Quote: St. Etrigan "For all of those without a rule book the section concerns Penalty kicks
Position of Players
3. Players of the kicker’s team must be behind the ball
when it is kicked.
Players of the team opposing the kicker shall retire to
their own goal line or ten metres or more from the
mark towards their own goal line and shall not make
any attempt to interfere with or distract the attention
of the kicker.
They may advance after the ball has been kicked.
Looks like it is the only reference to a player and the position he has to be in reference to anything (in this case the ball) - if that is what refs take as their interpretation then so be it - I would have been less happy about this until you realise the rule before states - [iA player may take a penalty kick by punting, drop kicking, or place kicking the ball[/i so it could be stretched to include kicks in play.
Thanks for your assistance Armadillo - no such help did ever come from Cummins'"
No problems, you are welcome.
For your reference as well, being behind the ball at a kick also appears in Section 6, Rule 9 and states -
Players’ positions 9.
When a kick at goal is being taken following a try, the
opposing players shall stand outside the field of play.
Players of the kicker’s team must be behind the ball.
When a kick at goal is being taken from a penalty
kick, the opponents shall retire to their goal line or
not less than 10 metres from the mark. (See Section
13).
...and here in Section 8, Rule 2 -
The ball may be kicked in any manner and in any
direction and is immediately in play. Opposing players
shall retire ten metres from the 20m line and shall not
advance until the ball has been kicked.
Defending
players shall not advance in front of the ball before it is
kicked. Any deliberate offence by either team shall incur
a penalty to be awarded at the centre of the 20m line.
But the Original Section 13, Rule 3 is the one that most closely applies.
Oh, and on Cummins I really do think he should make an effort to search out the more rational e-mails and answer them but I understand he very rarely does!