The Tackle
 
One of the biggest challenges to referees is managing the tackle and the transition into the ruck.  This challenge is faced by referees from the lower levels all the way to the top.  Being a consistent manager of the tackle requires the referee to be at each and every tackle and in a position to see all that is happening.  As the level of play gets better, the skills and quickness of the players make refereeing the tackle all the more difficult.  The tackle and subsequent play happens so quickly and the referee has so much to instantly analyze and make decisions on. 
 
The basic information which is presented in the law book is to ensure the tackler rolls away, the tackled player releases the ball, and that arriving players keep their feet.  That is what we have to go off of from law, but within that there are many intricacies which are confusing to refs, players and coaches.
 
First off, let’s look at what constitutes a tackle.  The IRB changed the definition of a tackler a few years back.  The requirements for a tackled player, and a non tackler are quite different.  A tackler is a player who wraps up a ball carrier, brings the ball carrier to ground, and the player making the tackle goes to ground himself.  What constitutes the tackler going to ground, a knee touching the ground is good enough for me.  Now a player who brings a ball carrier to ground but they themselves do not touch the ground is not a tackler by definition.  The tackler who goes to ground can immediately get up off the ground and play the ball from any position, granted a ruck has not formed.  The non-tackler as described must have both of his feet come through the gate.  Now the tackled ball carrier HAS to release the ball to legal players on their feet trying to play the ball.  So if the tackler who goes to ground gets up immediately and plays the ball, the ball carrier must release to that player, whilst the non tackler who has not gone through the gate, has no obligation to the ball, therefore the ball carrier should not be penalized for holding on in this case. 
 
Now that we have the definitions of a tackler and non-tackler down, let’s look at the obligations of the tackler and ball carrier.  The tackler must make an attempt to role away once the tackle is made.  This attempt must occur immediately, and should occur in the direction of the player’s own team.  There are many instances where a tackle is made and the ruck forms, all players are on their feet, and the tackler is “trying” to role away in the direction of the attacking side.  Now there are two things which could be happening here, the player is really trying, doesn’t know any better, and has gotten “stuck” or  the player is being destructive and attempting to be sly about it.  Let’s look at it from the point of view of the attacking side.  No matter what the reasoning behind the tackler’s movements, the tackler has now slowed down the ball from being produced.  The action’s of this player have taken away the opportunity for quick ball, and while a ref may want to have empathy for the player trying to role away, the actions, whether intentional or not, were prohibitive of the attacking sides wishes.  Now if the players arriving had all fallen down on the tackler as they were trying to roll away, and the tackler got trapped, a quick whistle here, with scrum attacking side is the perfect solution.  Same token is the ball gets “trapped” near the tackler’s feet.  Any action by any portion of the tackler’s body which slows down the ball has disrupted play, and is subject to being penalized. 
 
Once the tackler rolls away, the ball carrier must release the ball.  Players on their feet from the attacking and defending sides are allowed access to this ball granted a ruck has not formed.  Let’s examine two situations. 
 
Situation A:  Black Ball Carrier is taken down by a red tackler.  Red rolls away as red support gets to the tackled ball carrier before black support.  Red player on his/her feet places his hands on the ball, as the black support forms the ruck.
Situation B:   Black Ball Carrier is taken down by a red tackler.  Red rolls away as red support gets to the tackled ball carrier before black support.  Red player on his/her feet, places their hands on the ball, are in the process of lifting the ball off the ground as the ruck is formed. 
 
The difference between situation A and B are that in A, Red did not have possession of the ball as the ruck is formed, hence must take their hands off the ball because a ruck has been formed.   In B, Red has gained possession of the ball as the ruck is being formed, and therefore has won the ball and entitled to it.  If as the player is gaining possession the tackled black player pulls the ball back down, the player is guilty of holding on.  However, placing hands on the ball is not the same as trying to gain possession, and even fools the top refs.  Richie McCaw is brilliant at fooling the ref and manufacturing a penalty.  How does he do it?  He places his hands on the ball and pulls the ball into the ball carriers torso making it appear as if the ball carrier is not releasing, and usually gets the benefit of the doubt. 
 
Another area where there has been confusion is with the long body position.  Long body position should offer the same contestation for the ball.  Players who go down in long body position must release the ball, as any other tackled player.  Releasing the ball under their torso so that it is difficult for the defenders to play the ball is holding on. 
 
The last requirement at the tackle is arriving players stay on their feet.  This is something which has gone wayside, and has led to disintegration of the breakdown at top levels as players end up flopping all over the ground.  If the laws were adhered to in this regard, the game would open itself up again, instead of having heaps of players on top of one another.   Anyone who has watched a recent Guinness Premiership game can see how this section of law is not necessarily followed, or enforced.  What must be ensured however is fair contest for the ball at every tackle.  If defending players are on their feet ready to play the ball, any player from attacking side who leaves their feet to seal off the ball, is guilty of diving over and must be penalized.  On the same token, any defending player who leaves their feet to seal off the ball from being recycled by the attacking side must be penalized as well.   
 
As we have the arriving players we start to move off into the next segment of play, the ruck, which brings with it a whole new set of requirements and challenges for the referee.