Over & Back Restart April 3, 2018 Rule 7 0 Forum Questions Team A passes out of the Goal Area they're attacking, and the ball goes over the Midline -- in a section of the field where no players are at; the new Lead calls for a Play-On. By the time the ball is touched by Team B, it's about five yards before GLE; the Lead whistles when touched. B1 is looking for a quick restart. Should the Slow Whistle have be taken off? Should the play have been killed after the ball went 5+ yards beyond the Midline, and given to B at that point? Should the restart be where the ball was touched -- close to GLE? Or, should the restart be closer to the Midline -- even if the Play-On ended neat GLE? Question File Add new DuBan's Answer: Visual Text Kratz's Answer: Visual Text McCarrick's Answer: Visual Text Unfortunately I disagree with Corcoran's, Riti's and Tyma's observations. The Over and Back Rule is a location foul. Ie the foul has occurred once the ball crosses the plane of the midfield line and touches <strong>anything</strong> on Team A's defensive side of the field. The wording for me in the rule is "If the ball does not touch or go over the center line, no infraction has occurred." This to me signifies that once the ball touches Team A's defensive side of the field we have a foul. I agree with the idea of a brief "play-on" and advantage/disadvantage but the potential for a very odd simultaneous foul exists if we allow for that play-on to occur for too long. Try explaining to a coach that his team will be man down because of an over and back. In reality the Over and Back Rule is an instantaneous play-on and is over immediately. Let us change the scenario ever so briefly. Team A throws the ball across the midfield line, team B can not pick up the ball due to skill and has no Team A player near him, yet because of the "play on" continues to kick, bat, knock the ball towards GLE, when finally a Team A player ends the play on b/c of proximity. Has Team B gained an unfair advantage under the "play on"? I think so. Over and Back ends/ is enforced at the midline. Riti's Answer: Visual Text I agree with Brian. Rule 7.10 Play On Technique states "...withhold the whistle until such time as the situation of advantage gained or lost has been completed." In the scenario described in the question, it does not sound like B lost its potential advantage by the time the ball approached GLE. Therefore, the play-on should have continued, allowing B to pick up the ball (thus ending the play-on) and attack the goal. Since the official blew the play dead, then a quick restart where the ball was when play was stopped should have occurred with B in possession (outside the attack box if it had been blown dead while in the attack box). Tyma's Answer: Visual Text I agree with Brian and Matt. The standard for ending a play-on should be to compare the current circumstances with what they would be if you blew the whistle. If the whistle is blown, then a Team B player gets possession with nobody within 5 yards of him. So if a Team B player gains possession but is immediately pressured by Team A, or even is likely to be pressured once possession is gained, I would kill the play and let Team B restart. There is a "geographic" aspect to this as well -- you play on "until such time as the situation of advantage gained or lost has been completed." If the ball is in the box with a scoring chance possible, then killing the play forces the ball into the alley for the restart. If moving the ball to the alley would disadvantage Team B, you might wait a tick or two longer. Answer File Question Answered Yes No
