Super Rugby Playoffs: Watch what happens when it's still a draw after extra time
Can you imagine the thrill of witnessing a place kicking competition to decide the outcome of a professional rugby match? It’s one of the best rules rugby has ever written, but the likelihood of such an event ever coming to pass after three periods of extra time is almost nil. In fact, it’s only ever happened once during the professional era. Enjoy the scenes below.
Five players from each side lining up to decide a game with the boot could be just the shot in the arm the competition needs, and we shouldn’t have to sit through 30 minutes of scrappy rugby when players are tiring to get to that point.
Check out the relevant Super Rugby laws outlined below and make your own call, but I propose skipping A & B and going straight to C – the kicking competition.
3.6.2 Determining Winners of Super Rugby Finals Series Matches – if the teams are tied at fulltime in any Finals Series Match then the following will apply until a winner is found:
a) Extra Time – the procedure will be:
- After a five minute rest period, the extra time is played in two 10 minute periods with a two minute halftime;
- Before the extra time begins, the match Referee will do a coin toss with the two captains one minute before the new kick-off. The winner of the coin toss decides if his team wants to kick-off or if his team wants to choose the side of the pitch it wants to play on for the first 10 minute period;
- For the second 10 minute period, the teams change sides and the team that did not kick off in the first period does so;
- Coaches are not permitted on the field during the rest period or halftime.
- Teams and match officials must remain on the field during the rest period and at halftime.
- Injury time is added to the two 10 minute periods.
b) Sudden Death – if the match is still tied at the end of extra time, the procedure will be:
- An up to 10 minute sudden death period is played after another five minute rest period;
- The first team to score (by a penalty, drop-goal or try) will be the winner;
- As for extra time, one minute before sudden death begins, the match Referee will do a coin toss to choose which team kicks-off and on which side of the pitch they will play.
- Teams and match officials must remain on the field during the rest period.
- Injury time is added to this period of play.
c) Kicking Competition – if the match is still tied at the end of sudden death, the Referee will conduct a place kicking competition to determine the winner of the match, according to the following procedures:
- All Players and Match officials will remain on the Playing Area. The Referee will call the captains of the two teams together and will conduct a coin toss. The winner of the coin toss then may either choose which Team kicks first (in which case the loser chooses the end at which all place kicks will be taken) or choose the end at which all place kicks will be taken (in which case the loser chooses which Team kicks first).
- Each Team must nominate five Players to take part in the competition. Only Players on the Playing Area at the final whistle of Sudden Death may be nominated. No substituted Players, injury-replaced Players or Players who have been shown a red card may take part at any time. For clarification purposes, any Player who has received a yellow card and who remains in the sin bin at the time of the final whistle of Sudden Death may not take part in the place kick competition. The order in which the nominated Players will kick does not have to be predetermined.
- The Match Officials and the ten nominated Players (five from each team) will assemble on the halfway line. Team management and Players not nominated must remain behind the halfway line in the side of the Playing Area not used. No one other than the Match Officials, the Match Manager, two Ball persons and the participating Players are allowed in the part of the Playing Area being used for the competition (including around the Playing Area, behind the posts, etc).
- The five Players from each Team will place kick from three different points, all on the 22 metre line, as follows: First point: directly in front of the posts Second point: on the 15 metre line on the left hand side facing the posts Third point: on the 15 metre line on the right hand side facing the posts
- The Referee will start the competition by calling the first Player selected from the Team kicking first to the first kicking point. Once the Player has taken the place kick, the Referee calls a Player from the opposing Team to take his place kick from the same point.
- The next two Players (one from each Team) will place kick from the second point in turn. This will continue until all five Players from each Team have place kicked (the next players place kicking respectively from the third point, the first point and finally the second point), or until one Team is unable to equal the score of the other Team within the remaining number of kicks (at which time the Referee will declare the winner).
- If there are an equal number of successful kicks once each Team has completed its five place kicks, the competition continues on a ‘sudden death’ basis, following the same order of kickers used in the first five kicks.
- The competition will continue two kickers at a time (one from each Team), going progressively through the three kicking points as stated above (and repeating the process if necessary) until one player succeeds with a place kick and the player from the other Team taking the same place kick misses it. Once this occurs, the Team of the player who succeeded with the place kick will be declared the winner. Each of these additional kicks shall be taken by the same 5 players in rotation.
- Throughout the place kicking competition:
a) Once a Player has positioned the ball on the kicking tee, he must take the kick within one minute. Should he take longer, the Referee shall declare the kick unsuccessful. (b) After each kick, the Referee records the number of the Player and whether or not the attempt was successful. The Sideline Manager / Substitution Recorder will record the same details on the official Match report.
(c) Whether or not the kick is successful in each case is the sole decision of the Referee, who may at his sole discretion rely on the assistance of his assistant Referees. The Referee’s decision shall be final and binding.
(d) Once a Player has completed their place kick, they shall return to stand with their Team behind the halfway line in the side of the playing area not used.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments