Maul or obstruction

[rubyref]

Quiet night so catching up on some recorded games. Watching Ireland vs SA from a couple of weeks ago.

I've noticed a couple of SA mauls early in the second half (one of which ended with Heaslip YC) where the SA ball carrier at the back of the maul breaks his bind on and then rebinds on another player further back. I'm sure the the ball carrier even swap the ball between hands at least once.

Should this not be obstruction? As I understand it, the maul is over the instant the bind is broken.

 

[Dixie]

Add it to the list of crooked feeds, pillars and guards ahead of the back foot, closing the gap at the lineout etc which Elite refs decline to ping in the interests of spectator enjoyment.

 

[beckett50]

Is he still held by a team mate? If so he is still " caught" in the maul as required by Law

 

[rubyref]

Watched a couple of them again and while that's true on some occasions, there are some examples of ball carrier being completely detached from maul other than leaning against the back of it and then rebinding.

Thanks for clarification though. Useful.