Polo Rules

§5.4.2 – A delay of game penalty will be assessed when a player pins the ball with his or her bicycle while leaning against the boards preventing other players from playing the ball.

I saw at least one incident yesterday during the 6 Feet Under vs Crowbangers game where this could have been called. After the game, people were claiming there was no such rule.

Also, there needs to be a ruling on goals and goal height. Hasn't been an issue in any of the games I have seen or played so far, but I can imagine it will be shortly.

§5.4.2 – A delay of game penalty will be assessed when a player pins the ball with his or her bicycle while leaning against the boards preventing other players from playing the ball.

I saw at least one incident yesterday during the 6 Feet Under vs Crowbangers game where this could have been called. After the game, people were claiming there was no such rule.

Where's the line with this? When does controlling the ball along the boards become pinning?

§3.3 – Resuming play
§3.3.1 – Each team returns to their half of the court.
§3.3.2 – The appropriate team receives possession of the ball.
§3.3.3 – The referee establishes both teams are ready by receiving a verbal acknowledgment.

Also some confusion about this rule.

Where's the line with this? When does controlling the ball along the boards become pinning?

Holding a player against the boards (when they don't have the ball) is trapping (used to be called pinning) and isn't allowed, it's usually called if the player on the outside fails to move away immediately after taking someone to the boards.

Holding the ball at the boards is a delay of game penalty and is usually called if the player isn't actively trying to get the ball back into play (sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not).

There is a slight grey area where a player can trap (pin) someone against the boards if the ball is there (as they're waiting for the ball to come out) and when the player on the board is failing to get the ball back into play (because they might feel like they're being trapped, etc). In this case the only potential calls is a delay of game penalty on the ball handler (as trapping specifically excludes incidents when the ball is present), but most of the time nothing is called in this situation, go figure.

§3.3.3 – The referee establishes both teams are ready by receiving a verbal acknowledgment.

This is going to be removed in the next edit (or seriously revised) as it's never been used/called and is a neat way to try and disallow a "cheap shot" if the ref is inexperienced.

§5.4.2 – A delay of game penalty will be assessed when a player pins the ball with his or her bicycle while leaning against the boards preventing other players from playing the ball.

I saw at least one incident yesterday during the 6 Feet Under vs Crowbangers game where this could have been called. After the game, people were claiming there was no such rule.

This happened with both teams but I decided they were no calls as they were in a corner with opposition players right beside them and were actively trying to get a team mate to get into position to help them out. I don't think there were any intention to delay play.

As explained by Jono too:

Holding the ball at the boards is a delay of game penalty and is usually called if the player isn't actively trying to get the ball back into play (sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not).

That said, had a player placed his bike in a such a way to form a triangle with the 2 perpendicular fence in a corner and not attempting a pass and just keeping the ball there ala Arsenal in stoppage time, I would have made a call. No such incidents as far as I am aware.

Where's the line with this? When does controlling the ball along the boards become pinning?

The ref should call out that the player needs to move on or they'll be deemed as pinning.

The trapping rule was clearly enforced in Florida by Zach as he would simply say "number six stop trapping" and you'd have about a second to move on or the whistle would go. As long as players know why whistles are blown the game remains calm and ordered IMO.

This is going to be removed in the next edit (or seriously revised) as it's never been used/called and is a neat way to try and disallow a "cheap shot" if the ref is inexperienced.

So the team in possession can cross at any time after all 3 of the scoring are back in their own half?

The ref should call out that the player needs to move on or they'll be deemed as pinning.

The trapping rule was clearly enforced in Florida by Zach as he would simply say "number six stop trapping" and you'd have about a second to move on or the whistle would go. As long as players know why whistles are blown the game remains calm and ordered IMO.

As in Rugby Union when the ref calls 'use the ball'?

So the team in possession can cross at any time after all 3 of the scoring are back in their own half?

That's how it was enforced in Florida: refs were meant to brief their teams first games by saying that they would take all players returning to their half to mean that they were ready to play with no verbal acknowledgement needed (teams could delay sending one man back across the line to avoid cheap shots, which many teams did to ensure their keeper was in the net, etc).

@Bill, exactly. It worked well and it was nice to be reminded that the ref is watching the game.

Verbal acknowledgement is rubbish, you should be ready to go straight away, if you're too busy celebrating to notice all three of you have crossed and you've left an attack open, it's your own fault.

Says the reigning king of the cheap-shot-quick-fire goal blitz....

Mandatory celebration times ftw.

I don't think there were any intention to delay play.

Really? It did get a bit tiresome after the 7th time though.
(not bitter)

It's not a cheap shot if you've crossed the line. :P

If you were reffing and this happened how would you call it?

Two players sprinting to a loose ball in the middle of the court (or anywhere but the move wouldn't really be necessary elsewhere) player A, the faster of the two players instead of going for the ball which is hard to control/keep possession rides a clear line infront of the slower, player B forcing him to t-bone or whatever you wanna call it player A.

It's like in football where players force a foul from opposing players.

There is no such thing as a forced t-bone, repeat.

There has been ample discussion in the past about this... the onus is on every player to avoid riding into another player regardless of how recklessly player A may be riding, if player B's front wheel connects with player A then player B is at fault.

The penalty is reversed if player A rides through player B's front wheel (player A's front wheel is now the wheel that initiates the contact)... but if there is a fag paper of a gap then player B is the one at fault.

There are loads of opportunities to avoid collisions before they happen (just keep riding away from people), player B needs to read the game earlier, etc.

The old mantra that "the base of the T is at fault" is still valid.

(With that said, don't expect the ref to make the right call in particularly 50-50 situations as it's very hard to tell who initiates the contact at times.)

Sudden turn across path and slow down? Definite dick move.

Drift and block without triggering "evasive action" from the slower player would be ok.

Some people may see short-stopping and reckless carving as a dick move, but it's definitely legal.

Sudden turn across path and slow down? Definite dick move.
Agreed, but as Jono points out, within the rules.

Thanks Jon.

Certain new moves ≠ dick moves

dick moves = knockout bracket moves!

^^ I didn't read your example above as a "new" move, pretty sure it's been discussed ad nauseam already.