This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with a few moments from South Africa’s triumph, the chaos of a rugby ball and in-yer-face culture…

Law discussion moments

No, not the red card given to Pablo Matera, nor the yellow given to Santiago Carerras, both of which were decisions as clear as day and difficult to get wrong.

But two other moments, one curious and one positive, bear examination.

In the build-up to South Africa‘s third try, Cheslin Kolbe flashed down the right wing. In contrast to a later movement, this time the tackler does manage to bring him to ground shortly before the line, without holding him.

He tries to get up, hugging the ball as he does so, but Tomas Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz, on his feet, begins to grapple with him, looking for the ball and a possible turnover.

Kolbe sinks back down onto all fours under the pressure, with Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz still holding him (at which point Pieter-Steph du Toit narrowly misses a highly risky collision with Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz as he goes to clean out).

Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz continues to struggle to get his hands on the ball, which by this point is still safely in Kolbe’s grasp, tucked under his body. Kolbe then pushes himself narrowly off the floor, still holding the ball, and offloads it a good three metres away to Aphelele Fassi, who crashes over for the try.

It takes Kolbe two seconds to hold off Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz on the ground before giving the offload, two seconds in which Kolbe holds the ball protected under his body while the Argentina fly-half tries to get it, in which Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz avoids being cleaned out, then tries to get it again.

Law 13 states that: ‘The game is played only by players who are on their feet’ and that players, who go to ground to gather the ball or who go to ground with the ball, must immediately:

Get up with the ball; or

Play (but not kick) the ball; or

Release the ball.

In this case, Kolbe played the ball. But immediately? Holding onto it and protecting it while an opponent tries to get it before releasing it to a team-mate is not immediately. The counter-argument is that Kolbe was not held, but once Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz is there and over him, a ruck has formed and Al𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧oz, as first man there, has full rights to go for the steal. This try, according to the law, should not have stood.

And cue the catcalls about being all anti-South African, so to balance it out; this column has many times criticised the way in which mauling teams get away with consistent murder and that only a technically-correct maul would be worth rewarding.

If you want to see an example, and for the second point of interest in this match, look no further than the Boks’ fifth try. A more perfect maul is unlikely to be found in World Rugby this year. No unbinding and rebinding, no players joining in front of the ball, no splinters breaking off and obstructing tacklers, just eight fellas in good body position, with a quick ball transfer, driving its opposition over the line.

Ahhh, the ball!

Watching highlights or replays of matches from a couple of decades ago reveals on-pitch chaos, occasionally punctuated by moments of s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 and play design.

These days the balance is rather more skewed towards the s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 than the chaos, but just as we enjoyed the rare moments of s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 and design back then, so the moments of chaos of the modern game are now all the more appreciable.

Christian Wade‘s hat-trick try on Friday night for Gloucester was incredible. The ball bounced in every direction but the one which would take it into touch. The final bounce popped up over a despairing Max Malins hand, while the other two covering defenders collided trying to react to the sudden change in direction.

All three bodies everywhere, while the ball obstinately refused to bounce into touch even after Malins had flicked it in that direction, and instead hung lightly in the air for Wade to run on to as though he’d planned it. If there was ever a moment Bristol should have known it wouldn’t be their night, that was it.

Get out of the faces

We know rugby is a game in which ****housery is a necessary evil. We know that winding up and sledging are part and parcel. We know that adrenaline runs high and a physical win in a tight game is a moment when adrenaline can overflow.

BUT it’s time officials started cracking down on celebrating players literally grabbing opponents and screaming celebrations in their faces. It was on display in three games Loose Pass watched this weekend and provoked an unnecessary confrontation in each and every one – and the practice is seeping down the levels. End it.