Course
Jumping the Line
 

Why Jumping the Line is a Rule

Throw ins during a line out begin each game and are used to restart the game after a goal has been scored. For the throw in: Each team shall take up its position opposite the umpire on its own side of an imaginary line not less than 2 feet (60 cms) apart. No player shall be within 5 yards of the umpire who shall stand at the spot on the field of play as set out in the Rules and bowl the ball in underarm, low and hard between the opposing ranks of players. The players should remain stationary and have no contact with an opposing player until the ball has left the umpire’s hand.

Jumping the line is a rule as all defending players must be 30 yards away from a set play hit. If they encroach within these 30 yards, they gain an unfair advantage. Also, in a line out there must be a gap between the two teams for the umpire to throw the ball in. If one team encroaches, again, they gain an unfair advantage.

How the Jumping the Line Rule is Applied

The jumping the line rule does not apply for the attacking player. Only a defending player can encroach within the 30 yards of a set play. However, in a line out, both teams will be judged equally.

Procedure of the Jumping the Line Rule

The penalty for breaking the jumping the line rule in a lineout, should be a penalty hit on the spot, against the team who has committed the foul. And for a set play hit the ball should be moved up to the next appropriate penalty spot.

The game will be started again with a penalty hit in favour of the team that has not encroached the line.

The Jumping the Line Rule at Different Levels of Polo

There is no difference in the interpretation of the jumping the line rule between high goal and low goal polo. However, there is a greater instance of encroachment, the higher the level you go, as teams try and gain any small advantage they can at this time.

The common errors players make when jumping the line, is a lack of awareness of their position on the field and quite often a lack of markings on the polo field to aid the players, to know where they should or should not be standing. Correctly marked fields greatly aids both players and umpires in the jumping the line ruling. 

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