Clip 1 - 21 June 2020 - Law 18

In or Out

The Hurricanes are penalised and Richie Mo'unga of the Crusaders kicks for the touchline on his right. The ball is descending when Chase Tiatia, the Hurricanes' fullback, is in touch waiting for the ball. As the ball is dropping, Tiatia jumps, catches the ball and lands just infield of the touchline. Play goes on/.

Should play have gone on?

A commentator queried allowing play to go on but, in the end, agreed that the match officials had probably been right.

Law 18,2 The ball is not in touch or touch-in-goal if:
2 b. A player jumps, from within or outside the playing area, and catches the ball, and then lands in the playing area, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch.

That is what happened in this case. Tiatia jumps from outside the playing area and catches the ball. He lands in the playing area.

The match officials are right to let play go on.

The ball is not in touch.