Sorry, St.B. Didn't see your answer at the time. If what you say is correct, then perhaps it was legal, because the shielding player was within touching distance of the ball at all times. Mind you, he was very much playing the player behind him, not the ball in front.Not watching, but don't the laws state that the person shielding the ball must be within touching distance of it (unless this has changed).
Have seen many examples of ball shielding when the ball is yards away, making it obstruction in my book.