Line-out free-kicks and penalties

You decide how you will signal

There was a time when the line-out was the chief producer of penalties in the rugby world - the illegitimate child of rugby, Danie Craven called it. That has lessened now. Even straight is not as straight as it used to be.

The biggest change is that lifting is now allowed. Oops, that's an oops. Lifting is still forbidden.

Law 19.9 (g) says solemnly: A line-out player must not lift a team-mate.

But then a hooker must lift his foot before the ball is in the scrum!

We have another easy test this week. We have situations in which the Crock Treatments do something wrong at each line-out when they play against the Crippling Injuries. You have just to say whether the sanction you apply will be a penalty or a free-kick. Do it clearly, arm straight for penalty - arm bent for free-kick - and no ambiguous half-measures.

If you want the answers - after you have made your decision, go to Law 19. You can also check them against ours suggestions.

1. The Crippling Injuries throw in. They have four players in the line-out. The Crock Treatments have five.

2. The Crippling Injuries throw in. They have two players in the line-out. The Crock Treatments have one.

3. The Crippling Injuries throw in to a line-out. Martin Linnermint, the Crock Treatments lock, shuffles and steps to his right till he is in the Crippling Injuries line-out. Then he leaps high for the ball.

4. The Crock Treatments are about to throw in to a line-out. There is a prop in front and a prop behind Martin Linnermint, the powerful lock. Before the ball is thrown in the prop behind, Payne Killer, grips Linnermint's shorts. The prop in front, Wade Strapping, grips Linnermint's thighs where he has tape.

5.; The Crock Treatments throw in to a line-out. Martin Linnermint leaps up. As he does, he has help from a prop in front and from a prop behind. Prop behind, Payne Killer, grips Linnermint's thighs. The prop in front, Wade Strapping, grips Linnermint's shins.

6. The Crock Treatments throw in to a line-out. Martin Linnermint leaps up and catches the ball. From up there. As he does, he has help from a prop in front and from a prop behind. Linnermint catches the ball and while still way up in the air drops the ball down to his scrum-half Diss Prynne. The props immediately set off for further action and Linnermint comes crashing to ground.

7. The Crock Treatments throw into a line-out. To get leverage, Martin Linnermint puts both hands on the shoulders of Payne Killer, the prop in front of him, and propels himself upwards.

8. The Crock Treatments are to throw in deep at a line-out. Before hooker Courter Zone can throw in prop Payne Killer, at the front of the line-out peels away and runs towards the back of the line-out, i.e. towards the back, where the ball is thrown.

9. The Crippling Injuries throw in at a line-out. Martin Linnermint, the Crock Treatments lock, puts a hand on the shoulder of the Crippling Injuries lock next to him, Hammie Stryng. He jumps and wins the ball.

10. The Crock Treatments throw in to a line-out. It is high. To reach it Martin Linnermint, the Crock Treatments lock, stretches up with his outside arm up and his inside arm down at his side. With his outside arm he deflects the ball.

To go to the answers, click here.