Set-Pieces

Various set-pieces occur in play, such as:

Restart Kicks

At the start of each half, one side kicks off. One team, determined by the toss of a coin, takes a drop kick from the middle of the centre line to start the first half. The ball must travel at least 10 metres into the opposition half. The other team kicks off the second half. The kicking side frequently kick the ball high and aims to drop it just over the 10 metre minimum, which is marked by a dashed line across the pitch. This tactic gives their players time to chase the lobbed ball and hope to catch it before the defenders can do so. Alternatively the kick may be a long kick deep into opposition territory, sacrificing the chance to regain possession for territorial gain.

Similarly, there is also a 22 metre drop-out. This is awarded if the attacking side is responsible for sending the ball into in-goal, but instead of their player grounding the ball and scoring a try it is first grounded by a defender. If the ball is kicked into in-goal by the attackers and instead of being grounded there by either side, it continues under its own steam through the in-goal area and goes dead by going out of play, then the defenders have the option of choosing either a 22 drop out or a scrum at the place where the attackers kicked the ball. The 22 metre drop out is taken at any point along (or behind) the 22 metre line.

In rugby union, unlike association football (soccer), the lines bordering the field of play are themselves regarded as out of play. Thus, a player standing on but not over the touch line is regarded to be "in touch".

Tackle

A player may tackle an opposing player who has the ball by holding them while bringing them to the ground. If a ball carrier is held by an opposition player but still has forward momentum they may continue to slide over the goal-line and score a try. One knee touching the ground, or the ball touching the ground, is sufficient for a ball carrier to be deemed to be grounded. A tackled player must release the ball, and the tackler must release them and move away, allowing the ball to become available, or for a ruck to form. If the ball-carrier is held but is not on the ground, then it is not a tackle and a maul may form.

Players will often deliberately go to ground rather than allow a maul to form, to take advantage of the rules governing rucks and mauls. Once a player has gone to the ground and at least two others players are rucking (usually by locking shoulders and pushing each other, in an attempt to secure positioning), a ruck is formed. No player can advance past the back foot of the members of their team unless they are joining the ruck. If a player does so and interferes with the play, for example by touching the ball, the result would be an offside call. The ball is recovered from a ruck when a rucking player is able to get a hold of a ball and either make a run or pass the ball out of the ruck.

In a maul situation, the team not in possession is allowed to actively compete for the ball by trying to wrestle it from the carrier. Therefore, it is easier to retain possession of the ball in a ruck (in which the opposition cannot touch the ball) than in a maul, and a ruck will often allow a team to recover the ball quickly and move it on so as to launch another attack before the defenders have had time to re-organise.

There are a number of laws governing how to tackle, the most notable of which are that the tackler cannot tackle above the shoulder (the neck and head are out of bounds), and the tackler has to attempt to wrap their arms around the player being tackled to complete the tackle. It is illegal to trip a player using feet or legs, but hands may be used (this being referred to as a tap-tackle or ankle-tap).

Ruck

A ruck is a contest for possession. Once a tackle has grounded a player, they must release the ball and try to move out of the way, as must the tackler. The first player arriving from either side may pick up the ball; however as soon as two players, one from each side, bind together - usually by locking shoulders as they face each other - with the ball at their feet, they have formed a ruck. As more players arrive they may join the ruck, but must do so from their own side.

In a ruck, no player may use their hands to win the ball; instead each side attempts to push the other side back, and players use their feet to hook the ball backwards towards their own side - an action known as "rucking the ball" where it will be picked up by the scrum-half who waits behind the ruck. Players in a ruck may not deliberately go to ground themselves. If the ball becomes trapped in a ruck, the referee awards a scrum to the side going forward.

Most infringements occur in rucks. Players may seek to slow down the speed of the recycling of the opposition's ball or speed up their own by using their hands illegally, or by lying over the ball, or going to ground deliberately. Such infringements result in penalties.

If the attacking team loses possession by legal means, either because of the attacking player dropping the ball or a defending player stealing it, then the ball is said to have been "turned over". After a turn over, play carries on as before, except that the attacker/defender roles of the two teams are switched.

Maul

A maul is formed if the ball carrier is held up after a tackle and one player from each side binds onto thyem and tries either to rip the ball away or push them forwards. Once a maul has formed, other players may join in but, as in a ruck, they must do so from their own side. If the maul stops moving forward, then the referee awards a scrum to the side not in possession when the maul began.

The tactic of the rolling maul occurs when mauls are set up, and the ball is passed backwards through the players hands to one at the rear, who rolls off the side to create a new maul. This tactic can be extremely effective in gaining ground and takes great skill and technique both do properly and to try to prevent. It's a tactic most commonly used when the attacking side is inside their opponents 22.

It is illegal, on safety grounds, to pull down a maul, so that players fall to the ground. Referees are aware that many sides will try to stop a maul by deliberately collapsing it and will watch carefully for this illegal tactic.

Scrum

Referees generally call scrums for knock-ons, where a player drops the ball forwards, or for other accidental misdemeanours. If a penalty is awarded for a more serious offence, the team to which it is awarded may elect to have a scrum rather than take a penalty kick. This is usually called for if the attacking team is close to the opposition's goal-line, and want to wrap up all of the defending forwards in one place to give the backs more space - or if they believe they can force the scrum over the goal-line and score a "pushover" try.

Line-Out

When the ball goes into touch the referee calls a line-out. The forwards of each team line up a metre apart between 5m and 15m from the touchline. If the ball went out from a penalty, the side who gained the penalty throws the ball in, if not the other team does so. Both sides compete for the ball, and some players may lift their team mates.