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169 results returned for dead-ball line
Clarification 2-2012
n until ball is dead. Law 5.7(e) If time expires and the ball is not dead or an awarded scru ... l becomes dead. The ball becomes dead when the referee would have awarded a scrum, lineout, an optio ... n made dead. Advantage cannot be played after the ball has been made dead. 1. Team A have a playe ... e must not let a player rejoin a match until the ball is dead.” The referee in such circumstance
Clarification 2-2007
y Committee A substitution can only be made when the ball is dead. A referee must not let a player rejoin the match until the ball is dead. The ball is dead when the ball is out of play. This happens when the ball has gone outside the playing area and remained there, or when the referee has blow ... s outlined above, the ball is dead, and therefore the answer to each question is in the affirmative.
Clarification 4-2011
m the red team runs towards the blue team’s dead ball line. Opponent B approaches A from in fron ... l travels towards the blue team’s goal line. (We often see this ruled a knock-on by A). 2. Ball-carrier A from the red team runs towards the blue team’s dead ball line. Opponent B approaches A from behin ... s possession of the ball and it goes forward, or when a player hits the ball forward with the han
Enforcement of current Law - June 2012
d but that current Law was to be enforced by match officials including: 1. Ball ripped from a ball carry not to be considered a knock-on 2. Offside when the ball is kicked to touch thereby preventing quick throw ins 3. Squeeze ball and the need to ensure the ball is immediatel
Clarification 5-2016
s to the touch definitions (Law 19) in the Global Law trials will also apply to the dead ball lin ... r who had a foot over a touch in goal line or whether the players foot was over the dead ball lin ... d depend on whether the ball was over the touch in-goal line or dead ball line. The different outcom ... o apply to the dead ball line and to the goal line. Also, note that whether the ball is movin
14 Tackle
6 Tacklers may play the ball from the direction of their own try line provided they have complie ... y the ball. Sanction: Penalty. c. Arrive at the tackle from the direction of their own try line befor ... y player in the tackle or on their feet over the ball. If that point is on or behind the try line, the offside line for that team is the try line. Offside lines created by player on feet over ball 14.1
15 Ruck
d the ball from the ground; or when the ball in the ruck is on or over the try line. 15.20 The ruc ... Principle The purpose of a ruck is to allow players to compete for the ball which is on the groun ... n at least one player from each team are in contact, on their feet and over the ball whic ... r than their hips. Sanction: Free-kick. Offside at a ruck 15.4 Each team has an offside line that run
Clarification 3-2025
r in front of a kicker must be actively retiring towards their own dead ball line while the ball is in pla ... s their own dead ball line. They need to be mindful not to move towards the ball, even if they are movin ... e The ball is dead when the ball is in touch or touch in-goal (Law 6.9) or when play reaches a touchlin ... e. Before the ball is dead, Law 10.4 a, b and c make clear that an offside player in front of a kicker mus
The maul - January/June 2016
For implementation: January 1st 2016 in Southern Hemisphere June 1st 2016 in Northern Hemisphere The ball can be moved backwards hand-to-hand once the maul has formed (see video 1). A player is not allowed to move/slide backwards in the maul when the player is in possession of the ball and the ripper needs to stay in contact with the jumper until they have transferred the ball. Sanction: Penalt
10 Offside and onside in open play
1 A player is offside in open play if that player is in front of a team-mate who is carrying the ball or who last played it. When the last action is a kick, the foot kicking the ball determines the offside line. An offside player must not interfere with play. This includes: a. Playing the ball. ... e offside line; or b. An opposition player carries the ball five metres in any direction; or
16 Maul
y line for more than five seconds but the ball is being moved and the referee can see it, the refere ... l is on the ground. c. The ball is on or over the try line. 16.17 A maul ends unsuccessfully whe ... Principle The purpose of a maul is to allow players to compete for the ball, which is held of ... s of a ball carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet. A playe
Enforcement of current law - refereeing at the breakdown - March 2020
s shown a clear release of the ball and tackled player and arrives from the direction of their own goal line Tackler must roll away 2 ;Ball carrier LAW 14 – Tackle Being brough ... t: Immediately release the ball and the ball-carrier after both players go to ground. Immediately move away from the tackled player and from the ball or get up... Tackler must release Once the tackl
2025-06 Law clarification - Diving over a ruck to score
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.
