VIRRS December 2007 Law Quiz
(Pass mark 54/67 for Society members)
(Pass mark 41/66 for non-Society members)
Instructions
1. All questions assume there is no advantage unless otherwise specified.
2. All questions refer to Senior Law unless otherwise specified (i.e. U19 Laws).
3. The relevant Law for every question is identified.
- The responses to all questions are presented in multiple choice format.
- There is only one correct response for each question.
6. Referees are encouraged to complete the examination in sections. It may not be prudent to attempt to complete all sections in a single sitting.
SECTION 1Laws Applicable to Refereeing
1. (Law 6)
A player in possession of the ball comes into contact with the referee in his opponent’sin-goal area, and neither team gains an advantage. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Award a 5m scrum to the attacking team.
c. Award a 5m scrum to the defending team.
d. Award a try at the point of contact.
2. (Law 10)
A player has already been cautioned (temporarily suspended) for repeated infringements of a Law. He returns to the field and infringes another Law for which he must be cautioned. What is the correct decision?
a. The player should be penalized.
b. The player should be penalised and admonished.
c. The player should be penalised and cautioned (temporarily suspended).
d. The player should be penalised and sent-off.
3. (Law 10)
A player intentionally stands or moves in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball, and obstructs an opponent who is attempting to tackle the ball-carrier. What is the correct decision?
a. Penalty kick at the place of infringement.
b. Free kick at the place of infringement.
c. Scrum awarded at the place of infringement.
d. Play on.
4. (Law 10)
A player in centre field and 30m from his opponents' goal-line kicks the ball and is late-tackled (at Point A). The ball lands 10m from his opponents' goal-line and 5m in from the touch-line (at Point B). The place for the penalty should be:
a. Where the ball was kicked (Point A).
b. Where the ball landed (Point B).
c. In line with where the ball landed, 15m in from touch (Point C.)
d. At the option of the non-offending team, either Point A or Point B.
e. At the option of the non-offending team, either Point A or Point C.
5. (Law 10)
The ball is in the in-goal area, 2m from the touch-in-goal line. A defending player reaches the ball first, and intentionally knocks the ball over the touch-in-goal line. What is the correct decision?
a. A 5m scrum or 22m drop-out, depending on which team put the ball into the in-goal area.
b. A penalty kick to the attacking team, 5m from the goal-line and 15m in from the touch-line.
c. A penalty kick to the attacking team, 5m from the goal-line in line with where the ball was
knocked over the touch-in-goal line.
d. A free kick to the attacking team, 5m from the goal-line in line with where the ball was
knocked over the touch-in-goal line.
6. (Law 10)
An attacking player just outside the defending team's 22m-line kicks the ball into the defending team's in-goal area. The kicker and a defender chase the ball, bumping shoulder to shoulder. The kicker reaches the ball first and grounds it. What is the correct decision?
a. Award a try to the attacking team.
b. Award a penalty try for obstruction by the defending team.
c. Award a penalty kick to the defending team 5m from the goal-line opposite where the ball
was grounded.
d. Award a penalty kick to the defending team where the shoulder contact occurred.
7. (Law 15)
In which of the following situations is the ball carrier deemed to have been tackled?
a. The ball carrier is held by an opponent and his knees come into contact with the ground.
b. The ball carrier is brought to ground, but is not held when he touches the ground.
c. The ball carrier is held by an opponent, and is on top of another player on the ground.
d. The ball carrier is brought to ground, but is held by an opponent who remains on his feet.
e. Only “a” and “c” are correct.
f. Only “a”, “c” and “d” are correct.
8. (Law 15)
A ball carrier on his feet is held by an opponent and a maul forms around the ball carrier. An opposing player then attempts to tackle the ball carrier to the ground. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Free kick to the ball carrier's team.
c. Penalty kick to the ball carrier's team.
d. Penalty kick to the tackler's team.
9. (Law 15)
A ball carrier is taken to ground in a tackle. What can this tackled player now do?
a. Hold the ball into his body to secure possession for his team.
b. Immediately pass the ball off the ground to a team-mate who is close by.
c. Release the ball but leave an arm on the ball to prevent opponents gaining possession.
d. Place or throw the ball into touch.
e. None of the above.
10. (Law 15)
A defending player is tackled close to his own goal-line with the tackler going to ground in making the tackle. The tackled player releases the ball immediately, gets to his feet and picks up the ball. The tackler, who is still on the ground, attempts to tackle the player again. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Free kick to the defending team.
c. Penalty kick to the defending team.
d. Penalty kick to the tackler's team.
