Quote: Charlie Sierra "
The situation you describe I only recently became aware of and I can't find a reference on the RFL site. Best I can come up with is from the ref's Twitter feedEnforced when a player deliberately dives to the floor, doesn’t regain feet & plays ball prior to being tackled."
I suppose players may do this to confuse opponents and gain an advantage.'"
You actually proved my point there, thank you
Your correct there is currently no mention of playing the ball in the rules of the game - because it is merely the open, accepted interpretation of it, throughout the years (and codes) voluntary tackles have taken different significance which is why the rules you quote are vague. As with the rules about kicking a drop goal, they are kept precise and open, so they outlast current trend and fashions in the sport, and don't need to be updated as every new trick comes into fashion.
If the rules you quoted were strictly followed, we'd see a penalty for it every other week, as a player picks the ball up on his own line, stays on the floor to not be pushed back and the defender waits for him to stand. If you think that that should be penalised, fair enough - but that's not the current interpretation
no irony here
it is also worth pointing out if you do believe this is a voluntary tackle, there are at least 2 penalties saints should of had for voluntary tackles throughout the game
It's also an irrelevance - Lunt touches hohaia and he falls to the floor (whether that contact was enough for him to fall is another debate
) so the tackle was merely in the process of being complete
I am the hash browns of rlfans 
