Is pretending to pass the ball (aka throwing a dummy) cheating as well??

Are you the RL equivalent of a snowflake?

It's up to the defending team to prevent him scoring, either out wide or, under the sticks.
If he wasnt's to risk taking the ball closer to the sticks then, that's up to him but, he may get tackled etc

Where do you stand on dummy runners ?

He probably spits them out.

So every time a player crosses and appears to put the ball down they are fair game for floppers, or any other form of trying to hurt a player who's just scored? Shaul had his back to the tackler and appeared to ground the ball. As long as its understood that a player who appears to have just scored is open to be tackled and tackled hard fair enough. But we all know that won't be the case.

Until a player actually scores of course they may be tackled.
As for any "afters", that would be up to the ref to deal with and the longer the player takes to put the ball down, ie feigning a score and then moving closer to the sticks, the more likely he is to be tackled.

Any foul play during the act of scoring or just after, could result in a penalty try so, it's not really in anyone's interests to get involved in too many afters.
However, you would want the defending side to make every effort to prevent a score.

I can't believe this is even a discussion
I'm amazed your actually having to explain it

Unfortunately there are some on here who cannot understand something as simple as this. Its up to the more intelligent to educate such folk.

This has to be one of the most ridiculous statements I have read on here in the nearly 16 years I've been a member of RLFans...and trust me, there's been a lot in that time!!!

If a player gaining a kicking angle advantage upsets you so greatly, I suggest you try watching a different sport.

Cheating??? *Shakes Head*

I dont think him/her understanding is the problem. He/she's just purposely been an idiot for the sake of it.

Can i just make it clear, as I innocently believed it was incredibly clear before, that the defender has the responsibility of stopping the try scorer!

The Fev defender switched off. That doesn't mean he needs to bang every player going in to ground the ball. It means he shouldn't just stop to let him walk past: cover the space between the post and the player man! Just stand there at least! Don't walk past lazily and wonder why people have scored under the posts!

Unless it is actually cheating, and I've not seen this rule written anywhere...

Why are you obsessed about Shaul`s smirk?

Quote: Wellsy13 "Can i just make it clear, as I innocently believed it was incredibly clear before, that the defender has the responsibility of stopping the try scorer! The Fev defender switched off. That doesn't mean he needs to bang every player going in to ground the ball. It means he shouldn't just stop to let him walk past Should never give up on the play until you see the ball dotted down, anything can and has happened, there was that classic one with Will Carling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03gpzFZadcQ If you study what your opposition do and don't give up you can not only save a try but smash the living daylights out of them with a glorious but legal blindside tackle. It certainly makes the opponent think twice about doing the same again.

Quote: Wellsy13 "Can i just make it clear, as I innocently believed it was incredibly clear before, that the defender has the responsibility of stopping the try scorer! The Fev defender switched off. That doesn't mean he needs to bang every player going in to ground the ball. It means he shouldn't just stop to let him walk past Should never give up on the play until you see the ball dotted down, anything can and has happened, there was that classic one with Will Carling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03gpzFZadcQ If you study what your opposition do and don't give up you can not only save a try but smash the living daylights out of them with a glorious but legal blindside tackle. It certainly makes the opponent think twice about doing the same again.

What Shaul actually did was run the risk of not scoring by trying to improve the angle for the kicker. Featherstone's defender switched off, that was his fault.

I was at the Watersheddings about 25 years ago watching Hull play Oldham. There wasn't much between the two sides when Andy Dannatt crossed the line about 20m to the left of the posts. He tried to improve the angle and make it easier for the kicker by running towards the posts. Martin Crompton was in his way so Dannatt tried to knock him out of the way instead of putting the ball down when he had chance. Crompton jumped at him and clamped himself to Dannatt and when they fell on the floor, Crompton single handedly prevented Dannatt from scoring. I was absolutely furious with Dannatt as he'd almost certainly cost us the game.

However, he wasn't cheating, he was just being a .