True you'd think it would be used. A couple of times I've seen hooker's be not quite at the play of the ball when it has been played so they've lunged at it with their foot to keep it away from opposition markers.

It wouldn't shock me if they are almost afraid to try it as it would probably be given as an incorrect play of the ball or knock on tbh.

Also there's a considerable chance of it hitting the player who's played the ball causing an accidental offside.

Here's another one:



Team A have the ball inside their own 20 and opt to kick downfield. All of Team A's players are in an offside position when the ball is kicked. The kicker makes a hash of it and the kick goes across field and only 10 metres forwards. Team B's winger runs forward and catches the kick on the full, Team A's winger is 5 metres away from the ball when it is caught and proceeds to run across and make the tackle on Team B's winger.



The tackle was made 15 metres away from Team A's try line and there are no other players from Team A in a position to make the tackle.



Is this a penalty try?

No. A Penalty to B where the winger of Team A should have been - i.e. in this instance, in line with where the kick was taken.

IIRC in a Warrington v St Helens game a few years back at Knowsley Road, Warrington were denied a try scoring opportunity when the attacking player was tackled just before the line by Leon Pryce who was in an offside position. Ref awarded a penalty, no penalty try or even sinbinning.



Not that I'm still bitter about it ........

I've known about this rule for years but never seen it happen. I don't see the point of it to be fair. All it would do is confuse and anger players and spectators for no real reason.

The point of it is that the ball isn't actually in play until the attacker 'plays the ball' hence stepping into touch after the tackle has been completed isn't an issue, so long as when the ball is played the player is within the field of play.

But as has been said, if a player drops the ball after being tackled it's a knock on. If he drops the ball before a tap restart, it isn't a knock on. A tackle isn't a stoppage in play, so a play the ball after a tackle isn't a restart in play it's a continuation.

If a player goes into touch after a tackle and before the play the ball, it should be a turnover IMO (unless the referee has stopped play), just like if a player drops the ball after the tackle and before the play the ball.

It is given as a knock-on as the player has dropped the ball and failed to bring the ball back into play in the prescribed manner. If this was a deliberate act then it would be a penalty for that offence but as it is accidental then the same as for a forward pass the scrum is given.

Why is that different to him "accidentally" failing to keep in the field of play after the tackle has been made?

Andy Farrell used to play the ball similar to this quite a bit dropping the ball down and playing it back in one motion.





Just another quick question about rules that i never understood.



When a player is half tackled and lands on the floor but it is play on as no one has completed the tackle, the attacking player then stands up and plays the ball as if he had been tackled and its a penalty to the opposition, how come?



I mean its his choice if he wants to place the ball on the floor and roll it back isnt it, going to an extreme if a player went the length of the field with no one chasing him and got near the line and did this it wouldnt be a penalty would it?