The method of forward packs withdrawing from a lineout to save them from having to engage in a maul is quite common.
In fact, the Blues occasionally employed this strategy against the typically abrasive Bulls forward pack in their win on Saturday night.
But what happens when neither teams choose to engage?
This does…
In a French second tier match between Piri Weepu's Narbonne and Vannes, Vannes took the ball from the lineout and Narbonne simply refused to engage.
Facing each other with neither side willing to move, a number of players looked to the referee for answers, who just shrugged.
After what felt like an eternity, the referee decided he'd had enough, blowing it up and calling a scrum to Vannes, who were the attacking side.
Newshub.
