Team A has ball for throw in. Player A holds ball through plane where it becomes a live ball. Player B ties up player A for held ball. What's the call? Rule book says "held ball", since throw in was not completed the ball stays with team A for new attempt at throw in. Local veteran official indicated to me that rule for team A retaining posession only applies if the throw in is a result of a posession arrow change and if the throw in was the result of a made try and there is a held ball under same circumstance it goes to posession arrow.

First, the ball is live before the player holds it across the sideline, it becomes live as soon as it's given to the player throwing in.

That out of the way, the held ball in your play is no different from any other held ball - go to the arrow. So, whoever has the arrow gets the throw in. If the play happens during a possession arrow throw in then the team throwing in retains the ball (and the throw in) because they have the arrow and the arrow does not change until the throw in is completed. The held ball does not complete the throw in in this case.

In other words, your friend is correct (but you knew that, right ;) )

This brings up an old scenerio.

Ex: Player A1 is taking the ball out of bounds, and A2 comes and takes it out of his hands while A1 is holding the ball across the OOB line.

No violation, correct?

OK, it makes sense now, you essentially go to the arrow in both cases. The difference is that in the second situation I mentioned earlier team A could stand to lose posession. Thanks.

It's a violation to "hand-off" the ball to get it inbounds. It's called a THROW-in for a reason.

Leave it up to you Bob, right as usual!

For the sake of argument, why is that? We as officials talk about advantage/disadvantage, is that one that needs to be addressed as an unfair one?

What's good for the goose...

I'm just guessing, but I assume the rules committee somewhere laong the line thought that a hand-off didn't allow B to defend as well, and that was "too big" of an advantage for A.

I see your point! But, is there not an opportunity for the defender to guard the ball on a throw in? HMMMMM