I've since posting the above found my copy of 'Laws of the Game' produced byW Fallowfield dated 1971. Therein a distinction is made between 'Off Side' and 'Out of Play'The significant difference being that a player adjudged to be 'Out of Play' can't be put 'On Side' in the same manner has a player adjudged to be Off Side'. It's taken from Section 14 under the heading Off Side'The booze hound wrote:Surely if a defender does not retreat ten metres he is off side. This is highlighted when the off side player is charging down a drop goal.devon jim 1 wrote:I have always held the view that only the team in possession of the ball could be called 'off side'.It seems to me that referees and pundits alike constantly refer to cases where players not incpwigan wrote:It looked over to me. Surely Bentham must be disciplined / dropped?
possession of the ball who encroach within the 10 metre rule,where applicable are said to be 'off side' when clearly(to me at least)they are 'not in play'.
It's as clear as mud to me and I thought the rules of RU were complicated.It's no wonder the Refs don't know what they are doing (Assuming that particular rule is still applicable