It's actually in play when the ball clears the heel of the standing foot...don't hold your breath expecting this to be enforced anytime soon - the "touching the ball with the foot" interpretation is what you will see.

Oh, except from Hock, Mossop and several others (of certain top clubs), for whom the rule requires they simply step over it and walk forward into the markers.

Penalty to Wigan

I thought that as soon as the ball hits the ground then the defenders can start to move forward and not before.

how then, can a player knock on when he is about to play the ball if he has not played at it with his foot to put the ball back in play?

Losing possession – intentionally – accidentally 8. A tackled player shall not intentionally part with the ball other than by bringing it into play in the prescribed manner. If, after being tackled, he accidentally loses possession, a scrum shall be formed except after the fifth play-the-ball.

From section 11 on RFL website - tackle and play the ball.

so by that statement, The ball is back in play as soon as he takes his hand off the ball when it is placed on the ground, In the act of playing it to restart the game. So at that point the defending side can move forward.

No.

The defending team can only move forward at the heel. The attacking team must remain in control of the football throughout the tackle and play the ball action.

The exception being that an attacking player may step into touch to regain his feet at the play the ball, as long as the play the ball is actually taken in the field of play.

On Saturday in the Wigan game I seem to recall a Wigan player being on the floor after tackling a player who had offloaded. Saints had been tackled and played the ball whilst he was on the ground, then after a loose pass from Saints said player dove on the ball, he hadn't retreated the 10 metres for the previous play the ball. Is this offside?

It was waved play on and if someone knows that there was no play the ball in between and I've misremembered then I humbly apologise for not only wasting everyone's time but also lowering this forum to unthinkable depths.

I'd be interested to see what the reaction of the ref & opposition players would be in the modern game if the tackled player got up and played the ball by dropping it and heeling it back. I wonder how many refs would wrongly call a knock on? I've only ever seen it played like this once and that was back in the mid 70s by Ken Senior playing for Huddersfield at Fartown, one of my earliest memories as an RL spectator.

I'd forgotten about that! He was 20 yards offside and should have been a penalty to Saints. It was McIlorum if I remember rightly. I think the referee had got confused and didn't realise he was still offside from the previous play.

I'm surprised I don't think i've ever seen anyone just toe punt in from the back of the POTB when right on their opponents line.

True you'd think it would be used. A couple of times I've seen hooker's be not quite at the play of the ball when it has been played so they've lunged at it with their foot to keep it away from opposition markers.

It wouldn't shock me if they are almost afraid to try it as it would probably be given as an incorrect play of the ball or knock on tbh.

Also there's a considerable chance of it hitting the player who's played the ball causing an accidental offside.

Here's another one:

Team A have the ball inside their own 20 and opt to kick downfield. All of Team A's players are in an offside position when the ball is kicked. The kicker makes a hash of it and the kick goes across field and only 10 metres forwards. Team B's winger runs forward and catches the kick on the full, Team A's winger is 5 metres away from the ball when it is caught and proceeds to run across and make the tackle on Team B's winger.

The tackle was made 15 metres away from Team A's try line and there are no other players from Team A in a position to make the tackle.

Is this a penalty try?