Remember there was a Law Clarification regarding Law 22.4(g) back in 2012 that said if a player guides a ball, that is in the air, to the ground (i.e. Guides not holds), he is deemed to be in possession/holding the ball.
Therefore a player can be holding the ball without grasping it.
Make sense?
Here's is the Clarification:
The FFR request a clarification for the following:
Following a kick ahead, the ball goes over the goal line and whilst it is still up in the air, a player places his hand on it and grounds it. However, before this player grounds the ball, his feet are in touch.
We would like to know:
• Whether Law 22.4 (g) applies only to a ball already on the ground before it is touched down or other situations as described above;
• Whether the situation, as described above, is equivalent to “carrying the ball”.
Clarification in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee
Law 19 or Law 22.4 (g) applies;
• If player is carrying the ball, enters the opposition in-goal area and the player’s feet touch the touch-in-goal line or beyond then the player is in touch-in-goal and a try is not awarded. Law 19 Touch and Lineout – Definitions
• If a player is not carrying the ball then Law 22.4 (g) applies -
Player in touch or touch-in-goal. If an attacking player is in touch or in touch-in-goal, the player can score a try by grounding the ball in the opponents’ in-goal provided the player is not carrying the ball.
The designated members confirm that:
1. A try should not be awarded,
2. The player is considered to be carrying the ball as the ball is in the air when it is first played and,
3. Law 22.4 (g) only applies if the ball is on the ground.
The clarification is not quite on the point. As the present discussion is purely about "control". In the Clarification Scenario the player places his hand on a loose ball. In the game situation the ball is held and "lost" (or not) forward whilst stil being in contact with the player.
