Line-out (rugby union)

Last updated
Line-out, Toulouse vs. Lyon OU, in a Top 14 match at Stade Ernest-Wallon ST vs LOU - 21.jpg
Line-out, Toulouse vs. Lyon OU, in a Top 14 match at Stade Ernest-Wallon

A line-out or lineout is a means by which, in rugby union, play is restarted after the ball has gone into touch. When the ball goes out of the field of play, the opposing team is normally awarded a line-out; the exception is after the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick, when the team that was awarded the penalty throws into the line-out. In 2021 World Rugby began trialling what was dubbed the "50:22" (or "50–22") rule, wherein the kicking team has the throw-in if the ball travels from the kicker's half and bounces beyond the opposing 22-meter line. [1] This was inspired by rugby league's 40/20 kick. [2]

Contents

A line-out is formed by players from each team lining up inside the touchline, at 90° to it. A player from the side that did not put the ball into touch then throws the ball back into play.

A line-out is one of the two methods of restarting play after the ball has gone into touch, the other is the "quick throw-in" (sometimes referred to as a quick line-out). Due to the specific rules placed on quick throw-ins they are uncommon in a rugby match, with the majority of restarts from touch taking the form of a line-out.

Line-outs

Position of line-out

Where the line-out is taken depends on the manner in which the ball was played into touch. [3] If it is kicked directly into touch, without first landing in the field-of-play or touching the referee or an opponent who is not in touch, the line-out is formed in line with the spot from where it was kicked, with two exceptions: if the kick was a penalty kick or if the kicker had at least one foot on or behind his own 22-metre line, the line-out is formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line. [3] In all other cases, the line-out is formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line, except that if this spot is within 5 metres of the goal-line, the line-out is formed on the 5-metre line. [3] A line-out is also awarded if a player in possession of the ball crosses or touches the touchline whilst still in possession of the ball. [4]

A player in the line-out will attempt either to catch the ball or to knock it back to a "receiver", a player from their own side (often the scrum-half but sometimes another forward) who is standing close to the line-out on their side of the pitch and in a position to receive such a ball. Each team may have, at most, one receiver at a line-out. [5]

Players not forming part of the line-out, or acting as receiver, must stay at least 11 yards (10 m) behind the line at which the line-out is formed until the line-out is over; the only exception is if the line-out is formed within 11 yards of a team's goal-line, when they need only retreat behind the goal-line. [5] A line-out ends when the ball, or a player carrying it, leaves the line-out, or, if a ruck or maul is formed at the line-out, when all the feet of all the players forming the ruck or maul move beyond the line of touch. [6]

The line-out was originally contested with both teams jumping unsupported to retrieve the ball. However, lifting in the line-out was legalised in 1999 [7] under Law 18 [8] of the World Rugby laws.

Wales (red) win a lineout against England in the 2004 Six Nations Championship. England have chosen not to compete for the ball in the air, but are ready to drive into the ball carrier when he lands. Lineout-EvW-2004.jpg
Wales (red) win a lineout against England in the 2004 Six Nations Championship. England have chosen not to compete for the ball in the air, but are ready to drive into the ball carrier when he lands.
In this line attacking line-out, France (blue) threatens on the 5 metre line, and the Welsh defence mass to stop the drive. Note that the non-throwing hooker (#2, Red) is obliged to stand within 5 metres of the touch line. Six Nations, 2004 Lineout-WvF-2004.jpg
In this line attacking line-out, France (blue) threatens on the 5 metre line, and the Welsh defence mass to stop the drive. Note that the non-throwing hooker (#2, Red) is obliged to stand within 5 metres of the touch line. Six Nations, 2004

Players must not interfere with the opposition during the line-out. [9] In particular, they must not interfere with or tackle a jumper while his feet are off the ground, or interfere with players supporting him; such actions are deemed to be dangerous play and will be penalised with a penalty kick. [9] Players in the line-out must not close the gap or enter the gap, except in the act of jumping for the ball, nor may they jump or support a jumper before the ball is thrown; such actions are penalised with a free-kick. [9] Penalty kicks and free kicks are awarded 15 metres infield from the touch-line.

If the ball is thrown beyond the 15-metre line, a player from the throwing team who is not taking part in the line-out may run forward to take the ball. [10] If he does so, an opponent may also run forward to contest possession. Players who are taking part in the line-out may move beyond the 15-metre line as soon as the ball leaves the thrower's hands. [10] If, however, a player runs forward or infield and the ball is not thrown beyond the 15-metre line, that player is off-side. [10] The line-out ends when the ball crosses the 15-metre line. [6]

Players from the side not throwing may jump to compete for the ball, though they must be careful not to attract a penalty for interfering with an opposing jumper. Alternatively, they may choose not to contest the line-out but to drive onto the catcher as soon as he returns to the ground. Often, when a team is awarded a line-out close to their opponent's goal-line, they will attempt to form a maul around the catcher and drive over the goal-line to score a try. In such cases, the defending team will often seek to disrupt this tactic by driving in on the catcher, taking him to ground immediately, before a maul can form.

