[In-goal] Re-gathering the ball and touching down

[OB..]

So, would anyone here consider a ball that is "scooped" back to be a very fast one handed catch and subsequent pass? Do you have to have possession for a period of time to be considered a catch?

We have no definition of a catch, hence the problem (and if you look at cricket and the NFL, even having a definition just creates more problems).

It clearly cannot be mere contact, so it must involve some element of control. Since I think the current knock-on law is far too lax, I naturally interpret the concept restrictively: merely having sufficient control to knock it back having initially knocked it forward is not enough. Did the player have a sufficiently firm grasp of the ball to able to continue running with it?

I don't know of a solution that is both simple to referee and sensible.

 

[ChrisR]

I agree with OB, above, that defining 'catch' would create as many problems as it might solve.

In the NFL one of the key elements of a 'catch' is 'control'. If that was applied to the knock-on then juggling the ball forward but then passing (as in scooping) it back to a teammate would allow play to continue.

Would that be such a bad thing?

 

[OB..]

In the NFL one of the key elements of a 'catch' is 'control'. If that was applied to the knock-on then juggling the ball forward but then passing (as in scooping) it back to a teammate would allow play to continue.

Would that be such a bad thing?

In the NFL they have to maintain control. Scooping does not do that.

As I have said many times, I think the knock-on law is already too lax, so I am not keen to extend the relaxation any further. Continuity is in itself not that important. If Team A makes a mistake, Team B is entitled to benefit from it.

 

[ChrisR]

Continuity is important for both the players and spectators. This is why we employ advantage and judge on materiality.

I accept knock-on law as it is applied now but would propose that a knock-on-to-be could be rescued by scooping to a teammate, kicking or grounding in goal (as in the OP) is a positive move forward.

I'm not losing sleep over it.