But it does bring up a question from my side:
1. If Mccaw was the designated scrumhalf for that lineout, is he allowed to join the lineout?
Yes he is. The law calls this player the receiver.
[TEXTAREA]
LAW 19 DEFINITIONS
Receiver. The receiver is the player in position to catch the ball when lineout
players pass or knock the ball back from the lineout. Any player may be the
receiver but each team may have only one receiver at a lineout
...
Players taking part in the lineout known as participating players. Players
taking part in the lineout are the player who throws-in and an immediate
opponent, the two players waiting to receive the ball from the lineout and the
line-outplayers.[/TEXTAREA]
[TEXTAREA]LAW 19.8
(i) Where the receiver must stand. If a team uses a receiver, then that player, must be
positioned at least 2m back from team mates in the lineout, and between the 5m and 15m
lines, until the line-out begins.
Once the lineout has commenced, the receiver may move into the lineout and may perform
all actions available to players in the lineout and is liable to related sanctions.
Sanction: Free kick on the 15 metre line along the line of touch[/TEXTAREA]
Note that teams don't actually have to have a receiver (South Africa actually didn't. They put Pienaar right back on the goal-line.)
2. If he is allowed, doesn't that then change the numbers of the amount of players in the line-out than what was called out, and then shouldn't SA have been allowed an extra player in the line-out to match?
No because the "numbers in the line-out" only applies before the ball is thrown. Remember, the numbers do not have to match, its just that the throwing team sets the numbers, and the non thrown team can have the same or less but not more.
There could also be an interesting variation on this, and teams had better be aware of it. In the variation used on Saturday, McCaw was not allowed to move towards the line-out until the ball was thrown. However, this Law also applies....
[TEXTAREA]Law 19.8
(k) Participating players in a line-out may change places before the ball is thrown.[/TEXTAREA]
Note that it says
"participating players", not
"line-out players". Now have a look at the definitions I posted earlier in this post and note that
"participating players" includes the receiver
The means that McCaw could start his run before the ball is thrown if the tail-gunner in the line-out (who was not involved in the lifting pod) leaves and goes into the receiver position at the same time just before the ball is thrown.
I can imagine a move where they put a three man pod half-way between the 5m and 15m lines plus an extra player just behind them, and fake that they were going to do this move but instead of waiting for the throw-in, the receiver starts running in as if to take the ball and the extra man moves back into the receiver position. The ball actually is thrown to the jumper who flicks it behind him to the new receiver who started his run into the line as soon as the ball is thrown. He catches the ball and scores unopposed.
