties, so often it looks frustrating when a player keeps hold of the ball and runs away or tosses it away, but again, no imapct.

The main one where people do get punished is when a team are going for a quick 20m tap, which is allowed in circumstances - if a defending player gets involved here, you often see them sinbinned.

I don;t have too much of an issue with how this is policed nowadays.

When a Saints'player threw the ball away in a Challenge Cup final he got slated on here.

[Dave T]

When a Saints'player threw the ball away in a Challenge Cup final he got slated on here.

Sorry, can't remember that far back

[adelwire]

A very annoying habit. When a team has to restart with drop out, it frustrates the hell out of me that teams deliberately delay the restart - MY TEAM INCLUDED. To me that is part of the pressure on the defending team, but to merely stop the clock while the players mess around is not a punishment but doing exactly what the defence wants...to have a breather.

As for immature petulant throwing the ball away, well I agree with the olden days approach of refs making them go and get the ball and then I would add 10 min in the bin.

Again when celebrating a try, this lets throw the ball high in the air seems a bit ott - wasnt there an in goal touch judge hit in the face at Harlequuins a few weeks ago.