Laws of the game: Advantage
By Cherrybomb January 9 2003
Time for another laws of the game. This time we explain advantage. Probably one of the rules that still needs work done to it, the decision of advantage and length of advantage is often questioned by fans.
Time for another laws of the game. This time we explain advantage. Probably one of the rules that still needs work done to it, the decision of advantage and length of advantage is often questioned by fans.
LAW 8 - ADVANTAGE
DEFINITION
The Law of advantage takes precedence over most other Laws and its purpose
is to make play more continuous with fewer stoppages for infringements.
Players are encouraged to play to the whistle despite infringements by their
opponents. When the result of an infringement by one team is that their
opposing team may gain an advantage, the referee does not whistle
immediately for the infringement.
1 ADVANTAGE IN PRACTICE
(a) The referee is sole judge of whether or not a team has gained an advantage. The referee has wide discretion when making decisions.
(b) Advantage can be either territorial or tactical.
(c) Territorial advantage means a gain in ground.
(d) Tactical advantage means freedom for the non-offending team to play the ball as they wish.
2 WHEN ADVANTAGE DOES NOT ARISE
The advantage must be clear and real. A mere opportunity to gain advantage is not enough. If the non-offending team does not gain an
advantage, the referee blows the whistle and brings play back to the place of infringement.
3 WHEN THE ADVANTAGE LAW IS NOT APPLIED
(a) Referee contact. Advantage must not be applied when the ball, or a player carrying it, touches the referee.
(b) Ball out of tunnel. Advantage must not be applied when the ball comes out of either end of the tunnel at a scrum without having been played.
(c) Wheeled scrum. Advantage must not be applied when the scrum is wheeled through more than 90 degrees (so that the middle line has passed beyond a position parallel to the touch-line).
(d) Collapsed scrum. Advantage must not be applied when a scrum collapses. The referee must blow the whistle immediately.
(e) Player lifted in the air. Advantage must not be applied when a player in a scrum is lifted in the air or forced upwards out of the scrum. The
referee must blow the whistle immediately.
4 IMMEDIATE WHISTLE WHEN NO ADVANTAGE
The referee blows the whistle immediately once the referee decides an advantage cannot be gained by the non-offending team.
5 MORE THAN ONE INFRINGEMENT
(a) If there is more than one infringement by the same team the referee applies the advantage Law.
(b) If advantage is being played following an infringement by one team and then the other team commit an infringement, the referee blows the
whistle and applies the sanctions associated with the first infringement.
DEFINITION
The Law of advantage takes precedence over most other Laws and its purpose
is to make play more continuous with fewer stoppages for infringements.
Players are encouraged to play to the whistle despite infringements by their
opponents. When the result of an infringement by one team is that their
opposing team may gain an advantage, the referee does not whistle
immediately for the infringement.
1 ADVANTAGE IN PRACTICE
(a) The referee is sole judge of whether or not a team has gained an advantage. The referee has wide discretion when making decisions.
(b) Advantage can be either territorial or tactical.
(c) Territorial advantage means a gain in ground.
(d) Tactical advantage means freedom for the non-offending team to play the ball as they wish.
2 WHEN ADVANTAGE DOES NOT ARISE
The advantage must be clear and real. A mere opportunity to gain advantage is not enough. If the non-offending team does not gain an
advantage, the referee blows the whistle and brings play back to the place of infringement.
3 WHEN THE ADVANTAGE LAW IS NOT APPLIED
(a) Referee contact. Advantage must not be applied when the ball, or a player carrying it, touches the referee.
(b) Ball out of tunnel. Advantage must not be applied when the ball comes out of either end of the tunnel at a scrum without having been played.
(c) Wheeled scrum. Advantage must not be applied when the scrum is wheeled through more than 90 degrees (so that the middle line has passed beyond a position parallel to the touch-line).
(d) Collapsed scrum. Advantage must not be applied when a scrum collapses. The referee must blow the whistle immediately.
(e) Player lifted in the air. Advantage must not be applied when a player in a scrum is lifted in the air or forced upwards out of the scrum. The
referee must blow the whistle immediately.
4 IMMEDIATE WHISTLE WHEN NO ADVANTAGE
The referee blows the whistle immediately once the referee decides an advantage cannot be gained by the non-offending team.
5 MORE THAN ONE INFRINGEMENT
(a) If there is more than one infringement by the same team the referee applies the advantage Law.
(b) If advantage is being played following an infringement by one team and then the other team commit an infringement, the referee blows the
whistle and applies the sanctions associated with the first infringement.
Bookmark or share this story with:
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
StumbleuponSPORTNETWORK SPECIALS
More Gloucester headlines
Gloucester latest threads
Gloucester Poll
