But this is not what happened on Monday.

It wasn't a 40/20 kick.
Whiting caught the ball as he was stood on the white line hence the moment he touches the ball it becomes touch. He didn't make it touch. Head and feed should have gone to Hull.

Had he caught the ball a split second before touching the white line then its head and feed to Saints.

That's not what it says in the rulebook though. It states that the scenario you just mentioned is only applicable when the bull sails out on the full, without bouncing.

That's the official rule from the official rulebook, I do have to say before reading it I would of agreed with you, however the opinion I had and that you currently have is unfortunately wrong.

I dont know which rule you're looking at but can assure you the decision on Monday was wrong.

Surely if its caught on the full without bouncing then thats ballback anyway.

I would of agreed with you originally mate, but have a look at the rules regarding a player making contact with the ball in touch.

Yeah, it is ball back on the full, but that's the only time a player can handle it in touch without it going to the opposition. The ball must bounce in touch first.

If the defender catches the ball in touch after jumping from inside the field then he is deemed to have made it touch.

If the defender catches the ball in touch after jumping or standing outside of the field (on the whit line if you like) then it is deemed to be already in touch. This is what happened on Monday.

Yeah I know, but the rulebook is what I said before.

Need to go to bed now mate but try to link the bit out of the rule book and I'll take a look tomorrow.

I'll see if I can find it again

, it wasn't easy.

I can't see anything in the Laws that makes any distinction regarding it going out on the full.



As soon as Whiting touched the ball it was in touch. As Saints had kicked the ball into touch they should have been regarded as the "offending" team, hence Hull's head and feed:

Exactly. In the scenario we saw, the ball hitting Whiting, who is stood in touch, is no different than the ball hitting the corner flag.

www.therfl.co.uk/~rflmedia/docs/ ... 2007_%20(2).pdf Quote SECTION 9 TOUCH AND TOUCH IN-GOAL Ball in touch 1. The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch. Tackled player in line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, touch on rising steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play. Jumping player- The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and knocks ball back while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play. Touch in-goal 2. The ball is in touch in-goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in-goal line, or any object on or outside the touch in-goal line. Points of Entry 3. When a ball has entered touch or touch in-goal, the point of entry shall be taken as the point at which the ball first crossed the touch or touch in-goal line. Ball back 4. If the ball is kicked by or bounces off a player in a forward direction (except from in-goal – Section 8 No.4 (e) and it goes into touch on the full, a scrum is formed where contact with the ball was made except after the fifth play-the-ball (but not nearer than twenty metres to the touch line or ten (10) metres to the goal line) – (see Section 12). Touch from 5. If the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick the Penalty game is restarted by a free kick ten metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch. (see Section 13).Scrum on ‘20 6. Other than as outlined in paras. 4 and 5 above, the game is restarted after the ball has gone into touch by forming a scrum twenty metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch but not nearer than ten (10) metres to the goal line – (see Section 12). 7. In all aspects of general play, a player who does not deliberately play at the ball (eg. ricochet or rebound) will not be disadvantaged by a consequent restart of play when the ball has gone dead or into touch. NOTES Player not “object” 1. and 2. A player is not considered to be an “object”. For example, the ball is not in touch when the player in possession, himself being in the field of play, is in contact with another player who is in touch. Ball Dead 1. Where the ball which is stationary in the field of play or the ingoal area comes in contact with a player in touch, touch ingoal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. Dead Ball line restarts Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in-goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out. Corner post 2. A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch line and touch in-goal a goal line is in touch in-goal. It is a duty of a touch judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game. 3. See Section 8. No.4 (e) in respect of kicking into touch on the full from in-goal.'"

www.therfl.co.uk/~rflmedia/docs/ ... 2007_%20(2).pdf Quote SECTION 9 TOUCH AND TOUCH IN-GOAL Ball in touch 1. The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch. Tackled player in line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, touch on rising steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play. Jumping player- The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and knocks ball back while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play. Touch in-goal 2. The ball is in touch in-goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in-goal line, or any object on or outside the touch in-goal line. Points of Entry 3. When a ball has entered touch or touch in-goal, the point of entry shall be taken as the point at which the ball first crossed the touch or touch in-goal line. Ball back 4. If the ball is kicked by or bounces off a player in a forward direction (except from in-goal – Section 8 No.4 (e) and it goes into touch on the full, a scrum is formed where contact with the ball was made except after the fifth play-the-ball (but not nearer than twenty metres to the touch line or ten (10) metres to the goal line) – (see Section 12). Touch from 5. If the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick the Penalty game is restarted by a free kick ten metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch. (see Section 13).Scrum on ‘20 6. Other than as outlined in paras. 4 and 5 above, the game is restarted after the ball has gone into touch by forming a scrum twenty metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch but not nearer than ten (10) metres to the goal line – (see Section 12). 7. In all aspects of general play, a player who does not deliberately play at the ball (eg. ricochet or rebound) will not be disadvantaged by a consequent restart of play when the ball has gone dead or into touch. NOTES Player not “object” 1. and 2. A player is not considered to be an “object”. For example, the ball is not in touch when the player in possession, himself being in the field of play, is in contact with another player who is in touch. Ball Dead 1. Where the ball which is stationary in the field of play or the ingoal area comes in contact with a player in touch, touch ingoal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. Dead Ball line restarts Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in-goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out. Corner post 2. A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch line and touch in-goal a goal line is in touch in-goal. It is a duty of a touch judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game. 3. See Section 8. No.4 (e) in respect of kicking into touch on the full from in-goal.'"