: Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:41 pm
The Laws wrote:
Section 11 The Tackle & The Play The Ball
Retire at play the ball
10 (g) players of the side not in possession other than the-ball the player taking part in the play-the-ball and the acting half back are out of play if they fail to retire ten (10) metres from the point at which the ball is played or to their own goal lines. Players of the side in possession other than the player taking part in the play-the-ball and the acting halfback must retire behind their players involved in the play-the-ball or to their own goal line.
10(h) having retired the distance prescribed in the preceding paragraph no player of the team not in possession may advance until the ball has cleared the ruck. A player who is out of play may again take part in the game when the advantage gained by not retiring has been lost.
While I have the Laws of the game to hand .....
I think the confusion here comes from this bit:
The Laws wrote:
A player who is out of play may again take part in the game when the advantage gained by not retiring has been lost.
That appears to be written with defenders in mind but is possibly open to interpretation and probably does apply to attackers in Super League every week when ball carriers "play them back onside"....hence another heated debate!
