January 23rd, 2013 
Rob 
Decoy Runners – Not always legal
It is becoming increasingly common for the leading teams to employ decoy runners in second phase play, ahead of their strike runners, writes Phil Rice (bio below)
The decoy runners are usually slower movers who act as obstructions either visually or even physically at times. I have yet to see a referee even warn a team for this practice let alone penalise them.
I have frequently seen decoy runners hold back defenders off the ball but because they are slightly away from the action and everything outside them is moving at pace, the perpetrators get away with it.
Next time you see decoy runners masking faster runners coming from behind, keep your eye on the actions of the decoys rather than following the ball and the attackers in possession.
Touch judges should be spotting illegal blocking and holding back but they very seldom do. This is a technique that originated in rugby league, if you watch them they have got obstruction off to a fine art.
Professional fouls are increasingly common in union and the ref’s are behind the eight ball.
Pic: Sporting Occasions.
Bio: Phil Rice has joined the KnockOn.ie crew of writers. He has extensive experience in coaching and rugby journalism from time spent living in London where he worked with BBC Southern counties radio and local papers within the Guardian newspaper group. He played for London Irish and later became Head Coach of their Academy. He was Head Coach of Ealing RFC and since returning to Ireland was Head Coach at an AIL club prior to working with Lansdowne Under 21′s
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I think decoy runners are a great way of beating defenders who are mostly offside at the hindmost foot anyway. We should also be looking at crooked feed at nearly all scrums. Frequently if the opposition happen to get a strike against the head the referee will penalise them for foot up. It is up to the referees to apply the laws (rules)correctly.
I agree fully with Phil, decoy runners are not a million miles from tackling without the ball and it’s become a straighforward ploy to create a hole in the opposition defence without the ball carrier having to possess the requisite skill to do it himself.
Defending in rugby is far easier than attacking, so anything that evens up the odds a little I think is a good idea. Obviously the type of decoy running involving obstruction and holding are definite penalties, but the other type where the ball is played behind straight up runners to strike runners coming at speed on a different angles I think is fine as long as there is large enough separation between the two.
I disagree that it is becoming that much of a problem. I have often kept an eye on it since Heaslip made a try for Ireland a few years ago against France (I think) from an definite illegal decoy running line (and hold), and certainly haven’t seen one as blatant as that one since, and I have yet to hear any commentator remark on it either. It’s often a very fine line, but so are a lot of things in rugby.
Rugby league don’t complain about it either and they the masters of it. In this persons experience, it’s only lazy defenders that complain about decoy runners.
Flagg, just because it’s not complained about does not mitigate a problem. If it’s not corrected before it becomes an integral part of the game then that is to the detriment of the game overall. If you want an example of this just look at Richie McCaw and the AB’s living on the offside line and not rolling away. If that practice had been stifled at birth by the referee’s (under direction)it would not be such a bone of contention now. The Heaslip incident you mention was a blatant foul so I don’t feel is relevant. To nail my colours to the mast, I really dislike RL as a game so I won’t comment on that.
To clarify, I mentioned the Heaslip incident because it was so blatent. I was stating that I have yet to see one as blatent as that since. I am dead against people holding and the obvious penalties, not once did I defend them. What I did defend, and I quote was, “where the ball is played behind straight up runners to strike runners coming at speed on different angles I think is fine as long as there is large enough separation between the two.”
I am trying to give some balance before everyone gets their lynching hats on and burning lances, looking to burn down any clubhouse of a team that uses decoy runners.
Great article Phil, there is so much off the ball illegal activity carried out at the higher levels of the game. Touch judges should be specifically looking for this activity. If the refs/t.judges looked in detail on video at what players are getting up to off the ball they would be better able to deal with illegal practices when reffing.
A very interesting point. It’s something I have seen penalised, and flagged by the AR, but not very often. Its the point between a managable (from the referees point of view) offence to one that has had a material effect on the passage of play. You do tend to see a line of 2 or 3 players moving forward in front of the player receiving the ball more often, but it’s the material effect this has on the defensive line. Part of the referee’s remit is to create and maintain space for both teams.If a team can employ a tactic that creates an opportunity/space in a legal way, then, the game will develop, at a defensive and offensive level.
The referee’s priority should be the defensive line, from the pillars out, what the attacking team does is less of a priority and should be easier to manage.
Any chance the branch would take a look at the standard of refereeing at the break down, mauls and scrums??? To be fair most refs are struggling in these areas.
Physical obstruction by using decoy runners, blockers and screens is part and parcel of any backs coach armoury. Refs, like players, generally ball watch and the only time this will be penalised is when the attacking player runs across the back of his team mate. Other than that it is a free for all.
In most cases in rugby there are less attackers than defenders (apart from at scrum time where strongly most teams persist with ineffective back row moves) so I’ve no problem with these tactics being use. ……