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[Maul] Going to ground in a maul in U12s

B

BigSim

Player or Coach
I found myself in a minority of one recently so I'd appreciate some clarification or guidance: Under English U12 regs, can the ball carrier go to ground once a maul has been called without being accused of collapsing the maul, if he releases the ball immediately.

I can see this on the World Rugby site. https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=16&language=EN but I'd appreciate some clarification.


  • A maul ends unsuccessfully when:
    • The ball becomes unplayable.
    • The maul collapses (not as a result of foul play).
    • The maul does not move towards a goal line for longer than five seconds and the ball does not emerge.
    • The ball-carrier goes to ground and the ball is not immediately available.
 
if there is nothing in U12 tegs specifically you follow the laws of the game.

I have only seen a BC going to ground pinged as a Pk ONCE in my life. Frankly, that was an error. The oly person on the ground was the BC.

IF the entire maul collapsed with it I could see some justification but that's not what happens normally/usually.

didds
 
Normal Maul law applies for a collapse at U12, possibly being even quicker on the whistle than normal for safeties sake, if goes to ground and playable then use it quickly, else turnover scrum
 
Thanks. What happened was: Green BC went to ground (escaped from the maul) and the 4 or so remaining players in the maul didn't notice immediately and kept mauling. I thought the ball was available. Ref blew up immediately for collapsing the maul and awarded a free kick to yellow. Everyone else agreed with the ref who said that you can't do that. Ref did cite safety as the reason and I accept that player safety comes before everything else. My query is more to do with the letter of the law than its application.
 
BigSim said:
Thanks. What happened was: Green BC went to ground (escaped from the maul) and the 4 or so remaining players in the maul didn't notice immediately and kept mauling.
Click to expand...

So the ONLY player on the ground was the ball carrier who took himself there? And all other maulers remained on their feet safely?


didds
 
To me the ball carrier cannot collapse the maul because the ball could become immediately available and it is play on. However, everyone knows that once the ball goes to ground after a maul, everyone will pile on and the ball won't be playable. Hence it almost always is a turn over.

In the situation you describe, it should have been play on, but if the ref decided to blow up for safety as he is on the ground with lots of boots around, then maybe it should have been a scrum to the ball carrier, due to safety issues rather than any offence.
 
lawsons said:
To me the ball carrier cannot collapse the maul because the ball could become immediately available and it is play on. However, everyone knows that once the ball goes to ground after a maul, everyone will pile on and the ball won't be playable. Hence it almost always is a turn over.

In the situation you describe, it should have been play on, but if the ref decided to blow up for safety as he is on the ground with lots of boots around, then maybe it should have been a scrum to the ball carrier, due to safety issues rather than any offence.
Click to expand...

[LAWS]16
DURING A MAUL
8. The ball-carrier in a maul may go to ground provided that player makes the ball available
immediately. Sanction: Scrum[/LAWS]

Going to ground rather than collapsing the maul.
 
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