I am referring to when we kicked off to Sheff and the lad stretched his leg out over touch line and caught the ball on the full. Apart from seeing a RL player looking like he was attempting to do splits while catching a ball (which I would imagine is difficult to do), how silly is this rule and boy what a cruel punishment it is too. The ball is in play but opposition player has a rule that allows them to take it out of play and get a penalty. Its crazy.
I know we was Cr@p, and even tho we was we had opportunities to put score on the board but lacked ideas. My point tho is that silly rule hit us hard because it resulted in them being on our line and then scoring a Try that ensured we had to chase the game early instead of keeping them in their half etc - as the plan usually is when you KO.
This is isn't sour grapes, just a observation about this rule.

Totally agree with you on that. I said at the time that can't be right. The thing is if the sheff player had caught the ball then stepped in touch it would have been scrum to us. Because he already had his foot in touch it's classed as being kicked straight out even though had the ball landed it would have been 2 or 3 feet inside the line. Puzzling rule for me but many things in RL puzzle me lol.

It was fantastic play and fantastic awareness.

If he was stood in his in goal, same descision would have been given.

If his foot come off the floor though and go placed back on the touchline? = Leigh head and ball

Unfortunate that the ball was never going dead, but rules are rules I am afraid. His left foot never entered the field of play !

The player did do well - awareness and skill, but don't you find the rule even a little strange? That is my point, its a silly rule.
I can't think of another rule where a opposition player can influence a penalty in their favour in such a way. We did nothing wrong. Had the ball been going out anyway then who cares, but it wasn't.

It may be silly but the rule has been around for years, I remember Turley diong it against Wigan but they gave it as Turley being out of play and Wigan getting the ball back.

Everyone know's (or should know) the rules so it boils down to the kicker at the end of the day to not let it happen.

The lad stood behind me spotted that play by the Sheffield player straight away. Mind you he is a referee.

I cannot believe how bad I feel today. Have been up awhile now and not even put the kettle on.

Well at least that made me smile.

I agree the rule looked stupid last night, but, the Sheffield player did well to bear it in mind. Commiserations Leigh, I hope your effort this year has done you enough to get a licence next time round.

the 'silly' bit can be used on a number of rules, ie, scrum.....I saw it as a fantastic skillful use of the rule, cracking awareness and if they hadn't scored from the following play and you won the game, this thread probably wouldn't have been started

Tremendous awareness and skill for the Sheffield player to manage it, fair play to him.

It was Alex Szostak and for me it was one of the crucial moments of the game.

Gave us great field position and we ended up extending our lead.

It was quick thinking that's for sure, the lad did well, it's in the rules, it may be a daft one, but the lad used it to their advantage, so fair play to him.

Watched it again on replay , he took a hell of a risk , if he had knocked on , it is quite conceivable it could have cost them the game , but luck favours the brave , he gambled and won , well done

I hate the 'not being able to drag players in to touch' rule they changed, preferred the old one.

Regards the kick off
I've seen Lee Briers do it twice, i love the rule, the kickers should be aware of it and not kick so close to the lines.

But that's what sport is about , 6 inches one way , it's a good kick , 6 inches the other way , it's a bad one

It's a garbage rule

It's definatley a strange one , I know that by the number of people I've had to explain it to

But it is a rule , they benifited from it , we didn't , as I said he took a massive gamble , and won

Risk ? I reckon he just needed to touch it and it was a penalty. If he'd knocked it on, it'd still be a penalty.

Not if his foot had moved off the line

<sarcasm mode>Maybe make the rule even more stupid by letting players lift another player to catch the ball, while 5 other players stretching out holding hands with last player having his foot over the touch line. Absolutely amazing skill and awareness it would be too - and give a penalty Try and penalty as punishment, with kicker being sent off. </sarcasm mode>



Still think its a silly rule

Yes it is

I agree this is daft but the stupidest rule has to be the franchise system and pulling up the drawbridge.

Didn't they outlaw the rule about throwing the ball over the dead ball line when a player had one foot out of play to get a 20m tap??

To me this is a pretty similar rule.

How did this foot over the line thing work AGAINST us and Neil Turley against Wigan in that tight cup match a few years ago?


Wasn't that a kick off incident?
It proved to be a game breaking decision.