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170 results returned for ball-carrier
2 Ball
2.1 The ball is oval and made of four panels. 2.2 It has dimensions as shown here: 2.3 It weighs 410-460 grams. 2.4 Match organisers may permit smaller balls to be used. 2.5 The ball is made of leather or a suitable synthetic material. It may be treated to make it water resistant and easier to grip. 2.6 Its air pressure at the start of play is 65.71-68.75 kilopascals, 0.67-0.70 kilograms pe
Ball held up in in-goal
Space between hands indicates that ball was not grounded.
Not releasing ball immediately in the tackle
Both hands are close to the chest, as if holding an imaginary ball.
Handling ball in ruck or scrum
Hand at ground level, making sweeping action, as if handling the ball.
Unplayable ball in ruck or tackle
Shoulders parallel with the touchline, arm horizontal pointing towards the team to throw in the ball, then pointing the other arm and hand towards the other team’s goal line whilst moving it backwards and forwards.
2025-07 Law clarification - Offside players when ball is in touch
World Rugby have issued a new formal law clarification relating to the status of an offside player when the ball goes into touch, and a quick throw-in is taken. This can be found here.
Law 2: Ball
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2 Ball
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Unplayable ball in maul
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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.
Definitions
l-carrier A player who is in possession of the ball. Beyond or behind or in front of a position Mean ... k or in open play. Multiple team-mates are pre-bound to a dynamic ball-carrier, sometimes in a wedge formatio ... n the two halves of the game. Hand-off A permitted action, taken by a ball-carrier to fend off an opponen ... d in the tackle, they must first clearly release the ball carrier before contesting for the ball. Jerse
21 In-goal
y ball into in-goal - 19.1 table row 5). 21.5 When the ball-carrier grounds the ball in in-goa ... t 21.15 If the ball or ball-carrier touches a corner flag or corner flag post without otherwise bein ... Grounding the ball 21.1 The ball can be grounded in in-goal: a. By holding it and touchin ... t of the player’s body from waist to neck. 21.2 Picking up a ball is not grounding it. A player may pick u
14 Tackle
e to occur, the ball-carrier is held and brought to ground by one or more opponents. Tacklers hav ... y, or waist/base of the sternum in community rugby. The ball carrier has a responsibility to ente ... s that the ball-carrier is lying, sitting or has at least one knee on the ground or on another player who is on the ground. 14.3 Being held means that a tackler must continue holding the ball-carrier unti
11 Knock forward or throw forward
d it (charge down). b. A player rips or knocks the ball from a ball carrier and the ball goes forwar ... m (if the ball goes into touch, the non-offending team may opt instead for a quick-throw or lineout). (See als ... t, makes contact with the ball and the ball goes forward. Sanction: Scrum (if the ball goes into touc ... t not intentionally knock the ball forward with hand or arm. Sanction: Penalty. 11.4 It is not an intentiona
Clarification 2-2011
U the correspondence is reproduced below. “Law 17.6(g) says: “If the ball carrier in a maul goes to groun ... l is immediately available.” Often situations arise in the game when a ball carrier in a maul (especially whe ... s feet need to release the ball carrier given that this is a collapsed maul and not a tackle? b) Does the ball carrier have to release the ball to the opponent on his feet? Law 17.6 (g) indicates a scru
Clarification 4-2011
s where the ball is ripped out of the possession of a ball-carrier by an opponent. In these situation ... e, in the following scenarios, has a knock-on occurred? If so, who has knocked the ball on? 1. Ball-carrier A fro ... l travels towards the blue team’s goal line. (We often see this ruled a knock-on by A). 2. Ball-carrie ... d the ball carrier is not responsible for losing possession. In scenario 1 the ball has been rippe
Enforcement of current law - refereeing at the breakdown - March 2020
t: Immediately release the ball and the ball-carrier after both players go to ground. Immediately move awa ... l line Tackler must roll away 2 ;Ball carrier LAW 14 – Tackle Being brought to ground means that the ball-carrier is lying, sitting or has at least one knee on the groun ... y the ball. Ball carrier must place or play the ball immediately – the ball carrier shoul
