I found this post by OB in RugbyRefs archives from March 2006 which should help align referees in terms of squeeze ball.
"A bit long, but here is the RFU release, which quotes the relevant IRB Note. You will see it is not an ELV, but a request by the IRB for Unions to take domestic action."
The Elite game, including the England side, has in recent seasons developed a technique which has become known as squeezeball. This technique involves a ball carrier making contact with opponents, going to ground, usually keeping his/her body parallel to the touch line, holding the ball on his/her chest and, when on the floor, protecting and pushing the ball back through his/her legs. This results in ball retention and subsequent presentation for the side in possession.
Younger players are great mimics and will adopt techniques seen applied by adults regardless of their ability to perform them or of potential threats to their personal safety.
The Safety issues for youth players are:
(i) The ball carrier exposing his/her neck to danger from arriving players from either team.
(ii) The ball carrier not moving away/not being able to move away.
(iii) Arriving players:
(a) Being driven to ground by team mates and landing dangerously themselves.
(b) Driving dangerously against/onto the nape of the neck of an opponent trying to pick up the ball.
(c) Driving dangerously onto the player executing the "squeezeball technique".
These are all done in an attempt to retain or regain the ball on the ground.
These techniques often result in players’ shoulders being lower than their hips -"shoulders above hips", is a fundamental criterion for safety throughout all levels of the game (but especially the younger, less physically mature), at scrummage, ruck, maul and tackle.
Coaches are encouraged to educate and coach their players in alternative safe techniques (which are described in the RFU Coaching Handbooks) and explain to them why this advice has been given.
On 8 November 2001, the International Rugby Board (IRB) issued the following Note on Interpretation of Law 15.6 (d) - the Tackled Player:
"Law 15.6(d) states: "A tackled player may release the ball by pushing it along the ground in any direction except forward, providing this is done immediately."
In recent times players having been tackled or who go to ground have done so ensuring that the ball is underneath them, they then push the ball along the ground and through their legs (a practice known as squeeze ball).
On most occasions when players attempt to push the ball along the ground under their bodies they are not making the ball available immediately and they are in contravention of Law 14.1 and Law 15.6 (d). Players who attempt the action are liable to penalty unless the ball is immediately available."
With an emphasis on immediately, Referees have been instructed to enforce the above strictly.
In addition, because of the potential dangers and safety hazard of these techniques, the IRB has requested all Unions to introduce appropriate domestic regulations to make the action, referred to as squeezeball, illegal for all age levels from under 18 downwards.
Accordingly, the RFU Council, in accordance with RFU Rules 4.13 and 12.2, has introduced the following new RFU Regulations to take effect immediately:
YOUNG PLAYERS - Squeezeball
No player involved in a match at any age level from under 18 downwards shall use in training or in a match the technique known or referred to as squeezeball.
No person involved in the teaching or coaching of the game may teach or coach players involved in a match at any age level from under 18 downwards or encourage such players to use the technique known or referred to as squeezeball.