“Three seconds ref”! Frequently shouted, often misunderstood. What exactly is the three-second rule anyway? For my first article I’m going to cover one of the classic laws.
The laws
We can find the three second rule in law 6.27. Here’s what it says:
If the ball player delays the play the ball, there is no dummy half, or the dummy half has not picked up the ball, the referee can start a three second count. If he/she reaches the third count a changeover will be awarded (referee will determine when he/she starts the count). At no time can the marker move prior to or during the three seconds to pick up the ball. If three seconds expires, the referee will award a changeover.
How it works
There’s several things to pick up on here.
First of all, what mischief is this law looking to prevent? Mainly, it’s to prevent players from delaying the game by taking too long to play the ball. It also reduces the opportunity for a dummy-half to bait the defending team into breaking the line early and going offside.
When does the period of 3 seconds start?
The one and only right answer is “when the referee says it does”! The law says “the referee can start a three second count” and “referee will determine when he/she starts the count”. It’s completely up to the referee to enforce this time limit. They can (not must) start a three second count, and if they do, they will determine when to do so.
I really don’t recommend enforcing this law for new players. At beginner, it’s too strict and the ref shouting out numbers is only going to confuse people.
What happens when time runs out?
If you get to three seconds and the dummy-half hasn’t yet touched the ball, then you award a changeover (roll-ball) to the defending team. The unofficial hand signal for this changeover is to hold both arms up with fingers tapping the wrist of the other hand (where your watch is or would be).
Remember that you as referee are the only person who can declare time up.
Misconceptions about the three second rule
One of the most common misconceptions, particularly at lower levels of play, is that once the three seconds have elapsed, the marker may run around and retrieve the ball from the dummy-half position. This is against law 5.17:
The marker runs around and retrieves the ball from the dummy half
position.
A marker doing this should be penalised.
Another misconception is that the defending team cannot move until three seconds after the dummy half has touched the ball. This isn’t found anywhere in the laws.
What if a player on the defending team starts shouting a count?
The law is clear that the count starts only at the referee’s discretion. If a player starts a count of 3, this is distracting and inappropriate. The referee should stop play and instruct the marker not to do so again, and reset the play the ball on the same count. For any repeat occurrences, they can award a penalty for behaviour contrary to the spirit of the game.
Got any questions or comments on this article? Write them below and discuss with your fellow yellows!