Last weekend went to a meeting and this play came up and got me thinking....

A grounded free kick rolling towards the sidelines. R23 is straddling the sidelines at R-19, he touches the ball, which has bounced into the air, while the ball is (a) above the field of play, or (b) beyond the sidelines.

What do you have?

(a) R23 has caused the ball to go OOB. R's ball at the R19.

(b) K's kick has gone OOB. R may take the ball 25 yards from where it was kicked, have K re-kick, or take to ball at the 19.

I know this would be the ruling if the ball was caught in flight. I see no reason for a grounded kick to be any different. But I've been wrong before. :)

A) I have the ball becoming dead immediately when the player touches the loose ball - no foul.

B) I have the ball becoming dead here as well when the player touches the loose ball and the kick is considered to have gone out of bounds by K's kick, foul on K.

UPDATE - BBR you hit enter before I did. Good morning!

I concur with the above rulings.

This is one where the "cartoon" book has an excellent illustration - look under rule 4-3-1. In my copy (2003 edition) it's on page 40.

For those with the 2005 funny book, it's on page 45.