David Leggat: When Lions try to get at the ball

In a few weeks the Lions will be here.

Their forward pack is sure to contain a few hard nuts, including a ginger-haired lock from Munster, Paul O'Connell. They can be a bit wild from around that part of Ireland and O'Connell's not averse to a spot of how's your father.

O'Connell has just been given a two-week suspension for punching in the Six Nations decider against Wales. But that's by the way.

He is also a fine, rugged footballer, but not averse to putting his size 13s where - as we now know from events this week - the laws of rugby state, he shouldn't. A young man's Martin Johnson, if you like.

Now picture this: it's five minutes from the end of the first test on June 25. The All Blacks are three points ahead and a ruck develops near their line. As O'Connell and his mates arrive they peer down and see a black shirt with a big 7 on it, blocking their way to the ball.

What do O'Connell and Co do? I'll tell you what they won't do: stand and appeal to the referee. You won't hear, "Please ref, Richie's in the way. Again".

Now I know you've heard it all before, day after day. You've studied it ad infinitum, frame by frame and here's some bloke banging on about it again.

But just so you know, read this from the laws of rugby, more specifically, Law 16.3 (f): "A player rucking for the ball must not ruck players on the ground. A player rucking for the ball tries to step over players on the ground and must not intentionally step on them. A player rucking must do so near the ball."

There it is, word for word. Throw in Law 10.4 ("A player must not stamp or trample on an opponent") for good measure. Cue rejoicing from the world's loosies.

Blues lock Ali Williams stepped on McCaw, who was blocking his way to the ball. Feet were going up and down.

Fair enough, too, many will say, but was he rucking, which is supposed to involve the rucker moving forward, feet moving back and ruckee being despatched out the back?

That rule suggests countless players have been breaking that law without punishment for years. So why Williams? Why now? And why six weeks, which seems over the top?

Is this the end of an integral part of the game? Maybe it is, as the Blues have suggested in their appeal on Williams' behalf, a case of a too literal interpretation of the laws.

After all, what's a bloke to do if he can't get at the ball. I'll bet O'Connell and and his mates have a fair idea.

The Blues are right to appeal. They believe their man has been done down and that's what the appeal process is for.

Consistency won't happen in the Sanzar judiciary until the sensible step is taken to have a permanent panel of three or four men drawn from the three countries. They should meet by video conference.

You'll still have room for inconsistency as no two situations are identical, but it will help.

ERNIE AND RUSS

Just when we'd almost forgotten them, Ernesto Bertarelli and Russell Coutts are at it again. Or rather, they're not.

Yesterday's brief press statement that they have "amicably settled their past disagreements" was suitably vague. Both men expressed "deep satisfaction" with the "positive" outcome.

What is there to be positive about, certainly from Coutts' perspective? The nature and wording and timing of the statement - as the pair were before the International Sailing Federation review board - only opens them up to speculation about what on earth they're up to.

If you want to get into theories, you might wonder if the wording that Coutts "shall not sail" for another team in the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia leaves him open to work in an off-the-water capacity, providing, of course, he gets around the 180-day stand-down clause Bertarelli brought in for his benefit to sideline him for Valencia after he parted company with Alinghi.

Here's another theory. Bertarelli and Co can't be bothered working their way through various legal battlegrounds with Coutts, and offered him a boatload of money to lie low until 2008.

Then again, since getting chopped by Alinghi, Coutts has talked nothing but a fierce desire to get back in the game. So maybe Coutts is just tired of it all and fancies a break.

The America's Cup is all about machinations and deviousness. Or as a mate of mine, no fan of the event, says, it's nothing more than "big boys playing bath-tub battleships".