Law discussion - Mike Pyke
It was not the first tough call for the television match official during the World Cup but then that is why they are there - to help with the tough calls, like whether to award Canada a try or penalise them.
Fiji are leading Canada 20-13 but Canada are fighting back. Aaron Carpenter charges down the left and they spin the ball to the right where big fullback Mike Pyke has an overlap. He ignores the overlap and cuts for the line. Short of the line he is felled by Isoa Neivua of Fiji as Maleli Kunavore, of Fiji comes in to help with the defence.
As Pyke and Neivua fall to the ground, Neivua has contact with Pyke and may be holding him but he releases Pyke.
Pyke rolls over with the ball in his right arm but again is short. As he rolls over he swings his legs into the Fijian in-goal so that his body is roughly perpendicular to the dead-ball line. He lifts himself up onto his knees and draws the ball back into the in-goal where he grounds. it.
The referee refers the matter to the television match official. It is not an easy decision but an important one in the context of the match. The TMO looks at it several times and then recommends to the referee that he penalise Pyke, which the referee does, causing much Canadian consternation.
The commentators agree with the Canadian consternation. At one stage one says: "I think that is not a good decision. One thing he has not taken into consideration is that he was not held."
Accept first that Pyke was a tackled player, that he and Neivua went to ground and Neivua held him. Then Pyke was allowed to place the ball immediately. If he could have placed the ball on or over the goal-line as he rolled over, it would have been a try. But he did not. He then gets onto his knees and plays the ball back. "Immediately" is over by then.
Law 15.5 THE TACKLED PLAYER
(a) A tackled player must try to make the ball available immediately so that play can continue.
(b) A tackled player must immediately pass the ball or release it. That player must also get up or move away from it at once.
(c) A tackled player may release the ball by putting it on the ground in any direction, provided this is done immediately.
(d) A tackled player may release the ball by pushing it along the ground in any direction except forward, provided this is done immediately.
(e) If opposition players who are on their feet attempt to play the ball, the tackled player must release the ball.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(f) If a tackled player's momentum carries the player into the In-goal, the player can score a try or make a touch down.
(g) If players are tackled near to the goal-line, these players may immediately reach out and ground the ball on or over the goal-line to score a try and make a touch-down.
(f) does not apply as it was not Pyke's momentum that took him and the ball into the Fijian in-goal.
That Neivua released Pyke, does not stop Pyke from being a tackled player. In fact Neivua was doing what the law prescribes.
Law 15.4 THE TACKLER
(a) When a player tackles an opponent and they both go to ground, the tackler must immediately release the tackled player.
If Pyke was never held, what would the difference be?
The difference is that Pyke would have been allowed to get up with the ball in his possession, which a tackled player is not allowed to do.
Law 14.1 PLAYER ON THE GROUND
The player must immediately do one of three things:
Get up with the ball, or
Pass the ball, or
Release the ball.
A player who passes or releases the ball must also get up or move away from it at once. Advantage is played only if it happens immediately.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
Pyke did not get up. He stayed on his knees, and therefore on the ground.
Law 15.3 BROUGHT TO THE GROUND DEFINED
(a) If the ball-carrier has one knee or both knees on the ground, that player has been 'brought to ground'.
That the TMO reached the conclusion that he did is understandable.
Where do you give the penalty in a case like this?
The infringement happened just in the field of play; then the place of the penalty is just in the field of play, not five metres back - not that it makes much difference.