referee-pathway-lineout
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00:00Hi, my name is Adam Jones and I'm a professional referee working for the Welsh Rugby Union.
00:05In the following video, we're going to examine how we referee the line-out.
00:13The line-out is a complex area. It's especially challenging for those throwing and competing
00:18for the ball. Both are difficult skills to learn, especially for our younger players.
00:23We should show leniency and empathy to support confidence and learning. Players will also be
00:28introduced to lifting and being lifted. These are difficult skills for players to master.
00:35We must ensure players are lifted and returned to the ground safely. Don't allow any poor
00:40techniques to continue as this can be unsafe. Once the ball has gone into touch, it is good
00:46to have a checklist to make sure all the laws are being adhered to. Check that the hooker is
00:52on the mark, numbers in the line-out are equal and where they are standing. There is a one metre gap
00:57between both teams. The opponent to the thrower is in the five metre channel, the receiver is two
01:04metres away and the back line are also 10 metres away. The line-out begins when the ball leaves
01:11the thrower's hands. This is when players from both teams are entitled to jump for the ball.
01:16The ball should be thrown so both sides can fairly contest for possession. What you can't have is a
01:23team jumping early and holding a player in the air. This puts unfair pressure on the thrower. Try and
01:30manage this through communication. However, if players continue to jump early, they must be
01:34sanctioned with a free kick. There are two non-negotiables when refereeing at the line-out.
01:40You cannot tackle or grasp or push an opponent who is in the air. Also, you cannot tackle or drive
01:47through the support player or the lifter who is holding a player in the air. These are both
01:53examples of dangerous practice and should be penalised immediately. All pounties, free kicks
01:58and scrums awarded at the line-out take place on the 15 metre line. When a player is new to throwing
02:05the ball into the line-out or the weather is against them, we must show a little empathy here.
02:10You could give the thrower another go as this is about developing the player's skills. At the older
02:15age groups, you can show less tolerance but it's about being consistent to both teams. If the throw
02:22is not straight, the referee blows their whistle and asks the team if they want a scrum or a line-out.
02:29Boys, that line-out's not straight. Do you want a scrum or a line-out on the 15?
02:33The team that catches the ball has three options. They can pass the ball to the receiver while still
02:39being in the air. They can come to ground and pass the ball to the receiver or a maul may be
02:45formed and driven through the line of touch. The line-out is over once one of those three
02:53actions have been performed. There is one other option. The hooker can throw the ball over the
02:5815 metre line and this ends the line-out. Players must stay on side until the line-out is over.
03:05The referee signals when the line-out is over by lowering their arms. At this point we have open
03:11play and both teams may now advance. Refereeing the line-out changes throughout the pathway. Make
03:18sure you are aware of the laws of the relevant age group you are refereeing. Let's sum up what
03:23we have learned. Take your time to set up the line-out correctly. Follow a checklist that works
03:29for you. Help players with their understanding. Be empathetic but consistent where possible. There
03:34are lots of components to the line-out and it's a difficult part of the game to learn. Thanks for
03:39watching this video and for more great refereeing tips visit the WIU Game Locker. Pub luck!