SA National referee Stu Berry’s weekly column ‘Stu’s View’ aims to give readers a better understanding of how referees are trained to read and govern a rugby game, clear up common rule misperceptions and help both spectators and young players understand referee’s interpretations of the rules better.

Going 'off your feet'

Players 'staying on their feet' or 'going off their feet' at ruck time is the buzz phrase at the moment.

The game is intended to be a competition between two teams, on their feet and onside, and we as referees have been given strict instructions to make sure that players are ensuring this competition can occur by them playing the game on their feet.

At the same time, we understand that the so called 'low clean out' is possible, and most of the time necessary for attacking players to maintain possession at the breakdown and clear what we call 'the threat'.

A low clean out is fine where an attacking player then ends up off his feet, as long as that player then gets to his feet again or rolls away to ensure that he doesn't stop any further contest for the game. Having said all this, referees have been asked to spot and penalise the 'clear and obvious', defined as those who affect the contest and the provision of clean, quick ball.

At the moment, too many players are wilfully going to ground, and so it has needed to be cleaned up by referees. I think in a week or two, you will see how player behaviour has changed and players have got use to what referees and the law makers are now requiring.

Stu Berry – SA National Referee

(For the latest video and rule debates visit www.sareferees.co.za)