Offside player intentionally catches knock forward ball by his team mate

Question

So I was watching the old Ireland tour in New Zealand from 2022. I noticed an interesting play that got called as a simple knock on but I think it may have been more.

The scenario is- All Black player knocks the ball forward in contact and All Black player beside him. Intentionally catches the forward knock on.

I feel like the ruling would be that the player who caught the knock on is it an offside position because they are ahead of the player to last had the ball on his team and intentionally playing a ball in an offside position is a penalty.

I believe this was a huge discrepancy at the last World Cup when this very situation happened in the game between Australia and Scotland, and essentially lost Scotland the game because of this missed call.

Thoughts?

Answer 1

If it is an accidental knock-on by the first player, the second player cannot be offside. The sanction is a scrum only.

Law 10 Offside, part 3:

A player who receives an unintentional throw forward is not offside.

If it is a deliberate knock-on or throw-forward by the first player, the second player is irrelevant, because the opposing team should choose the penalty with an extra metre or more distance in their favour, especially over a scrum.

Law 10 Offside, part 4:

Sanction: The non-offending team can choose either:

i. Penalty at the place of infringement; or

ii. Scrum where the offending team last played the ball.

versus Law 11 Knock-on or Throw forward, part 4:

A player must not intentionally knock the ball forward with hand or arm. Sanction: Penalty.