3 Team
y when the ball is dead and only with the permission of the referee. 3.7 If a player re-join
IRB Maul Working Group Outcomes - August 2009
k of an elongated maul holding the ball whilst the maul moves forward (‘truck and trailer’). An IRB working grou ... y have both hands on the ball and be bound into the maul by other players involved in the maul. Clip 2a - Legal Clip 2b - Legal 3 If a player takes the ball in a formed maul and detache ... 4 If the ball carrying team in the maul is moved backwards at or immediately after the formatio
Clarification 9-2014
r the dead ball line." 21.4 Penalty and free kick options and requirements: "c) No delay. If a kicke ... r the dead ball line, a drop-out is awarded." 22.8 Ball kicked dead through in-goal: "If a team kicks the ball through their opponents' in-goal into touch-in-goal or on or over the dead ball lin ... r the dead ball line, except by an unsuccessful kick at goal or attempted dropped goal, the defending tea
Clarification 1-2009
e cannot be played after the ball is dead. The Definition of dead on page (viii) of the IRB Law Book 2008 is The ball is out of play. 2. The referee will award a scrum at the place of infringemen ... t Senario Team A moves the ball from right to left when the final pass to a colleague close to the touchline is knocked on with the ball crossing the touchline. The non offending side immediately tak
12 Kick-off and restart kicks
t grounds the ball without delay or it goes into touch-in-goal or on or over the dead-ball line, the no ... t be behind the ball. Sanction: Free-kick. 12.6 [Replacement] 12.6 The ball must reach the 10-metre lin ... d by: 12.6 The ball must reach the 10-metre line. Sanction: Free-kick. 12.8 [Replacement] 12.8 If the bal ... s’ in-goal without touching any player and an opponent grounds the ball without delay or it goes dead throug
2025-01 - Global Law Trials
r conversions A new set time to form a lineout (in line with 30 seconds at the scrum) Cleaner play awa ... 1 January 2025. From that date, they will be reflected in World Rugby's digital laws content. &nbs ... n if the ball rolls over and has to be placed again. 8.8a deletion - consequential change The kicker: a. Uses the ball that was in play unless it is defective. Sanction: Kick disallowed Clauses b, c,
2026-06 Law Application Guideline - Players on the wrong side of the maul
r initial dominance at set up, then become ineffective in the contest, and in the way of the ball being played away. What are the key observables? The contest for the ball is over, and player gets beyond the ball and/or into a pulling/dragging position. There is no change in law. The guideline - whic ... t beyond the ball and out of the contest, they leave the maul. Referees are asked to identif
Setting the scene
These 11 questions all relate to areas of the game you need to think about before a match kicks off, or are related to the role of a match official. For example, it will include laws relating to the ground, team, ball, players clothing, time, match officials, and match official signals.
Maul - June 2026
e is a line through the ball. Law 18.33: When a ruck or maul forms at the mark of touch, a participatin ... d to that being maintained. Players in a maul should be contesting for possession of the ball, or pushin ... l The purpose of the maul is set in law: “to allow players to compete for the ball, which is held of ... e the ball-carrier. Sanction: Penalty. At a lineout, lifters must not step in front of the jumper whe
Five key areas of refereeing June 2012
s who wished to use the ball quickly and in space would be entitled to do so. The 5 key area ... e tackled player immediately Tackled player to release or pass ball immediately Assist tacklers to release tackled player immediately Arriving players from both sides to enter through the gate Bal ... t not advance until onside and offside players within 10metres of the ball alighting must retire and continu
Clarification 1-2008
e or both feet on or behind the dead ball line picks up the ball, which was in motion within in-goa ... e or both feet inside (presumably on or behind) the 22-metre line, picks up the ball which was stationary outside the 22-metre line, and kicks it directly into touch, then the player has taken the ball back inside the 22-metre line, and therefore the line-out is formed in line with where the bal
Law Application Guideline - January 2023
0 seconds (playing time) from the time the try was awarded, even if the ball rolls over and ha ... n 60 seconds (playing time) from the time the team indicated their intention to do so, even if the bal ... e, trapping players into ruck, and first arriving players (the jackler) not aiming to play the ball. Players are reminded about their responsibilities not to hold the ball or walk off with the bal
2026-06 Community Tackle Height law wordings approved
e – shoulder line in elite rugby, or waist/base of the sternum in community rugby. The ball carrier ha ... t or to the base of the sternum line. They may also choose to sanction ball-carriers who drop their bod ... s, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders which leads to head contact; or tackling or attemptin
Side entry - July 2022
y play the ball from the direction of their own goal line provided they have complied with [their tackl ... e at the tackle from the direction of their own goal line before playing the ball. Ruck law 15 Principle - The purpose of a ruck is to allow players to compete for the ball which is on the ground. Ruck law 15.5 - An arriving player must be on their feet and join from behind their offside line. Ruck law 15.
