Player on ground in goal

[crossref]

After a foot race and a funny bounce, a player ends on the ground, in the in goal, and the ball rolls toward him. Is he allowed to press down o it to score a try, or must he get to his feet first .

 

[Simon Thomas]

That will be 11-1 now then Crossref ;-) and surprised you have not been there yourself as a player after all those try scoring exploits.
Does the player even have to be actually in goal, could he be lying touch-in-goal or beyond the dead ball line ?

 

[ChrisR]

As I understand it there is no restriction on grounding.

 

[crossref]

I post because it seems to be one of those places where the general conventions we referee to are at odds with the laws.

out in the middle of the pitch we expect a player to get to his feet before playing the ball, but in goal we'd allow the try, as Clancy did in the Eng Barbarians game today, but I don't think the Laws support the difference, really

 

[OB..]

And that applies to a defender as well.

 

[Browner]

After a foot race and a funny bounce, a player ends on the ground, in the in goal, and the ball rolls toward him. Is he allowed to press down on it to score a try, or must he get to his feet first .

Try.

See post #255 here
http://www.rugbyrefs.com/showthread...the-ball-on-the-ground/page2&highlight=Ground

 

[Camquin]

But we do not tend to be so lenient on the defender.

 

[The Fat]

I post because it seems to be one of those places where the general conventions we referee to are at odds with the laws.

out in the middle of the pitch we expect a player to get to his feet before playing the ball, but in goal we'd allow the try, as Clancy did in the Eng Barbarians game today, but I don't think the Laws support the difference, really

There is something in tackle law that specifically mentions players on the ground in in-goal being able to ground the ball however, I thought it was only after a tackle.

The IRB answered a question posed by Andre Watson in July last year re the DBL being treated as touch-in-goal and determined that George North's try was a correct decision and he was not on his feet. Therefore we can assume (is that a dangerous thing to do?) that a player in in-goal, who is on the ground, can ground the ball either to score a try or a touch down or else the IRB would have said that George North needed to get to his feet before pressing down on the ball.


Edit:
Found it.

15.6 Other players
(a)After a tackle, all other players must be on their feet when they play the ball. Players are on their feet if no other part of their body is supported by the ground or players on the ground.
Sanction: Penalty kick

Exception: Ball goes into the in-goal. After a tackle near the goal line, if the ball has been released and has gone into the in-goal any player, including a player on the ground, may ground the ball

Just thinking about it, this exception can only relate to a tackle where the BC is close to his own goal line and releases the ball and then ANY player (which would include the tackled player and the tackler unless this is another example of poor writing considering it is under the heading of Other Players) can ground the ball. If an attacker was the tackled player, the ball could only get to in-goal by way of a knock-on

 

[ChrisR]

TF, 15.6 applies to a specific event. That doesn't mean that other events are excluded the same rights. Ball in goal, on the ground. Any downward pressure from hand, arm or torso grounds the ball. Location or circumstance of the player not relevant unless a violation of law has occurred (such as offside). Try to the attackers, touch down to the defenders.

Very simple, the player is not taking possession of the ball or playing it in any other manner. Grounding is instantaneous and is ruled to occur first.

If the ball is in the air when contact is made by the player ... well, that's another thread.

 

[Blackberry]

Here's what I reckon. Whether or not a player on the ground can play the ball depends on how he got to there; if he's on the ground following a tackle, he cannot play it, if he's on the ground for any other reason, he can play it. The OP's scenario did not involve a tackle so the player was OK.

 

[talbazar]

Here's what I reckon. Whether or not a player on the ground can play the ball depends on how he got to there; if he's on the ground following a tackle, he cannot play it, if he's on the ground for any other reason, he can play it. The OP's scenario did not involve a tackle so the player was OK.

Well, exception in law 15.6 (quoted above) tells the opposite:
[LAWS]Exception: Ball goes into the in-goal. After a tackle near the goal line, if the ball has been released and has gone into the in-goal any player, including a player on the ground, may ground the ball[/LAWS]

I'm with Marauder when he says:

Grounding is instantaneous and is ruled to occur first.

My 2 cents,
Pierre.