16 Maul
s of a ball carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet. A player ripping the ball from the ball carrier must stay in contact with that player until they have transferre ... r than their hips. Sanction: Free-kick. During a maul 16.8 The ball-carrier in a maul may go to groun ... l 16.16 A maul ends and play continues when: a. The ball or ball-carrier leaves the maul. b. The bal
Tag Rugby
y the referee awards a ruck ball to the team that last played the ball. (b) If the ball carrier touche ... n of an attacking player, the referee awards a try. (c) If the ball carrier touches the referee in in-goa ... d the ruck ball. 7.3 When in possession of the ball the ball carrier can attempt to position the bal ... d direction play will continue. 7.5 The ball carrier must hold the ball in two hands when they are withi
Clarification 2-2005
y or hinders the ball carrier or any other player who is in the position to intervene in the pla ... o, doctor, water carrier) unintentionally touches the ball or unintentionally hinders the ball carrie ... o, doctor, water carrier) intentionally touches the ball or intentionally hinders the ball carrie ... y or intentionally touches the ball or unintentionally or intentionally hinders the ball carrier or a playe
Clarification 9-2006
7 Maul 1. During a maul the ball carrier and one of his team mates leave the maul. a. Can an opponent tackle the ball carrier? b. Does the ball carrier have to be the lead player? 2. During a mau ... s bound. a. Can this player tackle the ball carrier? 3. During a lineout, the players who won the bal ... s constitute a maul? b. Can an opponent tackle the ball carrier? c. Does the ball carrier hav
Clarification 1-2014
s not explicitly cover scenarios where the ball is knocked-out of the grasp of a ball carrier. W ... k-on occurred? A ball carrier from team red runs with the ball in the direction of team blue goal lin ... d on the ball. This action caused the ball to be lost “forward” from the ball carrier. The last contac ... l carrier from team Blue to loose possession of the ball and it travels forward. Please confir
Clarification 6-2003
l carriers team mates bind onto the ball carrier." If this is deemed to be sequential, a maul is not formed if players from the ball carrier's team join on to the ball carrier before the oppositio ... t the ball carrier and his team mates as one player, this would allow the ball carrier to be brough ... e or more of the ball carriers team mates bind onto the ball carrier." If this is deemed to be sequentia
18 Touch, quick throw and lineout
e, the ball is in touch and becomes dead. Quick-throws and lineouts are methods of restarting the game with a throw after the ball or ball-carrier has gone into touch. Touch or touch-in-goal 18. ... e, touch-in-goal line or anything beyond; or a ball being held, or the ball-carrier with the bal ... 2) Where the ball reaches the touchline. The kicking team. The ball-carrier goes into touch or kick
Clarification 8-2003
l and the ball carrier is joined by several of his team mates and they move towards the opponents goal lin ... e is liable to penalty. (2) However, if the player from Team B instantaneously brings the ball carrie ... m A joined together, breaking away from a maul with the ball carrier (at the front of this group) not bein ... m Team B grasps an opponent who is not the ball-carrier, then a maul has not been formed, and h
Head Contact Process - High tackle
Video clips 1 No foul play - no contact with the head, neck or throat - play on 2 No sanction - no fault of the player - significant drop by the ball carrier and tackler had no time to readjus ... e and mitigation as there is a sudden drop in height by the ball carrier 7 Yellow card - direct head contact but mitigation as there is a sudden drop in height by the ball carrier
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. b. Tackling the ball-carrier. c. Preventing the opposition from playing as they wish. d. Loiterin
IRB Maul Working Group Outcomes - August 2009
k and trailer’ is not about the ball being one or two players back from the ball carrier when the mau ... e: If the ball carrier player does not bind in this way, the maul is considered to be over and matc ... 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. Cli
Touch Rugby
