Play-the-Ball
Every time a player is tackled, all defenders, apart
from a maximum of two markers, have to retreat 10
metres from the play-the-ball area. This will be
marked by the referee (in other words the defending
side retire back to the referee). The defending side
may advance when the ball is rolled back by the foot.
If they move forward early, or don’t retire
far enough back, it’s a penalty.
Six Tackles
A tackle is completed when the ball or the ball-carrying
arm of the player has touched the ground and a tackler
is touching him. After six tackles the ball must
be handed over.
Offside
If a player is in front of a teammate who kicks the
ball forward, he is offside. He’s back onside
if the receiver who gets the ball runs 10 metres,
or fumbles the ball, or the kicker overtakes him.
Foul Play
High tackles (contact above the shoulders) are not
allowed, and incur a penalty (a kick for goal, a
kick to touch followed by a fresh ‘set of six’ tackles,
or - if the team wishes – just a ‘set
of six’ tackles). Stealing the ball from a
player when there is more than one player involved
in the tackle, or impeding a man when he hasn’t
got the ball is also illegal.
40/20 Rule
If a player standing no more than 40 metres away from
his own try line manages to a kick a ball in general
play which bounces in the field of play then goes
into touch inside his opponents’ 20-metre area,
his side gets the head and feed at the scrum, almost
certainly giving them possession again and six more
tackles in an attacking position.
For a detailed look at the
Laws of the Game simply click on the PDF icon at
the top of the page.
