At its meeting last month the Hockey Rules Board (HRB) discussed the use of a “low forehand” action to hit the ball. This note has been prepared on behalf of the HRB and provides an interpretation of this action in relation to dangerous play (Rule 9.7).
This is a relatively new technique where the ball is played with the edge of the stick (in a similar way to the ‘low backhand’) just above the hook on the forehand with the face of the stick upwards.
This action is considered to be dangerous. This is because the ball must be hit very precisely at the correct spot, otherwise it is likely that the ball will be raised at high speed and in an uncontrolled manner. Also, the direction of the ball from these hits is not predictable by opponents and in most cases not even by the player hitting the ball. This action can be executed accidentally or can be disguised as a different action so opponents have little or no chance to react if the ball is raised.
This applies only to a (hard) hit of this type. It is not considered dangerous to use the forehand edge of the stick in a controlled action such as the “jab” tackle, raising the ball in a controlled way over an opponent’s stick or goalkeeper who is lying on the ground or when “sweeping” the ball along the ground on the forehand.
This interpretation has been drawn up by the Hockey Rules Board. A change to the Rules of Hockey to reinforce this interpretation is under consideration.
