Are they spraying shaving cream on the pitch?

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WORLD Cup viewers around the globe are asking the same question right now: what is that magical vanishing spray the referees are using on the field?

Referees are using a spray similar to shaving foam to stop defenders from edging closer to the ball during free-kicks in Brazil.

Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura sprays a line after calling for a free kick during the World Cup opener between Croatia and Brazil. Source: AFP

The ref sprays the water-based foam in a circle around the ball, walks 10 yards and sprays another line that the defenders need to stand behind.

Then, magically, the spray vanishes.

Well, maybe not magically. The can contains water and butane gas. The butane expands when the pressure changes and quickly evaporates, leaving just the water on the ground.

Ivorian referee Noumandiez Doue sprays a free kick marker on the pitch during a Group B football match between Chile and Australia. Source: AFP

Players, constantly looking for any advantage they can get, would often encroach on the 10-yard area they are supposed to stand behind, but this measure allows referees to police the problem much more easily.

The product has been used in domestic leagues in Brazil and Argentina but is making its first appearance — and disappearance — at international level.

Referee Wilmar Roldan sprays the temporary line for a free kick as Benjamin Moukandjo and Enoh Eyong of Cameroon form a wall. Source: Getty Images

Australian referee Ben Williams joked it was like "pulling a can of Mace", while English official Howard Webb suggested it could lead to more goals being scored from set pieces.

"It will assist us in getting the players back at a free-kick and, in turn, that gives the attacking team a better opportunity of creating something from that set piece," Webb told the BBC.

Unsurprisingly, the spray has become a hit on social media. A Facebook page is dedicated to it and there is no shortage of memes.

... It does now. Source: Twitter

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Coal Train almost quit league for NFL

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THREE years ago Dave Taylor almost quit rugby league to pursue an opportunity to trial for a career in the NFL.

As Taylor prepares for his return to rugby league's biggest arena for Queensland on Wednesday night, it can be revealed that a conversation in Maroons camp in 2011 almost convinced the 122kg backrower to walk away from the NRL forever.

Taylor met former NFL star Colin Scotts during an Origin camp and was told he had the potential to make a career for himself playing American Football.

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Dave Taylor at Queensland State of Origin training. Source: News Corp Australia

At the time Taylor was playing for South Sydney and genuinely considered pursuing the option, to the point that dates and locations were locked in for camps and trials in the US.

Taylor was just weeks away from asking South Sydney for permission to head to the US for trials over Christmas, a move that could potentially have led to a release from the final year of his contract at the Rabbitohs.

The Rockhampton junior had to weigh up the interests of his young family, who desperately wanted to move back to Queensland, and the financial risk of tearing up a $400,000 NRL contract for no guaranteed success in the US.

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Ultimately it was his family's needs, his love of rugby league and the desire to claim higher rep honours for Queensland and Australia that helped convinced Taylor to remain in the game.

"He was genuinely interested in it," Taylor's manager Col Davis confirmed.

"It was an idea Dave had but I never got to the point of asking South Sydney because it was all just too hard.

"It was canned because he would have needed three weeks off training to go do it.

"But really at the end of the day Dave wanted to be a Queensland and Australia player too and I think being back in Origin he would think he has made the right decision."

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Dave Taylor and Israel Folau celebrate an Origin win in 2010. Source: News Limited

Taylor and his family returned to Queensland when he signed with the Gold Coast Titans for 2013 and his strong performances this season have helped him finally win his position back in the Origin team.

He might seem nonchalant towards his football, but there is no more passionate Queenslander than Taylor as shown by his emotional one-fingered salute after the 2012 series decider.

Returning to Maroons camp for the first time last week, Taylor was as excited as any rookie and keeping him level-headed has been a major focus for Queensland.

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He was greeted in camp by the sledgehammer comment from coach Mal Meninga that Taylor had never done the job for Queensland in his past six Origins.

Skipper Cameron Smith on Monday outlined clear and concise guidelines he wants the 25-year-old to follow to be a valuable contributor to the Maroons on Wednesday night.

Crucially, Smith believes Queensland will see a different Dave Taylor to the one that last graced the Origin arena in 2012.

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A dejected Dave Taylor. Source: News Limited

"I think you might see a different Dave Taylor now he has got another opportunity to put himself in a good position as far as playing a fair few games for Queensland now," Smith said.

"I just think Dave needs to just have a simple mindset and think he has to go out and play like he does for the Titans.

"When he gets the ball just run as hard as he can and make it hard for the Blues to stop him.

"We played the Titans early in the year and he was almost unstoppable. "We all know it's a different brand of footy in State of Origin, but that doesn't take away his ability to run hard and be a threat to the Blues."

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Wally’s nephew primed to battle Blues

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HE IS the first Lewis to wear Queensland's No.6 jersey in almost a quarter of a century and Wally's 17-year-old nephew Lachlan has a pass even ''The King'' raves about.

A lanky playmaker who will end up near 190cm in height, Lachlan will play five-eighth for Queensland's under-18 team against the Blues in Wednesday night's State of Origin II curtain-raiser.

Lachlan was starstruck as he tried to defend against Greg Inglis's palm on Sunday morning when the teenagers took on the Maroons in an opposed session. Lachlan is the son of Wally's younger brother Scott, whose Broncos career was cut short by knee injuries.

Lachlan Lewis, nephew of Wally. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Corp Australia

A Canberra Raiders prodigy, Lachlan rejected the Broncos' advances two years ago to show loyalty to the club that signed him when he was 12 years old.

Wally said schedules had often meant he was unable to see his nephew's games in recent years but when he saw him play for Canberra's under-20s team on television recently, he was stunned by his vision.

