Squint throw vs Squint feed: Why the inconsistency?

If a ball is thrown into a lineout squint, it tends to be spotted and penalised (with a free kick). Yet when a ball is fed into a scrum squint it is almost always allowed, practically guaranteeing that side the ball.

Both are tools to restart a game and both allow competition for the ball, be that jumping or hooking. In essence, they serve the same purpose.

So why the inconsistency? Why is one worse or one not dealt with?

I would argue that most lineouts are not straight down the middle - just not as crooked as scrums.

I do think that squint throws are more picked up than squint scrum feeds but neither are policed properly. In the France - Scotland game, I was getting exceedingly frustrated with the ref for the squint (at best) line out throws from the French. It was very poorly policed.

Someone posted on here recently that lineout throws are now allowed a certain amount of 'give' either way. Some sort of new directive? It was something like 10% or a foot or something similar. So if a throw was slightly off centre it would be allowed. Can anyone remember/confirm?

I have seen hookers standing on the line of their jumpers - throw it dow that line and refs let it go. Until this season they were tough on squint throws - now it seems ok so long as it is vaguely inside the lineout.

Scrums though are a farce with feeding into the second rows back in play. Except for once each game when the ref will decide to penalise.

Probably because there are already so many scrums which are not completed and need reset and the referees just want the scrum to get completed and get on with it.

I think it was TJ who said that as long as it stays 'in' the lineout (as in not outside the jumpers it was ok, a 1m margin). Can't say I've ever seen that said anywhere else. But yes, it is a bit daft sometimes...but then you get people complaining about whistle happy refs. The hookers always seem to take a step their side, in front of the AR, and nothing happens.

Fortunately Common sense tells you that Lineouts have always had to have a degree of leeway, to start demanding a perfectly straight lineout throw especially over a distance of up to 15 metres, the centre of the ball would have to be at all times in line with the assistant referees mark on the touch line, the referee would have to be able to see both at all times during the flight of the ball plus he would probably need a laser theodolite.

But on this subject one thing that really pizzes me off is referees that pull up a side for not throwing it in straight when the other side hasnt even jumped and contested the ball. another example of pedantic referees obstructing the game being played.

Good point Laurie. If only one team jumps then no one is advantaged or disadvantaged by a crooked throw (unless it is so bad it goes straight to the scrum half). Maybe some leeway should be given there. But you know what will happen: if it becomes a directive teams will take the p*ss. And if it doesn't become a directive then refs will be scrutinised and criticised ad nauseum.