Over the past weekend, one specific incident stood out in my mind about whether it was legal or illegal play. This incident involved Owen Franks, Crusaders prop and brother of Ben Franks.

The incident in the two pictures below had me wondering.

A ruck is formed when the ball is on the ground with at least one player in physical contact with a member of the opposition.

Paddy O’Brien, the iRB Referee Manager, has stated that, ‘in simple terms, the ruling means that any player who is on his feet and has his hands on the ball prior to a ruck being formed may continue to attempt to play/win the ball even when the ruck has formed’.

Law 15 6 (b) states:

After a tackle any players on their feet may attempt to gain possession by taking the ball from the ball carriers possession.

Law 16.1 (b) states:

How can a ruck form? Players are on their feet. At least one player must be in physical contact with an opponent. The ball is on the ground.

Law 16.4 (b) states:

(b) Players must not handle the ball in a ruck.

When a player has complied with Law 15 6 (b), is on his feet and playing the ball after a tackle and is then joined by an opposition player on his feet so that the situation outlined in 16 1 (b) occurs, can the player who has complied with Law 15 6 (b) continue to play the ball with his hands or at what point does he have to release the ball?

This does not appear to be covered by Law.

Ruling

Law 15 6 (a) states: After a tackle, all other players must be on their feet when they play the ball.

Law 15.6 (b) reads: After a tackle any player on their feet may attempt to gain possession by taking the ball from the ball carriers possession.

Law 15 5 (e) states that: If opposition players who are on their feet, the tackled player must release the ball.

This indicates that after a tackle a player on his feet may play the ball.

Law 16 1 (b) states: How can a ruck form? Players are on their feet. At least one player must be in physical contact with an opponent. The ball is on the ground.

Law 16.1 refers to a player from each side in physical contact over the ball and implies that the ball is not in the possession of any player.

Providing a player from either side on their feet after a tackle comply with all aspects of Law 15 and have the ball in their hands prior to contact with an opposition player on his feet those players may continue with possession of the ball even if a player from the opposition makes contact with those players in possession of the ball.

Any other players joining the two players contesting the ball must not handle the ball in accordance with Law 16.4 (b). If the ball is not in possession of any player after a tackle and a ruck is formed players may not use their hands in accordance with Law 16.4 (b).

There are a number of issues in this incident which makes rules 15 and 16 (as mentioned above) hard to adjudicate.

Firstly I am not sure that a ruck has actually formed in this instance. On the pictures it looks like a ruck has formed but in reality it’s two players diving in on the ball. The Stormers player is trying to bridge; blow-over and protect possession while Franks is trying to get his hands on the ball. The hands on the ball rule does therefore not apply in my opinion because a ruck has not formed; its two players diving into each other.

Second I am not sure that Franks is actually supporting his own body weight.  He is diving over the ball and flicking it back at the same time. My feeling is that Franks could have been penalized for playing the ball with-out supporting his body weight.  It’s still a tricky call because technically he is still on his feet when he makes contact with the ball. He is relying on the hit of the Stormers player to check his forward momentum and to prevent him from falling over the ball.

The main question/issue here is what exactly is a ruck? When exactly does two player diving into each other and over a ball on the ground become a ruck; the moment they make contact or do they need to stabilize into a wrestling situation? These two players never stabilized into a ruck they hit each other and lost their footing.  

Second, I am not sure that Franks is actually supporting his own body weight.  He is diving over the ball and flicking it back at the same time. My feeling is that Franks could have been penalized for playing the ball with-out supporting his body weight.  It’s still a tricky call because technically he is still on his feet when he makes contact with the ball. He is relying on the hit of the Stormers player to check his forward momentum and to prevent him from falling over the ball. 

From a technical perspective he is still on his feet but in a forward falling/diving position. Would it be a penalty if a player dive over a loose lying ball and flick it backward before falling to the ground? Chris Laidlaw used to do this on scrumhalf; diving and flicking loose lying or loose rolling ball spilling from line-outs and scrums to his flyhalf. If Laidlaw was not illegal in doing that then why is this act by Owen Franks illegal?