From @masak

<masak> rakudo​: class X {method x (*@​_) {say @​_} }; X.new.x(5)
<p6eval> rakudo 3704a2​: OUTPUT«Placeholder variables cannot be used in
a method [...]
<masak> whoz op with that?
<moritz_> b0rkaged
<jnthn> masak​: Probably it's being a bit over-eager.
<moritz_> rakudo​: class X {method x {say @​_} }; X.new.x(5)
<p6eval> rakudo 3704a2​: OUTPUT«Placeholder variables cannot be used in
a method [...]
<jnthn> masak​: The "we has @​_ and we're in a method so cry" check
probably wants to also check "is @​_ defined already".
<jnthn> And not worry about it if so.
* masak submits rakudobug
<masak> quietfanatic++ for discovering it

From @moritz

fixed by jnthn++

@moritz - Status changed from 'new' to 'resolved'

From @kyleha

This is an automatically generated mail to inform you that tests are now available in t/spec/S12-methods/instance.t

commit af093547fb0e2b08548fada0958b881a778e8b50
Author​: moritz <moritz@​c213334d-75ef-0310-aa23-eaa082d1ae64>
Date​: Sat May 8 10​:45​:48 2010 +0000

  [t/spec] test for RT #​72940, *@​_ in method signature
 
  git-svn-id​: http://svn.pugscode.org/pugs@&#8203;30588 c213334d-75ef-0310-aa23-eaa082d1ae64

diff --git a/t/spec/S12-methods/instance.t b/t/spec/S12-methods/instance.t
index efcc6cc..fd9610b 100644
--- a/t/spec/S12-methods/instance.t
+++ b/t/spec/S12-methods/instance.t
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use v6;
 
 use Test;
 
-plan 31;
+plan 32;
 
 =begin pod
 
@@ -183,4 +183,13 @@ is AnonInvocant.new().me, AnonInvocant, 'a typed $: as invocant is OK';
     is $tracker, 5, ' ... and got right result (implicit)';
 }
 
+# RT #72940
+{
+    class X {
+        method x(*@_) { @_[0] };
+    }
+    is X.new.x('5'), '5', 'can use explicit @_ in method signature';
+
+}
+
 # vim: ft=perl6