[AUgrad2006]

Regardless of what individual members of the rules committee might or might not be saying, my first reference will be their published rules and case ruling.

The rule 9-4-3k states "No player or nonplayer shall grab the inside back or side collar of the shoulder pads or jersey of the runner and subsequently pull that opponent to the ground." I don't see any part of the rule that says such a player must be the only one to touch the runner to violate the rule, just needs to pull the runner/opponent to the ground in the manner prescribed.

The Case Book play (9.4.3 M) only cites a situation where a player, B1, is grabbing the inside of the A1's shoulder pad and A1 is tackled by B2. The use of the phrase "B2 comes in and tackles A1" indicates that the contact which brough A1 down was B2's contact, not B1's. The wording of the case play also implies that A1 was not going down until the tackle is made by B2.

If B1 grabs the inside back of the shoulder pad, pulls A1 backwards and has pulled A1 almost all the way to the ground when B2 makes secondary contact, I'm inclined to believe that B1's contact was what brought A1 down and B1 has committed an illegal horse-collar foul.

If there is another rule or published case play/approved ruling to counter this I would be interested to review it but until then, I have to stick with what's already published.