www.therfl.co.uk/~rflmedia/docs/ ... 2007_%20(2).pdf Quote SECTION 9 TOUCH AND TOUCH IN-GOAL Ball in touch 1. The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch. Tackled player in line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, touch on rising steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play. Jumping player- The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and knocks ball back while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play. Touch in-goal 2. The ball is in touch in-goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in-goal line, or any object on or outside the touch in-goal line. Points of Entry 3. When a ball has entered touch or touch in-goal, the point of entry shall be taken as the point at which the ball first crossed the touch or touch in-goal line. Ball back 4. If the ball is kicked by or bounces off a player in a forward direction (except from in-goal – Section 8 No.4 (e) and it goes into touch on the full, a scrum is formed where contact with the ball was made except after the fifth play-the-ball (but not nearer than twenty metres to the touch line or ten (10) metres to the goal line) – (see Section 12). Touch from 5. If the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick the Penalty game is restarted by a free kick ten metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch. (see Section 13).Scrum on ‘20 6. Other than as outlined in paras. 4 and 5 above, the game is restarted after the ball has gone into touch by forming a scrum twenty metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch but not nearer than ten (10) metres to the goal line – (see Section 12). 7. In all aspects of general play, a player who does not deliberately play at the ball (eg. ricochet or rebound) will not be disadvantaged by a consequent restart of play when the ball has gone dead or into touch. NOTES Player not “object” 1. and 2. A player is not considered to be an “object”. For example, the ball is not in touch when the player in possession, himself being in the field of play, is in contact with another player who is in touch. Ball Dead 1. Where the ball which is stationary in the field of play or the ingoal area comes in contact with a player in touch, touch ingoal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. Dead Ball line restarts Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in-goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out. Corner post 2. A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch line and touch in-goal a goal line is in touch in-goal. It is a duty of a touch judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game. 3. See Section 8. No.4 (e) in respect of kicking into touch on the full from in-goal.'"

www.therfl.co.uk/~rflmedia/docs/ ... 2007_%20(2).pdf Quote SECTION 9 TOUCH AND TOUCH IN-GOAL Ball in touch 1. The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch. Tackled player in line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, touch on rising steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play. Jumping player- The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and knocks ball back while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play. Touch in-goal 2. The ball is in touch in-goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in-goal line, or any object on or outside the touch in-goal line. Points of Entry 3. When a ball has entered touch or touch in-goal, the point of entry shall be taken as the point at which the ball first crossed the touch or touch in-goal line. Ball back 4. If the ball is kicked by or bounces off a player in a forward direction (except from in-goal – Section 8 No.4 (e) and it goes into touch on the full, a scrum is formed where contact with the ball was made except after the fifth play-the-ball (but not nearer than twenty metres to the touch line or ten (10) metres to the goal line) – (see Section 12). Touch from 5. If the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick the Penalty game is restarted by a free kick ten metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch. (see Section 13).Scrum on ‘20 6. Other than as outlined in paras. 4 and 5 above, the game is restarted after the ball has gone into touch by forming a scrum twenty metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch but not nearer than ten (10) metres to the goal line – (see Section 12). 7. In all aspects of general play, a player who does not deliberately play at the ball (eg. ricochet or rebound) will not be disadvantaged by a consequent restart of play when the ball has gone dead or into touch. NOTES Player not “object” 1. and 2. A player is not considered to be an “object”. For example, the ball is not in touch when the player in possession, himself being in the field of play, is in contact with another player who is in touch. Ball Dead 1. Where the ball which is stationary in the field of play or the ingoal area comes in contact with a player in touch, touch ingoal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player. Dead Ball line restarts Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in-goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out. Corner post 2. A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch line and touch in-goal a goal line is in touch in-goal. It is a duty of a touch judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game. 3. See Section 8. No.4 (e) in respect of kicking into touch on the full from in-goal.'"

Just watching the Huddersfield Saints game from the weekend and noticed that 2:08 into the game the ball is kicked by Danny Brough into Saints' in-goal area. It bounces in the in-goal area and is caught from this bounce by Gardener who has a foot in touch-in-goal. A 20m restart is awarded to Saints.

Gardener was straddling the touch in-goal line. It should have been a drop out.

Yes he would. Bentham is from Leigh, not Warrington.

From the kick off, if a receiving player is straddling the dead ball line when he takes the ball, if the ball has bounced, a goal line drop out should be awarded as the ball has gone out of play. If the ball has not bounced when he catches it, it is a penalty on half way as the catching player did not take it dead, it is already dead if/when he catches it.

From a kick in general play, whether the ball bounces or not, if a player catches the ball straddling the dead ball line, it is a 20 metre restart as the ball is deemed already dead because he caught it when outside the field of play.

With regards to the Whiting incident, as the kick was in general play and he jumped from out of play, the ball is already dead when he touched it, whether he touched the ball inside the playing area or not. It is about where he jumped from, not where he touched it. If he touched it having come from out of play, play goes on as if he didnt touch it and it just went out of play.

Before anyone questions me, I have passed the RFL match official course and that is my interpretation of the rules.