Question Ref 446

[benco132]

A Gold player kicks the ball for touch from a penalty. A Blue player standing in the field-of-play dives across the touch-line and , while in the air across the touch-line, momentarily catches the ball and passes it back into the field-of-play. What do you do?
Incorrect - You answered A.
The correct answer is: C.
19 Definitions & 19.1e : If the ball crosses the touch-line or the touch-in-goal line, and is caught by a player who has both feet in the playing area, the ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal. Such a player may knock the ball into the playing area. If a player jumps and catches the ball, both feet must land in the playing area otherwise the ball is in touch or touch-in-goal. When a player kicks to touch from a penalty kick anywhere in the playing area, the throw-in is taken where the ball went into touch.


Where in this question does it state that the ball has crossed the touchline??

[Coler]

Seems to be implied from the fact that Blue gone from standing in the field of play and dived across the touchline. Also would be implied that he lands out of touch.

I can see your point though it is not explicitly stated.

[cchartrain]

Where in this question does it state that the ball has crossed the touchline??

Whatever the ball had crossed the touch line or not, if the ball is caught, ball is in touch if the ball carrier is in touch....

[mmark]

If he is still airborne could he play the ball. He is not in touch until his feet touch the ground?

[beckett50]

If he lands in touch then the ball is out

There used to be a website that gave the various examples in photographic form. It was produced by the ARU (I think).

Perhaps Deeps or OB will remember it?

[OB..]

This is the lineout website (http://www.rugbyref.com/lbyc/index.htm).

If a player has crossed the plane of touch, he is in touch whether on the ground or not. (I got that ruling from Castlecroft several years ago.)

The tricky question is when is he deemed to have crossed the plane. If he jumps from and lands in the field of play, then he didn't cross it. Other scenarios get harder.

[Davet]

I suppose that in theory the player may be in the air, and catch the ball while it is in the air, over the plane of touch, and pass it back in-field, and land with his FEET still in the field of play - body on the floor perhaps - but its the feeet that the law mentions.

In such a case then it would be play on.

But in real life I rather suspect it wouldn't happen like that.

[benco132]

My understanding was that it didn't matter where the player was, provided he was in the air, and the important thing was whether the BALL had crossed the plane of touch.

[OB..]

The ball is not in touch until it touches something or someone in touch. Recall that if it swerves out and then back in, play continues.

If the ball is caught by a player who is out (eg standing with one foot on the line), then the ball is out even if it has not crossed the plane of touch.

If the ball has crossed the plane of touch but is caught by a player with both feet on the ground in the field of play, play continues.