m is awarded the ruck ball. 6.6 The ball carrier touching the referee (a) If the ball carrier touche ... l Carrier goes to Ground – No Tackle 14.1 If the ball carrier and the ball touch the groun ... 2 If the ball carrier goes to ground and the ball does not touch the ground, then play continues. 14.3 If the ball carrier goes to ground and the ball touches the ground, but the carrier retains contro
Clarification 8-2009
p of team A players but are denied an opportunity to make contact with the ball carrier as the bal ... l carrier is no longer in contact with the ball, it is not possible for the opposition to form a maul by contact with the ball carrier. The Referee will award a penalty kick in accordance with La ... f ManagerSRULaw Reference10Date2009-10-16Request At a lineout team A is throwing in and wins the bal
2026-06 Community Tackle Height law wordings approved
d of play Additional text added to 14.1 14.1 For a tackle to occur, the ball-carrier is held and brough ... y. The ball carrier has a responsibility to enter the tackle safely. (See Laws 9.13, 14.5a and Gam ... e-tackles. Additional optional clauses for Law 14 Game On variation Ball carriers A ball carrier in ope ... y tackle a ball carrier in open play. Sanction: Penalty When two (or more) players mak
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 ... k 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 ... r charge (no arms tackle) to the head or neck of the ball carrier, and mitigation is not applied Hig
9 Foul play
t not intentionally prevent an opponent from tackling or attempting to tackle the ball-carrie ... y to play the ball, other than by competing for possession. Sanction: Penalty. 9.5 A ball-carrier mus ... s of the ball-carrier. Sanction: Penalty. 9.24 A ball-carrier is permitted to hand off an opponent provide ... t off. Obstruction 9.1 When a player and an opponent are running for the ball, neither player ma
2026-07 Law updates
p; For example - a charge down from the field of play which goes dead, and a ball carrier carrying the ball into in-goal near the corner flag and who is then tackled into touch-in-goal before grounding the ball would have been a 22DO - both now become a TLDO. A presentation outlining the majo ... n they will be reviewed. Therefore the brake foot (for all), and elite rugby water carrier restriction
Beach Touch Rugby
s when the ball carrier is touched by an opposition player with two hands simultaneously on any par ... s and must not prevent the ball carrier from playing the ball. Sanction: Free pass Matc ... e the ball between the legs. Sanction: Free pass 15.7 A ball carrier may touch an opposition playe ... e on or beyond the touchline. 19.2 The ball is in touch when the ball carrier (or the ball) touche
Clarification 7-2006
m A. Is this deemed to be a “flying wedge” if the ball remains with the initial ball carrier who is at the front of the group of team A players and not preventing any player from team B tackling the ball carrie ... e of the group of team A players and preventing any player from team B from tackling the ball carrie ... k of the group of team A players and not preventing any player from team B tackling the ball carrie
Beach Tag Rugby
1 When a team causes the ball to go to ground or a ball carrier goes to ground a free pass is awarded to the opponents. If a ball carrier has one knee or both knees on the ground, that player is on the ground. Law 15: Tackle 15.1 A tackle occurs when the ball carrier has a tag removed by an opponen ... t not attempt to pull the ball from the ball carriers hands and must not prevent the ball carrier fro
6 Match officials
y, penalty or dropped goal has been scored. e. The ball or ball-carrier touches the dead-ball line or anything beyond it. f. The ball hits anything above the playing area. The ball or ball-carrier touches the referee or non-player 6.10 If the ball or the ball-carrier touches the referee or other non-playe ... d of play, a scrum is awarded to the team that last played the ball. 6.11 If the ball-carrier touche
Five key areas of refereeing June 2012
t and stay straight 5 Maul The ball carrier at the commencement of the maul must be availabl ... 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
Beach Fives Rugby
5: Tackle 15.1 A tackle occurs when the ball carrier is held by one or more opponents. 15.2 Whe ... e on or beyond the touchline. 19.2 The ball is in touch when the ball carrier (or the ball) touches the touchline or the ground beyond the touchline. 19.3 The place where the ball carrier (or the bal ... e are made of tape, rope, string or inflatable surrounds and include: The dead ball lines and touch-in-goa