11. (Law 15)
After a tackle has occurred, and before a ruck has formed, what must the tackler do before he can attempt to play the ball?
a. Release the tackled player.
b. Get up or move away from the tackled player and the ball.
c. Come back around through the "gate" (from behind the ball, and from directly behind the
tackler or tackled player closest to his own goal-line).
d. All of the above.
e. Only “a” and “b” are correct.
12. (Law 15)
Following a tackle, an opposition player who made the tackle remains on his feet over the tackled player. In attempting to gain possession of the ball, which of the following are correct actions by this opposition player?
a. If he is on his own team's side of the tackle, he can play the ball immediately.
b. If he is on the other team's side of the tackle, he can play the ball immediately.
c. If he is on the other team's side of the tackle, he must come back around through the
"gate" to his team's side of the tackle before playing the ball.
d. All of the above.
e. Only “a” and “c” are correct.
13. (Law 15)
The ball carrier is tackled by two opponents, with all three players going to ground in the tackle. The ball is released, and is on the ground at the tackle. What must the next arriving players do before they can play at the ball?
a. Enter the tackle area from any direction.
b. Enter the tackle area from any direction, and stay on their feet.
c. Enter the tackle area through the "gate" (from behind the ball, and from directly behind
the tacklers or tackled player closest to their own goal-line).
d. Go to ground near the tackle in order to become "tacklers".
14. (Law 15)
A tackle occurs in which the tacklers go to ground, and a team-mate of the tackled player immediately and legally gains possession of the ball. He runs 2 metres from the original tackle area when he is tackled from behind by one of the original tacklers who had regained his feet. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Free kick to the ball carrier's team.
c. Penalty kick to the ball carrier's team.
d. Penalty kick to the tackler's team.
15. (Law 15)
An attacking player kicks the ball (at point A). A defending player gets the ball and is tackled (at point B) by an on-side attacking player. The tackler legally gains possession of the ball after the tackle, (no ruck is formed) and passes it to a team-mate who is tackled from behind (at point C) by a defending player still making his way back after the original kick. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Free kick to the ball carrier's team.
c. Penalty kick to the ball carrier's team.
d. Penalty kick to the tackler's team.
16. (Law 16)
Which one of the following statements applies to the formation of a ruck?
a. One player from each team must be on their feet and over the ball.
b. One player from each team must be on their feet and in physical contact over the ball.
c. The ruck must be formed in the field of play.
d. The ruck can be formed in the field of play or the in-goal area.
e. Both “a” and “d” are correct.
f. Both “b” and “c” are correct.
17. (Law 16)
Which of the following statements in relation to joining a ruck is not correct?
a. Players must have their heads and shoulders above their hips.
b. Players must bind onto a player of either team already in the ruck.
c. Players must join the ruck from behind the last player of their team in the ruck.
d. Players must remain on their feet.
18. (Law 16)
Which of the following statements in relation to a ruck is not correct?
a. Players must not collapse a ruck.
b. Players must not jump on top of a ruck.
c. Players must not ruck other players unless they are on the "wrong" side of the ruck.
d. Players must not intentionally fall to ground in a ruck.
19. (Law 16)
Which of the following statements in relation to a ruck is not correct?
a. Players must not return the ball into a ruck.
b. Players must not pick the ball up in a ruck.
c. Players on the ground in a ruck must not interfere with the ball in a ruck.
d. Players at the back of the ruck may "dummy" a pass while the ball is still in the ruck.
20. (Law 16)
A ruck is taking place, and a player who is returning to an on-side position sees the ruck is ending with his half-back about to clear the ball. He remains in front of his team's off-side line and obstructs opposition players. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Award a penalty kick to the opposing team on their off-side line, in line with where the offence occurred.
c. Award a penalty kick to the opposing team on the offending team's off-side line, in line with where the offence occurred.
d. Award a penalty kick to the opposing team where the player was standing.
21. (Law 16)
A player joins a ruck from behind the ball, but in front of the feet of the hindmost player of his team. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Free kick to the offending team’s offside line, in line with where the offence occurred.
c. Penalty kick on the offending team's off-side line, in line with where the offence occurred.
d. Free kick to the non-offending team where the player joined the ruck.
e. Penalty kick to the non-offending team where the player joined the ruck.
22. (Law 16)
Which of the following statements in relation to when a ruck has ended is not correct?
a. When the ball leaves the ruck.
b. When the hands of the half-back are on the ball.
c. When the ball is over the goal-line.
d. When the ball is on the goal-line.
