On the wire site yesterday a lot of comments re markers not square and no penalty ensuing (us of course never wire) just to clarify for myself after a quick look at the rules if markers are not square but do not interfer with the play and the rtire to the 10 yard rule this is ok, in fact this applies to any player not back the ten so long as he does not activly or passivly interfer, Pleae feel free to tell me me i'm compleatly wrong, as with other fans you will hear me screaming for offside when probably compleatly incorrect.

I thought he came across anything but a homer on Sunday, not that I minded though

Having had the pleasure of his officiating in person, he came across as a pretty calm and unflappable character willing to work with players rather than continually penalise them.

To balance that out though, I did get the feeling that if you were in his ear a lot you wouldn't get much change out of him, maybe the constant barracking of the Wire fans did their team no favours?

And to answer the OP's question, if the markers aren't square they are out of play and if they intentionally interfere with play then whether that interference is active or passive it's a penalty. They don't become back "in play" again until the advantage gained by not being square has been lost, i.e. the ball carrier has gone ten metres to where they would have been stood if they had been back in the defensive line.

That's why you'll hear referees calling to markers who weren't square to let the player run, and calling play on once the ball carrier has gone ten metres and put the markers back in the game.

I was pleasantly surprised. He had, for the main, a really good game. Credit it where it's due, I hope he goes from strength to strength now

At least we have video playback to determine if a team has scored....

12 tries were scored on Sunday and only once did Child go to the video referee (who upheld his side of the bargain with an accurate call - and well done to Sky for finding the conclusive proof also) another sure sign for me that he was on top of his game.

Unfortunately the play the ball area is pretty farcical all round. My bug bear isn't with the markers it's the so called attempt to play the ball with the foot. Is this requirement been removed from the game altogether now?

As an example (and I could probably find ones in every game) Wigan's final try at the Harlequins consisted of a player standing with his feet rooted to the ground and rolling the ball back straight from the hand. If I want to watch the player's train (as that is what it looks like) I'd visit the training ground.