Decision-making framework for high tackles - May 2019
e or high tackle? DEFINITIONS Shoulder charge Arm of the shoulder making contact with the ball carrie ... e causing head contact, where head contact is identified by clear contact to ball carrier’s head/neck OR the head visibly moves backwards from the contact point OR the ball carrier requires an HIA Not ... E: Was there ball carrier head/neck contact? What is the degree of danger – high or low? Are there clea
17 Mark
t on or behind their own 22-metre line when catching the ball or when landing having caught it in the air; and b. Catch a ball that has reached the plane of the 22-metre line directly from an opponent’ ... 2 A player may claim a mark even if the ball hits a goal post or crossbar before being caught. 17.3 Whe ... t five metres from the try line, in line with the place of the mark. Within the in-goal On the fiv
Enforcement of current Law - May 2015
n to catch the ball. Even if the player(s) land(s) dangerously, play on Penalty only - Fai ... s stationary and the ball is available, the referee will call "use it" Sanction all players who join in front of the ball carrier – Law 17.4(c) The ripper must be bound – it will be accidental offsid
Head Contact Process - March 2021
t. Not all head contacts are foul play Accidental contact with the ball-carrier tackled into the defende ... 5 and red 14 - both competing for the ball at the same height The ‘power of choice’ for tackler ... s low force 4. Is there any mitigation? Considerations include: Line of sight Sudden and significan ... n should be applied. Play on No fault Sudden and significant drop in height by the ball carrier Player ha
Laws app - what's new
d into full law (the GLT designation removed from laws content) Minor changes to law wordings throughout - see news here Law clarification relating to players handling the ball when the contes ... s of offside player when ball goes into touch and a quick throw-in is taken Global Law Trial texts aroun ... w user experience for downloading the app for first time, and for content updates for existing user
Charging into the ruck - February 2010
s charging. A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to gras
Clarification 1-2017
y in relation to: Bringing the 22m line in line with the clarification (clarification 5 from 2016) for goal line and dead ball line: http://laws.worldrugby.org/?domain=10&year=2016&clarificatio ... h definitions (Law 19) will also apply to the 22m line as well as the dead ball line and to the goal line. The alignment of the 22m line provisions with Law 19 does not affect the definition of Law 18 - Mark.
2025-04 Minor law amends to protect medical staff and add minimum perimeter areas
s and the ball persons. Law 6.30 “No additional persons should approach, address or aim comment
12 Kick-off and restart kicks
l or on or over the dead-ball line, the non-kicking team is awarded a free-kick. ... 6 The ball must reach the 10-metre line. Sanction: The non-kicking team has the option of the kick being retaken or a scrum. Replaced by: 12.6 The ball must reach the 10-metre line. Sanction: Free-kic ... d the centre of the half-way line. Sanction: The non-kicking team has the option of the kick bein
Clarification 3-2009
g”. Law 5.7 (e) stipulates that “if time expires and the ball is not dead or a scrum or lineout has been awarded, the referee allows play to continue until the next time that the ball becomes dead.” The ball is dead “when it has gone outside the playing area, or when the referee has blown the whistl ... o originally threw in the ball will throw the ball in again.” Situation 1 Following these provision
Clarification 2-2010
e will expire immediately after the kick and the kicker: • Does not kick the ball ten metres • Kicks the ball directly into touch • Kicks the ball dead on or over the opponents touch-in-goal or dead ball lin ... 9 respectively and the match continues until the ball next becomes dead. ... n that it is to be the “last play” of the match. If the ball is kicked directly out on the full from the restar
Clarification 1-2015
s and the ball is not dead, or an awarded scrum or lineout has not been completed, the referee allows play to continue until the next time that the ball becomes dead. The ball becomes dead whe ... n Law. Time is taken from the strike on the ball. Scenario 2 Can the same logic be applie ... e on the ball. In the specific query where the conversion was kicked at 79:50 then the referee should allo
Clarification 4-2015
t, then the game is over. Law 5.7(e) reinforces this: If time expires and the ball is not dea ... t time that the ball becomes dead. The ball becomes dead when the referee would have awarded a scru ... o: There is a ruck and the referee blows the whistle because the ball becomes unplayable and then blow ... k and kicked the ball. The referee requests a review by the TMO that confirms the actio