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48 results returned for ruck
15 Ruck
Principle The purpose of a ruck is to allow players to compete for the ball which is on the ground. Forming a ruck 15.1 A ruck can take place only in the field of play. 15.2 A ruck is formed whe ... h is on the ground. 15.3 Players involved in all stages of the ruck must have their heads and shoulders no lower than their hips. Sanction: Free-kick. Offside at a ruck 15.4 Each team has an offside line that run
Charging into the ruck - February 2010
Players entering a ruck must do so in accordance with the Laws of the Game. Referees are reminded that appropriate binding is a requirement, and charging into a ruck is dangerous play and must be penalised as such. The video clips below all show examples of illegal charges into the ruck. Law text JOINING A RUCK A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whol
Offside at the ruck - May 2014
When a scrum half attempts to retrieve the ball from a ruck, the ball is not out until that player has picked the ball up from the ground. In the clip the scrum half is taken out by the player before the ball is off the ground and this would be deemed to be offside by the player tackling the scrum half. If, however, the scrum half had picked up the ball and a defending player tackles the scru
2026-06 Law clarification - Actions of a scrum half when ending a ruck
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the actions of a scrum half when ending a ruck. It can be found here.
2025-06 Law clarification - Diving over a ruck to score - June 25
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the actions of a ball carrier diving over a ruck to score a try. This can be found here.
Law 15: Ruck
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Intentionally collapsing ruck or maul
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Handling ball in ruck or scrum
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Offside at scrum, ruck or maul
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Unplayable ball in ruck or tackle
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Joining a ruck or a maul in front of the back foot and from the side
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Key contests areas in the game
These ten questions relate to key contest areas in rugby - Kick-offs, Restarts, Tackle, Ruck and Maul.
Clarification 3-2007
f ManagerGRULaw Reference16Date2007-10-01Request 1. A ruck is formed and the ball is playable for Team A. All players in Team B now leave the ruck and step back. Is there still a ruck or has the ruck ended? Ruling of the designated members of the Rugby Committee A ruck ends successfully when the ball leaves the ruck or when the ball enters in goal i.e. on or over the goal line. A ruck end
Definitions
s position) if not for an act of foul play by an opponent. Phase of play Scrum, lineout, ruck or mau ... e kick is not a restart kick. Ruck A phase of play where one or more players from each team, wh ... g Legally using one’s feet to try to win or keep possession of the ball in a ruck. S Sanction The metho
Enforcement of current law - refereeing at the breakdown - March 2020
g player LAW 15 – Ruck Once a ruck has formed, no player may handle the ball unless they were able to get their hands on the ball before the ruck formed and stay on their feet. Players must endeavour to remain on their feet throughout the ruck. A “jackler” is a player who wins possession of the ball before a ruck forms Reward the player who wins the race for possession Remove the concep
Side entry - July 2022
w with regards to direction and angle of arriving players at the breakdown, ruck and maul. The key message is that players “square up” to enter the breakdown/ruck. Existing law: Tackle Law 14.6 - Tacklers ma ... e] responsibilities and a ruck has not formed. Tackle law 14.8c - Other players must arrive at the tackle from the direction of their own goal line before playing the ball. Ruck law 15 Principl
Clarification 2-2022
y relating to when a ball is deemed to be leaving/emerging from a ruck and when such a ball can be dived on to claim control of the ball. Law 15 describes how a ruck ends, and says a player cannot fal ... 6: “Players must not: d) Fall over the ball as it is coming out of a ruck.” Law 15.18: “A ruck ends and play continues when the ball leaves the ruck or when the ball in the ruck is on or over the goa
Clarification 7-2009
y that players are required to join a ruck which appears to be covered by a number of sections in the Law Book and in particular: Law 16.2 (b) A player joining a ruck must bind onto the ruc ... e into a ruck or maul without binding onto a player in the ruck or maul. This leads to the following questions: 1. Does a player joining a ruck have to bind on a team-mate? 2. Can a player joinin
Laws app - what's new
d into full law (the GLT designation removed from laws content) Minor changes to law wordings throughou ... t in a ruck is over May 2026 New Law Application Guideline covering players on the 'wrong' sid ... w clarification covering disciplinary issues arising from a charge into a ruck August 2025 La ... f June 2025 Clarification around diving over a ruck to score a try Japanese translations refinement
Tag Rugby
n no infringement, and the ball has not been made dead, play restarts with a ruck ball to the team last in possession of the ball. If neither team was in possession, the attacking team is awarded the ruck bal ... y the referee awards a ruck ball to the team that last played the ball. (b) If the ball carrier touche ... r which is not covered by these Laws, play restarts with a ruck ball to the team last in possessio
Touch Rugby
y because of player injury when an infringement has not occurred, play resumes with a ruck bal ... m is awarded the ruck ball. 6.6 The ball carrier touching the referee (a) If the ball carrier touche ... e in the field of play, the referee awards a ruck ball, ground touch or free pass to the team that las ... h is in the opposition half is awarded the ruck ball. 7.3 The ball must not be kicked in open pla
Clarification 3-2021
s. See attached clips of ruck side extensions: CLARIFICATION REQUEST: Are the actions as describe ... n side of the ruck, in order to advance closer to the opposition side of the ruck, as show ... d below: Ruck – players rotating around the side of rucks Black 6 has rotated around the side of the ruck. He must return to be behind the hindmost foot before being able to be involved in play, onc
