So the general consensus is that a "double movement" (for want of a better description) is ok if its immediate (although the definition of immediate is down to the individual referee and the circumstances), but if he "shilly-shallies" the it's a penalty for either holding on, or playing the ball off your feet?
Does that sum it up?
As I understand it, in League, the match stops when the ball hits the ground while being held. At that point, the tacklers must release and the tackled player must stand up and do the tap back through the legs.
If the tackled player attempts to move the ball forward after it's hit the ground,
that's "double movement" and is a penalty offence.
It's very different for us (which is why I feel the phrase is very unhelpful).
For us, the tackled player has the explicit right to place the ball anywhere, including forward and may stretch out to score a try.
So what's the justification for not giving the try in this case?
Has the tackled player crawled along the ground and is hence guilty of playing the ball off his feet? Perhaps.
Has he "held on"? Well there didn't seem to be any opposition players in the vicinity so, as has been said, we wouldn't usually blow anywhere else on the field for several seconds so why penalise just because he's close to the line?
I am keen to get it clear in my head because I have had a couple of these and have given them both ways dependant on "how it looked". Some were in goal (where the ball carrier initially ends up on his back) and were either a very quick turn to get the ball on the ground, or a varying number of erratic movements to get the ball down
Don't forget there's no such thing as a tackle in goal so the obligations to pass, place or release do not apply. In that situation, again, what's the justification for not allowing the player to wriggle around the get the ball down?