Lachlan Lewis. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Corp Australia

"I hadn't seen a lot of him recently but I watched him play for Canberra in the under-20s and he threw a pass that was timed so well and put his player through the line, and I thought 'that's a pass that shows real footy instinct'," Wally said.

"Scott deserves all the credit in building him to where he is.

''He is the one who has taught him. In terms of football I haven't had a lot to do with Lachlan, just through work often not allowing me to see his games.

"He's a really good kid though but there's a lot of hard work from here to make the next level."

Lachlan, who was born four years after Wally's final match in '92, said his uncle's incredible career for Queensland inspired him.

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"It is not just advice, it is him proving to me Queensland's spirit and how much fun it can be to play NSW," Lachlan said with a cheeky grin.

"He's just my uncle. He is just part of the family.

"He played footy and so did everyone else in my family.

''It was all pretty normal."

Lachlan knows how tough an athletic career can be.

His father was very talented until his knee gave out, while he also gains inspiration from his sister, who is carving out a ballet career in America and has performed alongside pop star Lady Gaga.

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Gallen reveals ASADA baby anguish

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ON the eve of perhaps his greatest moment, NSW skipper Paul Gallen has opened up about the mental anguish ASADA's investigation has taken on him and Cronulla.

A candid Gallen has spoken about how he has been forced to deal with 19 months of damaging innuendo as the ASADA supplements drama continues to hover menacingly over the game.

Gallen yesterday revealed:

* How the investigation has prevented he and wife Anne from having another child.

* Young Sharks players have endured "mental health issues".

* Other players have been medicated.

* Sharks staff and officials have been hospitalised.

* How the NRL has done little to help.

Paul Gallen and wife Anne at the 2013 Dally M Awards. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Limited

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Thirty-four Essendon players from their 2012 squad have been given show-cause notices by ASADA over their supplements saga, and speculation continues that Cronulla will be next.

Gallen is trying to push the saga to one side as he prepares to lead NSW in a bid to end Queensland's eight-year series reign on Wednesday night at ANZ Stadium.

Paul Gallen trains with NSW in Coffs Harbour. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia

"Put it this way, I would have had another kid by now if this wasn't going on. So it's been horrendous, it's been disgraceful," Gallen said.

"It has impacted lives. I know we have had players medicated, we have had staff and officials who have been hospitalised. It's terrible, it's terrible. I don't think any of the players aren't worried about it. I didn't watch The Footy Show last week but I think a couple of guys got on there and spoke about some mental health issues.

Paul Gallen has opened up on the ASADA scandal. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia

Paul Gallen trains with the Blues. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia

"It made me shake my head. I think the NRL has had the biggest (mental health) in history right under its nose and basically done nothing about it. That's very, very frustrating for me because what I have seen some young guys go through the past 17 or 18 months has been disgraceful. They're still going through it and, as I say, we still don't know what's going on.

"I will go into it one day. I am not going to go into it now. As I said, some very young guys, what they have had to go through, has been too much. As far as I am concerned there has been very little help."

Gallen said he has personally intervened in an attempt to bring the ongoing dispute to a head. "Last year was so intense with it all and this year it seems to come up every couple of weeks," he said.

Paul Gallen down injured in Origin II. Picture: Darren England Source: News Corp Australia

"This is as honest an answer as I can give. From day one, from the time Cronulla got brought into it, which was a week or so after that press conference, I don't know anything.

"Nothing has changed for me. I have been told to turn up to a meeting. I turned up at that meeting. Other than that I don't know anything."

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Each day passes and the frustration increases for Gallen, who says the investigation "has just become a part of life".

"Every time it comes up, I just wait for the next phone call or the cameras to be in my face," he said. "Because at the end of the day no one is worried about some of the lesser-named players at Cronulla. They're concerned about me, which has been the most frustrating thing from day one."

The NRL on Monday responded to Gallen's claims. "NRL welfare and education officials have met with the Sharks players many times and offered counselling support. As recently as last week the NRL offered assistance to deal with any anxiety among the Sharks players," a spokesman said.

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Tomic beats Golubev, saves ranking

Bernard Tomic has avoided a ranking slide by beating Andrey Golubev. Source: Steve Bardens / Getty Images

BERNARD Tomic has averted a rankings crisis — for now — after charging into a second-round clash with top-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet at the AEGON International in Eastbourne.

Tomic swept to a 6-4 6-4 over talented Kazakhi Andrey Golubev after producing an erratic, angry start.

The Queenslander was warned for ball abuse — after winning the point — in the sixth game of the match.

Seemingly distracted by noise from adjoining court one at the quaint Devonshire setting, Tomic swatted a ball into the car park.

He early swished his racquet in frustration and spoke in Croatian repeatedly towards his courtside support crew, led by his coach and father John.

Umpire Mohamed Layhani issued the warning, prompting Tomic to settle but not before another long exchange with Layhani at the next change of ends.

Needing to at least repeat his 2013 run to the quarter-final to avoid another rankings slide — he currently sits at No 82 in the world — Tomic was too strong for Golubev.

The Australian hit 12 aces and three double faults and undoubtedly should have won by a greater margin.

He converted only two of 10 break point opportunities, albeit in windy, overcast conditions.

Tomic will seek to avenge a listless first-round French Open defeat to Wimbeldon semi-finalist Gasquet as he bids to intensify Wimbledon preparations.

Victorian qualifier Chris Guccione was dispatched 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 by French sixth seed Gilles Simon.

The Victorian lost serve only once in a serve-dominated contest, delivering 13 aces to Simon's 15.

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