Drop-goal after Free-kick scrum option

[CrouchTPEngage]

Red lineout 20 metres from blue's goal-line.
Lineout forms but blue lift players into the air before the thrower has thrown.
The Referee spots this and gives a free-kick to red for "early lifting in the lineout".
The mark for the Free-kick from touch-line and 20 meters out.

Red choose to take the scrum-option instead. At the scrum, red 9 passes to red-10 who drop-kicks it in an attempt a drop-goal. However, the blue flanker has (legally) chased down the 10 from the scrum and just gets his fingertips to the ball as he tries to charge-down the kick. However the ball still sails over the cross-bar in what appears to be a valid drop-goal.

What is the correct decision
1) Allow the drop-goal
2) Disallow the drop-goal - in which case, where and how to we restart ?

Thanks

 

[OB..]

Red lineout 20 metres from blue's goal-line.
Lineout forms but blue lift players into the air before the thrower has thrown.
The Referee spots this and gives a free-kick to red for "early lifting in the lineout".
The mark for the Free-kick from touch-line and 20 meters out.

Red choose to take the scrum-option instead. At the scrum, red 9 passes to red-10 who drop-kicks it in an attempt a drop-goal. However, the blue flanker has (legally) chased down the 10 from the scrum and just gets his fingertips to the ball as he tries to charge-down the kick. However the ball still sails over the cross-bar in what appears to be a valid drop-goal.

What is the correct decision
1) Allow the drop-goal
2) Disallow the drop-goal - in which case, where and how to we restart ?

Thanks

[LAWS]8.29 [FONT=fs_blakeregular]The team awarded a free-kick (including where they opt for a scrum or lineout instead) cannot score a dropped goal until the ball next becomes dead or until an opponent has played the ball, has touched it or has tackled the ball-carrier.[/FONT][FONT=fs_blakeregular] Any such kick is deemed to be unsuccessful and play continues[/FONT][FONT=fs_blakeregular].[/FONT][/LAWS]

 

[crossref]

The opponent touched it, so DG stands.

 

[Decorily]

No goal allowed.
Presuming ball went dead scrum 5 restart.

 

[chbg]

I would disallow any score, because, M'Lud, a DG is scored "by kicking a goal from a drop-kick in open play". The complete action is required AFTER the limitations in 8.29 (as quoted by OB previously) are removed. My Learn'd Friend may have a different argument, that would not be equitable.

 

[Dickie E]

[LAWS]score a dropped goal [/LAWS] happens once the ball crosses the cross bar. So any contact by an opponent before that meets the requirements of 8.29. DG stands IMO.

I'll let you know what happened next time I see it

 

[CrouchTPEngage]

Hmmm... Well spotted. The trick is the "touched it" element.
I am tempted to disallow it because my inference of the intent of the lawmaker is to prevent such attempts at a DG here.
It just feels unfair to penalise the defender for "touching it". I am sure the coach of red team wouldnt agree of course.

 

[Pablo]

CTPE, I share your inclination to disallow because this seems closer to the intent of the law. A situation where you get a scrum if your chargedown fails miserably but concede three points if you make partial contact just doesn’t feel right.

Did this incident actually happen, or are we counting angels doing the tango here?