Law Application Guidelines
Key points for players, coaches and referees
OUR COMMITMENT TO THE GAME
That the breakdown is coached according to the spirit of the laws, is played in a positive and accurate manner and is refereed consistently.
PROCESS AND CHANGES IN FOCUS
Tackler is still the first priority
Tackler must still release and get out of the way immediately.
Stand up tackle
Ball carrier will be given time to get to ground. A tackle will be called when the ball carrier clearly gets a knee to the ground. A maul will be called when defenders stop the momentum of the ball carrier and successfully hold him/her up. Maul side entry and collapse will be refereed.
Ball carrier
Ball carrier is limited to one dynamic and immediate movement. More onus on ball carrier presenting or releasing the ball more quickly.
Jackler
First arriving player must enter legally, be on their feet and on the ball, with an attempt to lift it. Likely to be rewarded more quickly and there is no longer the expectation to “survive the clear out”.
Other arriving players
Side entry will be refereed. LA entry expectation with players required to “drive not dive”.
Foul play
This will continue to be a priority in the interests of player safety.
‘BALANCE OF POWER’
Processing and assessing by the referee as to who has the numbers and is in the strongest position overall.
- The attack and defensive breakdown is dynamic, most often with many moving parts
- The referee will have an overall sense of who has the ‘balance of power’
- Tackler away?
- Ball carrier isolated?
- Jackler first player?
- Reward sooner
- Widen radar for side entry
- Arriving players
1
Tackler
PRIORITIES
Tackler release
Tackler must release and move immediately to allow the ball to be played.
East / west roll
Stop tacklers rolling towards attack entry.
Pinning / taking the space
Stop tackler pinning ball carrier on their backs or holding onto them to hinder their presentation and also to stop them standing up on attack side – ‘taking the space’.
Tackler release and counter
Tackler must release the ball carrier. Then, must be on own side and on feet to attack the ball.
Trapping
Tackled player and attack support player should not trap the tackler intentionally in an attempt to buy a penalty.
STAND UP TACKLES – TACKLE OR MAUL?
Stand up tackles - Tackle
Tackler must release when ball carrier gets to ground
The attacking team will be given a reasonable chance to get to ground.
Knee to ground
A tackle will be called when the ball carrier clearly gets a knee to the ground.
Stand up tackles - Maul
Stop momentum
A maul will be called when defenders stop the momentum of the ball carrier and successfully hold the ball carrier up.
Maul called and refereed as such
If “maul” is called, the officials will referee side entry and collapse.
2
Ball carrier
PRIORITIES
Presentation
The ball carrier must present or play the ball immediately with one dynamic movement prior to ball presentation.
Extra roll / elbow crawl, etc
There should be no roll forward or elbow crawl to gain ground or destabilise jackler.
Squeeze ball clamp
A ball carrier who ends up in the squeeze ball position (ball under body when tackled in a long body position) will be penalised if the jackler ‘clamp steals’, i.e., arms around body and with hands on ball.
KEY NOTES
Not held / ball release
If clearly not held to ground, the ball carrier can still carry on getting back to feet. Also, if player releases the ball after being tackled and gets up, that player can then pick up the ball and carry on.
3
First arriving player (jackler)
PRIORITIES
Enter legally
The jackler must enter the breakdown legally, from the direction of their own goal line.
Clear release
If the jackler is an assist tackler, they must show a clear release.
On feet, strong position
The jackler must be on their feet, showing strong body position.
Elbows and forearms off ground
No elbows / forearms should be on the ground.
Hands on ball attempting to lift
The jackler must have hands on the ball and must be attempting to lift the ball.
KEY NOTES
Survive the clean
Referees will not now expect the jackler to ‘survive the clear out’, if they have achieved the points above.
Clamp steal
‘Clamp steal’ means arms around body with hands on ball. Forearms might touch the ground if ball presenter is lying prone.
4
Arriving players
PRIORITIES
Direction of goal line
An attacking support player must arrive from the direction of their own goal line.
Square up
The attacking support player must enter the tackle zone relatively square facing toward the opposition goal line.
Angle in
An attacking support player who does the above, can then angle in to clean out an opponent.
Drive not dive
Arriving players must ‘Drive not dive’ to clear out an opponent. Shorten steps and bind, not dive off feet.
Cannot seal off
Attacking support players cannot come off their feet to seal off the contest.
KEY NOTES
Backside to touchline
Backside should not be facing touchline on entry (arrive from depth and within LA entry).
Tacklers landing on ball carrier
Arriving players can legally drive away tacklers who land on top of the ball carrier (but should not be with a tucked arm action). Referees will also look to be more stringent on slow movers.
No diving on tackler
Arriving play cannot dive upon the tackler. They also cannot tackle players who are not near the ball or take players too far beyond the breakdown.
L & ANGLE (LA ENTRY)
5
Foul play
PRIORITIES
Arriving players must not commit any foul play offence or play that may be deemed to be dangerous.
Lifting legs above horizontal
Arriving players must not lift a players leg(s) above horizontal.
Shoulder charging
Arriving players must not charge into player’s contesting the ball or on the ground near the ball.
Neck grabs / rolls
Arriving players must not wrap and roll the neck of the jackler to remove them from the contest.
Stamping
An arriving player cannot stamp on any other player.