If the powers that be do not get this problem sorted out we will loose more and more supporters. I notice from the RULE BOOK that only the REF and not the linesman can give a foward pass. The rule states that if a player throws a ball in a looping arch and goes foward 6mtrs in some cases, and the player taking it was behind the thrower at the time of the pass and runs on to it IT IS NOT FOWARD (it is momentum so states STEVO). If a player takes a ball when in front of the player who passes the ball this is a penalty. The REFFS seem to be getting worse and need more support to get decisions correct.When was the last time we saw a penalty for a foward pass. There is no wonder that the CATALANS and St HELENS get the ming on and i forget Mr RHINO they dont understand the rules either. There needs to be more desire to get this problem sorted but i am afraid the RUGBY FOOTBALL LEAGUE are quit happy to have WIGAN, WARRINGTON, St HELENS and LEEDS in the finals thats where the big gates come from. We dont need the AUSTRALIAN format of 2 reffs (they still give some strange decisions). I would like to propose 4 linesmen 2 for each half. They at least may be able to keep up with the play and let them judge on the foward pass. They would also be able to keep the players to the 10mtr rule and offside.

First off, we don't have a RULE BOOK. We have the Laws of the Game.

Secondly, while the referee is the sole arbiter of most decisions he can take advice from his Touch Judges (not linesmen - we don't have those in RL) and one area where a TJ may be better placed to see a breach is with a forward pass.


The [ilaw[/i says no such thing. It states, quite clearly, that the direction of a pass is judged relative to the player who passes it [ialone[/i. Not the ground, and not the receiver. Neither does the speed or direction of the passer or receiver come into play. The 'momentum rule' is pure bunkum made up by Stevo because he doesn't understand the relevant Law.


Nope. If a player passes the ball to another player who is in front of him [iat the time of the pass[/i then it would be offside and a penalty, just like any other offside decision. This is not a Forward Pass.

Other than that, I thought it was a great post...

could have done with a few line breaks in my opinion

Thought this was gunna be 'A Master Class' thread from Michael Dobson!

There's a decent video on youtube that explains why it isn't based upon where the ball was passed/recieved. Type in 'Total Rugby - Forward Pass'. It's made by Union but it's still relevant to us.

The momentum is a lazy way not to give a forward pass.Our game we don't go to the video for a forward pass after a try is scored.But in Union the ref ask how did the ball leave the hand and is there any reason not to give a try.If the video ref is not happy with the way the ball left the hand he tell the ref NO try

Thank you Kosh for saving us all time by educating this fellow.

If rugby league is losing more and more support because of decisions like these (I don't believe this point, but let's be hypothetical), then the RFL need to find ways to educate the fans more on what the rules are. I'd say the first way would be to teach Eddie and Stevo what the bloody rules are! That would be a good snippet for Boots 'N All - Eddie and Stevo doing a Match Officials course!

I can't believe some people actually think that because you're moving forward, it means you can throw a forward pass. "It was momentum Sir, honest".

Stevo has been wittering on about it for atleast a decade. I think it goes to show that whoever is in charge of RL at Sky, doesn't have a clue about the sport. Anyone who did would have got rid of the moron years ago.

Depends what you mean by "allowed to throw it forward".

If you mean in relation to the player, then no. If you mean in relation to the pitch, then yes you're allowed some leeway in how much it goes forward due to the laws of physics (which is no doubt the RFL's fault).

It might be easier to think in terms of if the passing player,

If the player who passed the ball continues moving at the same pace, the ball should not end up in front of him - this is because the ball is essentially travelling forward at the same speed of the player. The confusion arises when a player stops just after he passes the ball, as the ball will still have some forward momentum and appears to be in front of the player.

But surely all that matters is whether or not the ball left the players hands at an angle greater than that perpendicular to his body - e.g. passing forward, and not where is ends up relative to the pitch

Yes, I was about to go on a huge rant about the RFL messing with the laws of physics.

I know how the forward pass rule works, thanks. Nothing in there about 'momentum' though. Relative to the pitch and not the other player, yes, of course. It's about the body shape / direction of the hands of the passer in relation to the pitch when the ball leaves their possession.

Roby was very influenced by the crowd yesterday shouting forward, I thought we had quite a few from dummy half that were borderline too. It seems to be creeping into the game where dummy half passes are getting flatter and flatter. I am not sure why this is, I assumed it was bad timing of the run but its too prevalent. I don't see what advantage is to be gained if teams are doing it on purpose.

Which is exactly what the relevant Law states.

So the law is based on common sense and people need to understand how physics works

I'm going to buy Wellsy a 'Physics for Dummies' book for Christmas.

Except here:
Direction of Pass 1. The direction of a pass is relative to the player making it and not to the actual path relative to the ground. A player running towards his opponents’ goal line may throw the ball towards a colleague who is behind him but because of the thrower’s own momentum the ball travels forward relative to the ground. This is not a forward pass as the thrower has not
passed the ball forward in relation to himself. This is particularly noticeable when a running player makes a high, lobbed pass.

Perhaps you should read the laws first, and then keep hold of that Physics for Dummies book before sending it on to anyone else.

Just to be awkward as well, the ball doesn't actual travel forward due to the thrower's own momentum. It's due to the thrower's own velocity. But I won't keep going on about it

Are you Stevo?

That backs up exactly what I said, there is no 'momentum rule', and a forward pass is determined by the players body position when passing relative to the pitch. The bit you've highlighted in bold is merely an example to illustrate this point that the RFL have included to help out the gormclopses.

Thank God for that.

That's not what you said at all. You said there was nothing in there about momentum. There is, I just showed you it.

There is no "momentum rule", but the direction of the pass rule takes momentum into account. It's there in black and white. So when you said there was nothing in there about momentum, you was clearly wrong.

Edit: Just to add, the next part of your explanation is also wrong. It's not to do with a player's body position. His body could be pointing anywhere and the ball may still go forwards, backwards, or wherever.
The position on the hands is usually a good indicator as to the direction of the pass, but it's not what the rule is based on. Nowhere in the rules does it say what you've said. Again, perhaps you should read them before attempting to be patronising.

So due to the momentum rule I could through the ball forward, like a quarter back, and as long as i could run faster than the ball it wouldn't be classed as forward?

It's an example, that's all. Read it again, it's not part of the rule, the RFL have added the example on there to help out gormclopses who don't understand what the first line means.

The players body shape, hands, direction of the pass relative to the pitch is all that counts. That's it.

Edit: Hands are part of ones body.

Jesus...if the ball is going forward out of the passers hands its forward...bugger momentum and everything else...ITS FORWARD.

Yep.