I noticed now I'm on my laptop there were a few typos and bit that weren't as clear as I'd like so I've made a few changes to the post.
I honestly hope it helps people because I do understand that for people who don't know the sport/haven't played the technical penalties can get really messy and hard to follow. I didn't include the lineout because most of the penalties there are actually in the resultant maul but I'm happy to cover anything if anyone is unsure.
I'm also very sorry for anyone who doesn't give a shit about this, I took Rory's request in good faith and hope it will help him if he chooses to watch games going forward.
I've just read through and it absolutely helps, thanks Paul. So how long do you have to let go of the ball/man after a tackle, and what constitutes a completed tackle?
Completed tackle: Knee or arse on the floor.
Letting go is generally when the ref calls the tackle as complete but is policed by outcome so if you're stopping play from progressing you get penalised, if that makes sense.
