A question regarding the laws

In a game I was playing in recently, the opposition kicked a penalty to touch. The ball was going to land about 6 feet into touch, but our winger got underneath it, jumped into the air, and while airborne batted it (backwards) back into play. I thought that this would be play on but the ref signaled for a line out. Was he wrong or does a player need to jump from infield if he wants to keep a ball alive?

I believe you have to jump from in field. Otherwise the player is 'out' when he touches the ball.

Needs to jump from infield.

Was the player off the ground when he touched the ball and if so did he land with both feet in play?
If so it falls into a grey area in the laws. Theres nothing in the laws saying you have to be in play when you jump to keep the ball in play, just where you land. But I understand its usually called that way anyway. Its one of the questions that rugbyrefs has tried to raise with the IRB for clarification.

red_stag wrote:Needs to jump from infield.

Make contact with the ball infield?

And land infield?

Portnoy wrote:

red_stag wrote:Needs to jump from infield.

Make contact with the ball infield?

And land infield?

If the player jumps from infield he is in play until he's feet land so the player is not out when he makes contact with the ball.

I'm still a bit contused here.

We all know that if a kicks the ball down the line from infield and by chance it drifts over in mid-fight yet on the win (or whatever) it drifts back in, then the tj should call a line-out where he assesses where the ball crossed the line.

So surely, following the same logic, no player in-play both before and after touching the ball and however miraculous his athleticism can knock an in-touch ball back in-field.

I have always had a problem with this law interpretation.

Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

p.s. personally I feel that if a ball goes out mid-flight but lands in-field should not adjudged to be out.

He should have gone for the posts,

I think it's because whilst the player has the ball in possession, it is irrelevant whether the ball is in the playing area or not- the player being in play becomes paramount. I'm pretty sure you could run along the touch-line with the ball over the line outstretched in one hand but the player being in play makes the ball alive.