Question Number: 15641

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/29/2007

RE: Select Under 15

Dave Eberle of Clarkston, WA USA asks...

A fair tackle with a foul/fair trip.

Please explain how to best judge the difference between a fair tackle that includes a foul trip and a fair tackle that includes a fair trip.

Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The ball is played BEFORE any contact with the opponent, but the speed, direction leg and or body movement of the player continues to have added value in the tackle to the opponent if seen as an unreasonable effort to cause harm or impact. I got ball first and creamed the opponent can happen as a fair tackle but often disregard for an opponent's safety or a raised foot or leg not at ground level could cause us to consider careless, reckless or excessive. Experience can create wisdom but smart positioning and fitness is the best advice to achieve good foul recognition

However keep in mind the OPINION of the referee in charge rules the day!

E.g. Fair tackle followed by an unnecessary trip: player makes a good leg sweep takes ball clean, all is well until trail leg scissors in behind the opponent?s leg pinching in the ankles between both legs.

E.g. the ball is played; opponent falls over the prone player no trip no foul: same play but no leg sweep in behind, the opponent falls over the outstretched leg that had completed the sweep or trapped the ball in the crook of the knee.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Laws of the Game are clear that if the player tackles the opponent before the ball on a tackle, a dfk must be awarded to the opponents or a PK if in the penalty area. If the player gets ball first, then we must watch his follow through. If after the ball is contacted, his legs extend upward in an effort to trip the player, it should be tripping. It all depends on the nature of the offense.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

As a consequence of a fair challenge for the ball many things can happen, and usually do! What the referee looks for is active movement of the player offering the challenge after the play on the ball happens. Stopping the ball and allowing the opponent to fall over it is always fair because the ball and not the player is doing the tripping. Entering the challenge from behind, getting the ball and allowing the opponent to run on unmolested is always fair but is incredibly hard to do.

What we usually see is contact before the ball is played, always a foul tackle. We see the ball won fairly but then some active movement after the successful tackle causes the opponent to fall, a leg or knee raised; the legs coming together to "hold" for an instant. Experience in play and as referee are the key learning tools. The ability to watch and NOT listen to television replays to see the mechanical aspects of an unfair tackle. I say don't listen because it is my experience television commentators we usually listen to, in this country, just have no clue as to what constitutes an unfair or fail challenge. You must watch and examine the video and identify exactly what happened to cause it to be unfair. I wish challenges, found by the referee to be fair, were replayed so those of us who need to can see what a fair tackle looks like.

Regards,