Originally Posted by
The Ref
I will answer this question is its two parts
a) A question similar to this actually started this thread so this is the answer I gave then
There is no rule. If a player kicks the ball out of play, the opposition are under no obligation to return the ball to them, also if the referee stops the game in order for a player to receive treatment and no foul has occured, a drop ball restarts the game neither team is obligated to return the ball. (For a drop ball) If a player states to the referee that he is returning the ball to the oppisition and the drop ball becomes uncontested and that player "changes his mind" and dosen't pass the ball back, there is nothing the referee can do (offically), in practice, most referees will stop the game and re-drop the ball which will then become fiercly contested.
The Ref