The International Rugby Board have held a meeting, at which the confusion that came at the end of Wales' RBS Six Nations loss to France two weeks ago was discussed.
The directive at the hastily-convened get-together was tyo iron out the contradictions seen in the end of Wales’ recent games with Scotland and the French.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had sought clarification after France replacement Frederic Michalak hacked the dead ball out of play from the restart after a last-gasp try by Wales. Shane Williams’ had made the game 26-20 to France, after which Michalak’s kick ended the game.
The previous weekend, Wales profitted with a winning Williams try against Scotland after Mike Blair had kicked the ball long from the restart. The differing scenarios led the WRU to ask about the way a restart takes place following the referee's signal that it is to be the 'last play' of the match’.
The IRB's 'Designated Members of the Rugby Committee' have now ruled that henceforth the move by Michalak is illegal, with the new ruling as follows
:
"The Designated Members have ruled that if there has been a score towards the end of the game and there is time for the kick off to take place but time will expire immediately after the kick and the kicker:
- Does not kick the ball ten metres
- Kicks the ball directly into touch
- Kicks the ball dead on or over the opponents touch-in-goal or dead ball line
"The referee will offer the non-offending team the options provided by Law 13.7, 13.8 and 13.9 respectively and the match continues until the ball next becomes dead."
Essentially the ruling allows for the receiving team to have a free-kick on the centre spot from which they will be allowed one more play.