Law discussion: Kolbe's tap

VIDEO: @rugby365com law guru Paul Dobson looks at some Cheslin Kolbe 'magic' and analyses if his actions were legal!

Toulouse plays Connacht in Galway.

In his own half, Jack Carty of Connacht kicks the ball across the field towards Cheslin Kolbe on the Toulouse left wing.

The ball bounces higher than Kolbe's head. Kolbe jumps and taps the ball forward with his right hand.

As Niyi Adeolokun, Connacht's right wing, gets close, Kolbe again jumps up and taps the ball over Adeolokun's head. Kolbe runs round Adeolokun, catches the ball before it touches the ground and runs downfield. Play goes on.

All right?

Look at the law.

Law 11.3 A player must not intentionally knock the ball forward with hand or arm.

Sanction: Penalty.

Kolbe knocked the ball forward with his right hand. He gave every appearance of doing it deliberately.

It would seem that the law would require Kolbe to be penalised.

If it were not the case, this could be used as a ploy in several playing situations, giving rugby football basketball possibilities.

It is worth noting that Law 11.3 does not confine the sanction to a knock-on but simply to the act of knocking the ball forward.