2025-01 - Global Law Trials
y from the ruck/maul/scrum Not straight at uncontested lineout = play on The following wer ... 1 January 2025. From that date, they will be reflected in World Rugby's digital laws content. &nbs ... y at set piece Rationale: Protect the 9 to enable more ball in flow from base of ruck, maul and scrum Ruck: New 15.18 15.18: A player who is, or was part of the ruck may not play an opponent wh
Shape of the Game: Reinforcement of current law - March 2024
p play away from a tackle/ruck, there are a number of existing laws which we remind all stakeholders about: Ending a ruck 15.17: When the ball has been clearly won by a team at the ruc ... m the ruck within five seconds. Sanction: Scrum Definitions: Played: The ball is played whe ... g the ball after it is clearly won and available in a ruck. This will limit the time available for mor
10 Offside and onside in open play
m a charge down. Retiring from a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout 10.9 A player who is offside at a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout remains offside, even after the ruck, maul, scrum or lineout has ended. 10.1
Maul - June 2026
e of the maul. (See Law Clarification 3-2021 relating to ruck entry.) Law 16.10 All player ... e is a line through the ball. Law 18.33: When a ruck or maul forms at the mark of touch, a participating player may either: a) join the ruck or maul; or b) Retire to the offside line which is the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the ruck or maul. Law 18.37: The lineout ends when b) A ruck or maul form
Clarification 2-2026
d: Are the actions of a scrum half moving beyond the back foot of the ruck and moving the ball with their hands consistent with Ruck laws? Relevant Laws Law 15: Ruck Offside at a ruck - 15.4: Each team has an offside line that runs parallel to the try line through the hindmost point of any ruc ... e. During a ruck - 15.11: Once a ruck has formed, no player may handle the ball unless they were able to ge
9 Foul play
l. Sanction: Penalty. 9.15 Except in a scrum, ruck or maul, a player who is not in possessio ... e a scrum. Sanction: Penalty. 9.20 Dangerous play in a ruck or maul. a. A player must not charge into a ruck or maul. Charging includes any contact made without binding onto another player in the ruc ... e of the shoulders. Sanction: Penalty. c. A player must not intentionally collapse a ruck or a maul. Sanctio
Law Application Guideline - January 2023
e, trapping players into ruck, and first arriving players (the jackler) not aiming to play the bal ... y the ball. Ruck law 15.12: Players must endeavour to remain on their feet throughout the ruck Mau
18 Touch, quick throw and lineout
l into their half, or a tackle, ruck or maul took place within the half, or an opponent touched the ball withi ... 2, no tackle, ruck or maul took place and no opponent touched the ball within the 22. If a player, wh ... e, ruck or maul took place within the 22 or an opponent touched the ball within the 22. &nbs ... h. After that, their offside line is a line through the ball. 18.33 When a ruck or maul forms at the mar
Clarification 1-2025
5 Union / HP Ref Manager HP Referee Manager Law Reference 15 Date 23 June 2025 Request At a ruc ... r the ruck in an attempt to score a try. Is this legal or should it be sanctioned? Clarificatio ... e: Law 15.16b: A player must not jump on top of a ruck; or Law 9.11 which covers action ... n be tackled providing it can be done safely (see Clarification 2022-3). In these specific ruc
14 Tackle
d with the above responsibilities and a ruck has not formed. 14.7 Tackled players must immediatel ... 1 The tackle ends when: a. A ruck is formed. b. A player on their feet from either team gain
19 Scrum
e or ruck. In the scrum zone at the point closest to where the tackle or ruck took place. The tea ... k-off or restart kick was taken. The non-kicking team. Failure to “use it” at scrum, ruck or maul. In the scrum zone at the point closest to where the scrum, ruck or maul took place. The tea
XRugby
d-off must be a push action below the line of the arm pit. Ruck A ruck comprises a maximum of tw
Clarification 1-2005
t The IRFU has requested a ruling with regard Law 16-Ruck 1. To paraphrase the definitio ... y. In 16.3(f) it states that 'a player rucking for the ball must not ruck players on the groun ... n a player is in a ruck and bound correctly {Law 16.2(b)} and that any player not caught in or bound in the ruck cannot be rucking for the ball and is therefore liable to penalty for Dangerous Pla
2024-07 Law changes
y 2024. From that date, they will be reflected in World Rugby's digital law content. Offsid ... p; A player may lever the jackler out of the contest at the ruck but must not drop their weight onto the
Clarification 1-2026
0(a): A player must not charge into a ruck or maul. Charging includes any contact made without binding onto another player in the ruck or maul. Definition: Binding Grasping another player’s body firml ... w 9: Foul Play - Dangerous play in a ruck and maul Regulation 17: Annex 1 - Foul play sanction ... h has a lower sanctions outcome than Clause a. 9.20 Dangerous play in a ruck or maul. a. A playe
8 Scoring
8.1 Methods and points value of scoring: a. Try. Five points. b. Conversion. Two points. c. Penalty try. Seven points. d. Penalty goal. Three points. e. Dropped goal. Three points. Try 8.2 A try is scored when an attacking player: a. Is first to ground the ball in the opponents’ in-goal. b. Is first to ground the ball when a scrum, ruck or maul reaches the try line. c. With the bal
Clarification 8-2006
Ruling in Law by the Designated Members of the Rugby Committee Clarification 8-2006 Union / HP Ref Manager FFR Law Reference 16 Date 2006-11-29 Request The FFR has requested a ruling with regard to Law 16 Ruck Question: 1. Can the referee allow a defender coming from his sid ... e on the ball as soon as it emerges from the ruck, by diving over the players on the ground in fron
Clarification 2-2018
s Law Variation Trial with respect to Law 16, Amended Ruck Law (Law 15 as of 1 January 2018): “A ruc ... t on Monday 16 April and agreed to bring the Ruck law trial into full law. They also agree ... r is on their feet and over the ball, which is on the ground. A ruck is formed when at least on