Diving over players on the ground

[Old Pig]

Referee Nic Berry under fire for two home crowd decisions while Brumbies were in attack

The Brumbies were penalised early in the second half for holding on, and then, later on, were ruled to have knocked on despite the…

www.theroar.com.au

At 1:10 of the video in the link, the black player dives over the ruck to knock the ball from the white player's hands. Is this legal?

15.5 An arriving player must be on their feet and join from behind their offside line.

If he is diving, he is not on his feet? But the ref is right there, as the ball is clearly out. But diving over players???

If the ruck is over, is he attempting a tackle? If so

9.11 Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others, including leading with the elbow or forearm or jumping into, or over, a tackler.

So even if his getting to the white 9 is somehow legal, then isn't it:

11.3 A player must not intentionally knock the ball forward with hand or arm.

I don't know how I feel about this one. Its great pressure from an aggressive loose forward, but I think if I saw a player diving over others, I'd call it dangerous play.
Let me know what you think?

 

[RemainingInTheGame]

I think Nic gave his reasons as:
- Pita Gus was not part of the ruck
- The ball was out
- Pita Gus made a tackle
- Nick White knocked the ball on

So 15.5 is not in play (Pita Gus not part of the ruck), for 9.11 he did not believe it was reckless (and specifically for the last part of the wording in 9.11 Pita Gus was making the tackle not a ball carrier jumping over a tackler), then finally Nick knocked the ball on, not Pita Gus.

While one might disagree with Nic's reasons and what happened, but I think having set them out, from a law perspective I think the decision he made was correct.

If I saw it (in lower grade junior rugby) I'd probably give a penalty against Pita Gus - but I think as a general rule Nic's decisions are far better than mine, even when I have the benefit of video that I can watch over and over!

 

[Old Pig]

Those are good points and I agree; Nic is excellent and made the call in real-time.
I'll concede that 15.5 is out of play. It really doesn't look like he making a tackle to me. Clearly going for the ball.
So if we view it in that light, knock back by Pita Gus and play on?

 

[RemainingInTheGame]

Yes, agree - maybe he was thinking Pita Gus going for ball instead of tackle.