Australian U20 Red Card shows exactly why this ruck law was brought in

The recent amendment to the ruck laws that took effect in May explicitly addressed the kicking of a loose ball in a ruck, which is now illegal. At the U20 Championship, the application was instrumental in producing this red card between Australia vs Italy. Italy's Andrea De Masi was the recipient of a boot to the head by Australia's Michael Wood while at the bottom of a ruck. The amendment to 15.16(e) states: Players must not: kick, or attempt to kick, the ball out of a ruck. In Wood's case, he also struck De Masi in the back of the head with his boot, contravening law 9.20(b) of Dangerous Pl…