Can a player accidentally tap a penalty having elected to kick for goal?

Question

Lets' say that team A are playing team B,

Team A get a penalty inside team B's half. Team B withdraw 10 metres; team A tell the ref they want to kick for goal and the ref does their fancy-pointing-arms thing.

So far, so good.

Often in this situation you'll see a player from team A unconsciously do something while they're waiting for the tee that otherwise could be interpreted as tapping the penalty. Things like dropping the ball and kicking it from foot to foot, a small (say 1/2 metre) kick along the ground, kicking the ball to themselves etc. All within range of the mark for taking a tap penalty and all technically tapping the penalty, but clearly with no intent to do so.

Here's the question:

If this occurs, can the penalty be deemed to have been taken and are team B thus entitled to come forward and pick up the ball/tackle the player in possession?

Answer 1

In rugby union, No. Law 21.5(b) is the relevant one here.

21 Penalty and Free Kicks

21.5 Scoring a Goal from a Penalty Kick

21.5(b)

If the kicker indicates to the referee the intention to kick at goal, the kicker must kick at goal. Once the kicker has made the intention clear, there can be no change of the intention. The referee may enquire of the kicker as to the intention.

The only circumstances in which a kick at goal then might not actually occur are -

• if the kicker doesn't take the kick within 1 minute of indicating their intention. (law 21.4(c) - scrum to the non-kicking team.)
• if the kicker doesn't take the kick correctly (law 21.5 - scrum to the non-kicking team)
• if the kicker's team commit foul play before the kick is taken (law 10.4(n) - penalty to the non-kicking team)