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I understand the RFL changed the rule and that you are allowed to steal the ball if a player is in the act of scoring. Is that only in the in goal area or can they do it in the field of play? If they do steal the ball to prevent a try they still conceded a penalty but should that not als be a sin bin - professional foul?

Cannot agree it was a penalty. If anything a loose carry. To be otherwise brings the game into a farsical situation. Tackle on the try line. play the ball. player receiving grabs the ball and hold it straight out in front of himself, tackler knocks it out. automatic penalty. Only difference was the tackler was behind. Once the ball leaves the body it has to be vurnerable. Same as trying to offload. The player not the tacklers puts the ball in that position.
Jim

The way i understand it years ago that would have been a penalty try, but when they last changed the rule it became a penalty and automatic sin bin offence so again the refs get it wrong against Wigan what a surprise !

Last rule mods I heard were ball stealing to prevent try was a penalty but no sin-binning and no penalty try. No idea if you have to be over the line to qualify for this. I believe this came from the year we had some farcial decisions to do with pat richards at wakefield.

Mike wrote:Last rule mods I heard were ball stealing to prevent try was a penalty but no sin-binning and no penalty try. No idea if you have to be over the line to qualify for this. I believe this came from the year we had some farcial decisions to do with pat richards at wakefield.

Correct.

mickw wrote:

highland convert wrote: Cannot agree it was a penalty. If anything a loose carry. To be otherwise brings the game into a farsical situation. Tackle on the try line. play the ball. player receiving grabs the ball and hold it straight out in front of himself, tackler knocks it out. automatic penalty. Only difference was the tackler was behind. Once the ball leaves the body it has to be vurnerable. Same as trying to offload. The player not the tacklers puts the ball in that position.
Jim

what brings the game into a farcical situation is allowing a player to deliberatly punch the ball out of the carriers hands,what sort of a game would that be.

Considering your previous comment to my posts I dont know if you ar inadverantly or deliberately misreading my post. In the hope I can clarify the point. A player has the duty to secure the ball. Otherwise a loose carry. an attempt to offload or put down the ball acca Goulding should not,(I know it is) be deemed a penalty. You had a situation where a player had his hand two feet out from his body. Sanity says the defender should have the right to stop him putting it down. That is the nature of the game. It is little wonder the old plaers are saying the game is getting soft,
Jim

highland convert wrote:Cannot agree it was a penalty. If anything a loose carry. To be otherwise brings the game into a farsical situation. Tackle on the try line. play the ball. player receiving grabs the ball and hold it straight out in front of himself, tackler knocks it out. automatic penalty. Only difference was the tackler was behind. Once the ball leaves the body it has to be vurnerable. Same as trying to offload. The player not the tacklers puts the ball in that position.
Jim

Jim, please advise me how a ball clearly punched away from the ball carrying player with 2 tackling players in contact with that player is not a penalty ?

Tecnically it is a try, What I am saying is a defender has a duty to try and prevent a try. The only way to do that was the the action taken, At the time the action was taken the ball was not secured. How often have you seen the same action taken with no penalty given because of loose carry. Leeds do it on nearly every play. Goulding by his action attempted to put down a try. Had he succeded a try. Defender prevented it, Defender did his job. Had goulding been two feet further forward it was not a penalty.
Jim

highland convert wrote:Tecnically it is a try, What I am saying is a defender has a duty to try and prevent a try. The only way to do that was the the action taken, At the time the action was taken the ball was not secured. How often have you seen the same action taken with no penalty given because of loose carry. Leeds do it on nearly every play. Goulding by his action attempted to put down a try. Had he succeded a try. Defender prevented it, Defender did his job. Had goulding been two feet further forward it was not a penalty.
Jim

Technically it wasnt a try as Goulding did not ground the ball in the in goal area.
The ball was clearley punched away from Goulding with 2 players in attendance.
Surely this could not have been awarded anything else but a penalty, unless it could be clearly proven Goulding would have scored, and "Penalty Try" awarded.
There wasnt enough valid proof that he would have definitely scored to award a penalty try, therefore IMO the correct decision was a penalty.

There is a difference between a loose carry and the action of putting a ball down to score surely. That's why it has to be a penalty. If it was in goal could it be a penalty try? The commentary clowns suggested the reason it was only a penalty was as it eas in field of play so has to be treated like any two man ball steal in field of play. That suggests if it was in goal it could be a penalty try but my understanding was this isn't the case these days.