White on the attack inside Gold 22. Ball makes it out to the White 11 who hies for the goal line. Gold 13 charges across and wraps up White 11, they go over the goal line, hitting the flag. Gold lands on his back with his shoulders well over the touch-in-goal line. He has wrapped up White who is lying with his back on Gold's chest. White is able to maneuver the ball to touch it down.
Does it matter if no part of White is touching the ground in TiG? Does it matter if the ball has crossed the plane of TiG?
What are the other factors in deciding to award the try?
Sorry if this seems overly long, but the touch/in goal Laws can be a bit tricky
The relevant parts of LAW 19 DEFINITIONS:
The ball is in touch when it is not being carried by a player and it touches the
touchline or anything or anyone on or beyond the touchline.
The ball is in touch when a player is carrying it and the ball carrier (or the ball) touches the touchline or the ground beyond the touchline. The place where the ball carrier (or the ball) touched or crossed the touchline is where it went into touch.
The ball is in touch if a player catches the ball and that player has a foot on the touchline or the ground beyond the touchline. If a player has one foot in the field of play and one foot in touch and holds the ball, the ball is in touch.
If the ball crosses the touchline or touch-in-goal line, and is caught by a player who has both feet in the playing area, the ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal.
Such a player may knock the ball into the playing area. If a player jumps and catches the ball, both feet must land in the playing area otherwise the ball is in touch or touch-in-goal.
A player in touch may kick or knock the ball, but not hold it, provided it has not crossed the plane of the touchline. The plane of the touchline is the vertical space rising immediately above the touchline.
and the corner flag law
22.12 BALL OR PLAYER TOUCHING A FLAG OR FLAG (CORNER) POST
If the ball or a player carrying the ball touches a flag or a flag (corner) post at the intersection of the touch-in-goal lines and the goal lines or at the intersection of the touchin-goal lines and the dead ball lines without otherwise being in touch or touch-in-goal the ball is not out of play unless it is first grounded against a flag post.
SO:
1. Touching the corner flag is no longer in-touch so this bit is irrelevant.
2. If the ball is in a player's possession, then the ball crossing the plane of touch is irrelevant.
3. If no part of White 11 is touching the ground outside TiG, then the ball is not in touch. (A player in field touching a player in touch does not put the ball in touch)
The cornerstone of Law 19 is that a ball is generally only held to be in touch if;
1. it is grounded on or over the touch line, or
2. a player in possession of the ball grounds some part of his body on or over the touchline,
The only time when the ball crossing the plane of touch can be held to be in touch is when it is kicked. A ball that is kicked and crosses the plane, and then is knocked back in by a player who is in touch, is held to be in touch at the point where it crosses the plane.
NOTE: At one time, if a ball that was kicked crossed the plane of touch and then came back in by itself, was held to be in touch at the point where it crossed the plane, I think it was pulled because I cannot find it now. OB will likely know when it was pulled.
IMO the scenario you describe is a try to White 11.