Rugby Union "Forward Pass" video

Video that covers the Law and physics behind the notion of a "forward pass" in rugby. It features some cheesy 80s music and animation, and a couple of the video examples are a bit dodgy, but the point is well made.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• rugby

[Kirbz678]

As an RFU Referee in England the modern interpretation certainly does not agree with the content of this video. For example if a player is attacking the oppositin 22 and makes a pass before the 22m line and his support player receives the ball beyond the 22m line the pass is forward. Any referee who deemed that not to be forward, especially in an attacking situation like that would be down graded on assessment!! Leave the momentum law to Rugby League!!!

[MKuwashima]

Sorry, but if you were right, you would be calling forward passes all day, since a very large percentage of passes actually go forward (the whole point of this video). The fact that you are only going to call it up when the pass happens to be over the 22m just makes you a bad referee, not right! The issue in Law is the direction the player passes the ball, not the direction the ball travels in.

[Kirbz678]

A bad referee who can pass assessments! It is logical to use pitch markings to your advantage as an official and given that many local pitches are striped from being cut that highlights the issue further. I think that the video is outdated, I understand the concept entirely however in the modern game officials are up for so much criticism anyway, especially with the advent of video replays etc that the to police the law as illustrated here would be silly.

[MKuwashima]

Fine - but can you see how this is an illogical approach. As per the video - if you are consistent in your rulings that the ball can't travel forward, you will be calling up passes left right and centre and make a joke of the game - because so many passes actually go forward due to momentum.

[Hidaka1223]

From the 2010 rulebook:

"Definition: Throw Forward

A throw forward occurs when a player throws or passes the ball forward. 'Forward' means towards the opposing team's dead ball line."

Thus a forward pass is dependent on the field of play not the passer or receiver. Which directly contradicts this video.

[MKuwashima]

No, incorrect. The definition actually validates the video. Regardless of where the ball travels, this issue is the direction the player passes the ball. And as the video demonstrates, you can pass the ball backwards and have it travel forward due to momentum.

[a0a0aful]

速度ベクトルの合成になるんだ。

これは気が付かなかったなあ。

[thisisstupidtoo]

okay so someone else wrote this first... bah.

[thisisstupidtoo]

Key is the words "throws or passes" the ball forward. In the video, the ball is "thrown or passed" backwards, even though it travels forward.

The law is worded like that because the important element is the throw or pass, not the travel of the ball. The rulemaker could have written the law differently if he'd intended the decisive factor to be the travel of the ball relative to the ground. Yet he didn't - which is why we start with examining the throw or pass when applying the law.

[tommyhall12]

the laws of physics are outdated? good to know

[bcfsl]

I think rubgy union has been ruined by professionalism anyway, the breakdown is a disaster, the rules keep changing, and quite frankly I could do just as good a job at reffing an IRB game as any ref. It's all just how the ref feels that day...

[Yolandi331]

It's really not that difficult. You can see it by looking at the player's positioning of his body, more spesifically his shoulders, arms and hands. Go watch a few games, I'm sure you'll get it.

Also check out Wikipedias defenition of a forward pass (as given by the Australian Rugby League's governing body). Same thing, pass is forward if it is forward relative to the player's body, not the ground. Ironic that it is Aussies now arguing this point in trying to justify their win.

[pigslefats]

Yolandi rules are rules fine. How would you determine whether the pass is towards the dead ball line or not?

[Yolandi331]

Go look at he Total Rugby clip that is the IRB endorsed clip about what constitutes a forward pass. Just put in forward pass in the search box and you will see it.

Rules are rules, people. You can't change the rules to try and win an argument. Law says it is a forward pass if the pass or throw is towards the opponent's dead-ball line. THE PASS, not the ball. It says nothing about the ball.

[pigslefats]

Bring on Usain Bolt as a wing. He runs at about 10 meters per second. Let's say the ball is in the air for 2 seconds. That's a 20 metre 'forward' pass. Great advantage! I'm sorry but this is impossible to ref. Simply, as long as a passer is running forward you can't rule a forward pass without everyone shouting that it wasn't because of forward momentum. The pass is forward if it moves in the direction of the opponents dead ball line-deal with it.

[xMooxCowsx]

And it is fools like you that ruin the RWC due to illogical decisions based on faulty understandings of momentum and forward passes. You related to Lawrence at all?

[royallen0]

You're wrong. I hope you're not refereeing with such a shaky knowledge of the laws. A forward pass is defined by how it leaves the passer's hands, not the overall distance travelled.

[z0mgrugbyreturns]

If what you say is true kirbz, then why don't the IRB introduce player and ball tracking hardware and software that would be infallable? Rather than leaving it to refs who make subjective calls.

I'll tell you why - Because what you're saying is hogwash. It matters not where the ball travels, but only the direction it's thrown.

[attilathegorilla]

I agree with you, I don't like this momentum rule in rugby league. IMO, a ball should be received behind the player that passed it. Simple. Unless it hits the ground and bounces off path of course.

[WorthingRFU]

- During a match I was talking with an assessor this Saturday regarding this specific question. He stated that this was a 'common misconception' so in his opinion the video is correct. A referee would have been marked down for calling a forward pass.

The reason I mentioned it was that a ref called a forward pass in these circs when the passer stepped into touch after making the pass. This confused me no end.

[hakametal]

So why would you be down graded in an assessment if the ball 99% of the time physically goes forward. It is IMPOSSIBLE to throw a ball "backwards" while sprinting. So please, for the love of god tell me why you would be assessed like the way you explained

[deadlygnome]

Christ your a thick-head.

did you even watch the video you hopeless tosser?

Most Legal passes moves backwards relative to the passer, but move "forward relative to the pitch.

Hence all passes are forward passed according to your backwards ass logic.

you would be blowing for forward passed all day.

[oztubes]

- I doubt you're a referee. This material is standard ref training, even in England. Ask a real ref.

[deandurbin]

I'm not sure that that video is right saying you have to allow for momentum. I think the player has to adjust for momentum not the referees make allowances for it.

So if a player is running at 8m per second then if he throws a pass that is in the air for 1 second it is allowed to go 8m forward?

I don't think so. The direction the ball travels has to be towards your own goal line.

[bloubulboer]

See 1:12 of this clip, tell me if it's forward?

search " OYCuB1AE6HQ " in youtube

[bloubulboer]

Damn, there are some thick folks commenting here.

Do yourselves a favor and slow-mo a rugby game. You will see most passes are "thrown" backward and travel "forward". That's how it works.

[Lufios]

Can some one tell me where the hell to put my hands on the rugby ball? I am right handed and all the videos i see on here about passing the comments are like "THATS NO THOW YOU THROW IT"