23. (Law 16)
A ruck is taking place and is being moved towards the defending team's goal-line. As the ball crosses the goal-line, a defending player in the ruck falls on the ball, and grounds it. What is the correct decision?
a. A penalty kick to the attacking team for handling the ball in a ruck.
b. A penalty try to the attacking team for handling the ball in a ruck.
c. A 5-metre scrum to the attacking team.
d. A 5-metre scrum to the defending team.
e. 22-metre drop-out to the defending team.
f. Either “c” or “e” depending on who last played the ball before it crossed the goal-line.
24. (Law 16)
The ball in a ruck becomes unplayable. The referee blows his whistle to stop play and award a scrum. The throw-in to the scrum is awarded to:
a. The team that was moving forward immediately prior to the ball becoming unplayable.
b. The team moving forward before the ruck began, if no team was moving forward immediately prior to the ball becoming unplayable.
c. The attacking team, if no team was moving forward before the ruck began.
d. All of the above.
25. (Law 17)
How many players must there be to form a maul?
a. The ball-carrier and one or more team-mates and one or more opponents.
b. The ball-carrier and one or more opponents.
c. The ball-carrier and two or more opponents.
d. The ball-carrier and at least 2 other players of either team.
26. (Law 17)
Which of the following statements in relation to a maul is not correct?
a. A maul can only take place in the field of play.
b. A maul is over when the ball is on or over the goal-line.
c. A player does not have to be bound in the maul, but can be caught up in the maul.
d. A player can drag an opponent out of a maul if he is on the "wrong" side.
27. (Law 17)
Which of the following statements in relation to a maul is correct?
a. A player may join a maul from the side in front of the last player of their team in the maul.
b. A player must may stand at the side of the maul without joining it.
c. The ball-carrier may intentionally go to ground to make the ball available.
d. Placing a hand on a player in a maul constitutes binding.
28. (Law 17)
A maul forms from a line-out, and remains stationary on the line-of-touch. A player from the team in possession drives into the maul, binds onto a team-mate, and they drive the opposition players backwards, with all players in the maul going to ground. The ball does not emerge. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on, and allow the players to get the ball out.
b. Award a scrum to the team in possession when the maul began.
c. Award a scrum to the team not in possession when the maul began.
d. Penalise the defending team for not staying on their feet.
29. (Law 17)
A maul is taking place and the ball-carrier intentionally goes to ground with the ball. He places it immediately where it is available on his side of the maul. What is the correct decision?
a. Play on.
b. Award a free-kick to the non-offending team.
c. Award a penalty kick to the non-offending team.
d. Award a scrum to the non-offending team.
30. (Law 17)
A maul forms from a line-out, and moves sideways across the field. What is the correct decision?
a. Allow the maul to continue as it is moving.
b. Immediately stop play and award a scrum to the team not in possession of the ball.
c. Advise the players that the maul is not moving forward and that they must move the maul forward within 5 seconds.
d. Advise the players that the maul is not moving forward and that they must get the ball out immediately.
e. Advise the players that the maul is not moving forward and that they must either get the ball out immediately, or move the maul forward within 5 seconds.
31. (Law 17)
The ball is kicked downfield and is caught by a player who runs 5 metres where he is held and a maul forms. An opposition player ‘rips’ the ball from this player, with the maul continuing and moving 15 metres before it unintentionally collapses. The ball does not emerge. What is the correct decision?
a. A free-kick to the team that catches the ball under the "use it or lose it" Law.
b. A scrum to the team that catches the ball, as they were not in possession of the ball when the maul ended.
c. A scrum to the team that kicked the ball, as they were not in possession of the ball when the maul began.
d. A scrum to the team that kicked the ball, as they were moving forward immediately prior to the stoppage of the maul.
32. (Law 17)
A maul is moving forward, and then it becomes stationary. Within 5 seconds, it moves forward again, and then stops moving for a second time. What is the correct decision?
a. Stop play immediately, and award a scrum to the team that did not have possession of the ball when the maul began.
b Allow 5 seconds for the maul to restart moving forward.
c. If the referee can see the ball being moved, allow 5 seconds for the ball to emerge.
d. If the referee can see the ball being moved, allow a reasonable amount of time for the ball to emerge.
e. If the referee can see the ball being moved, allow as much time as needed for the ball to emerge.
33. (Law 17)
The defending team kicks the ball in general play, and it is caught on the full by an opposing player who is held and a maul forms immediately. The maul moves 2 metres and then goes to ground and the ball cannot be released. What is the correct decision?
a. Award a scrum to the team that kicked the ball, where the maul stopped moving forward.
b. Award a scrum to the team that caught the ball, where the maul stopped moving forward.