Find the ball’s state before contact
World Rugby Law 21 permits grounding by holding the ball and touching it to the ground, or by the specified downward contact on a loose ball. Merely picking a ball up is not grounding.
Imagine a player carrying the ball into in-goal and touching it down. Compare a player reaching a loose ball and lifting it clear of the turf before doing anything else. The ball was near the ground in both scenes, but the second player has not grounded it simply by collecting it.
Why the approach angle matters
A camera behind a player can hide the gap between ball and turf. A close-up may show a hand while failing to show whether the ball was held or loose immediately beforehand. Trace that history before reducing the discussion to whether a palm appeared on top.
Grounding is one requirement, not a complete permission to award a try regardless of touchlines or preceding infringements. The original comparison isolates the physical grounding route. It helps a viewer understand why officials need more than a picture of a player possessing the ball somewhere behind the line.
Questions answered
Is picking up a loose ball the same as grounding it?
No.
Does a grounding close-up settle every other try requirement?
No.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.