Tactics

Teams usually employ a line-out code, to ensure that all players on that team know what is planned, who the ball will be thrown to, what that player will do with it, and what follow-up play is intended. One player from the throwing team is usually designated to shout the code, and it is particularly important that the thrower should know what the code is, so that he can execute the throw as intended.

Quick throw-in

A quick throw-in may be taken without waiting for a line-out to be formed. [11] For a quick throw-in to be legal, the ball can not have been touched by any other person (player or non-player), apart from the player taking the throw or the opponent who may have carried the ball into touch and it can only be taken between the point of the ball leaving the field and the thrower's own goal line, unless a kick-off or restart kick goes straight into touch, in which case the ball may be taken up to the 50 meter line. [11] If a line-out begins to form before the quick throw-in is taken the throw-in is not permitted. [11] To prevent quick throw-ins, members of the opposing team will often race to the point where the ball went into touch to ensure a line-out is forming. In a quick throw-in the player throwing the ball back into play cannot send the ball forward towards the opponent's goal line. However, unlike a line-out, the ball may be thrown back in the direction of the player's own goal line. [11]

See also

Notes

  1. Igoe, Brett (1 October 2021). "Rugby Analysis: How The Irish Provinces Are Tackling The 50:22 Law". Balls.ie. Ireland. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  2. "Rugby looking to adopt its version of league's 40/20 after World Cup". Stuff. New Zealand. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "19.1 Throw-in". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. "Touch: Definitions". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  5. 1 2 "19.8 Lineout: Definitions". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  6. 1 2 "19.9 Beginning and ending a lineout". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  7. Brown, Mathew; Guthrie, Patrick; Growden, Greg (2009). Rugby For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 67. ISBN   9780470677087.
  8. "18 Touch, quick throw and lineout". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org.
  9. 1 2 3 "19.10 Options available in a lineout". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 "19.14 Offside when taking part in the lineout". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "19.2 Quick throw-in". World Rugby Laws. laws.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 8 September 2017.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union</span> Team sport, code of rugby football

Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union or more often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offside (association football)</span> Law in association football

Offside is one of the laws in association football, codified in Law 11 of the Laws of the Game. The law states that a player is in an offside position if any of their body parts, except the hands and arms, are in the opponents' half of the pitch, and closer to the opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.

In rugby football, the offside rule prohibits players from gaining an advantage from being too far forward. The specifics of the rule differ between the two major codes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Try (rugby)</span> Way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football

A try is a way of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area. Rugby union and league differ slightly in defining "grounding the ball" and the "in-goal" area. In rugby union a try is worth 5 points, and in rugby league a try is worth 4 points.

The Laws of the Game are the codified rules of association football. The laws mention the number of players a team should have, the game length, the size of the field and ball, the type and nature of fouls that referees may penalise, the offside law, and many other laws that define the sport. During a match, it is the task of the referee to interpret and enforce the Laws of the Game.

In rugby football, the penalty is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise players who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and may either kick it towards touch, attempt a place kick at goal, or tap the ball with their foot and run it. It is also sometimes used as shorthand for penalty goal.

A free kick in rugby union is usually awarded to a team for a technical offence committed by the opposing side. Free kicks are awarded for technical offences such as playing too many players in a line-out or time wasting at a scrum. A free kick is also awarded for making a mark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throw-in</span> Method of restarting play in association football

A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of association football when the whole of ball passes over the touchline. It is governed by Law 15 of the Laws of the Game. In Scotland it is known as a shy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby league gameplay</span>

Like most forms of modern football, rugby league football is played outdoors on a rectangular grass field with goals at each end that are attacked and defended by two opposing teams. The rules of rugby league have changed significantly over the decades since rugby football split into the league and union codes. This article details the modern form of the game and how it is generally played today, although rules do vary slightly between specific competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of American football and rugby union</span>

A comparison of American football and rugby union is possible because of the games' shared origins, despite their dissimilarities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of rugby league and rugby union</span> Comparison of two of the codes of the team sport rugby: rugby league and rugby union

The team sports rugby union and rugby league have shared origins and thus many similarities. Initially, following the 1895 split in rugby football, rugby union and rugby league differed in administration only. Soon, however, the rules of rugby league were modified, resulting in two distinctly different forms of rugby.

The experimental law variations (ELVs) were a proposed set of amendments to the laws of rugby union. They were proposed by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), and trialled games at Stellenbosch University in 2006. In 2008 thirteen of the 23 variations trialled were played globally including; greater responsibility for assistant referees, corner posts no longer considered to touch in-goal, no gain in ground if the ball is moved into the 22-metre line by a player from the same team as the kicker, quick throw ins can travel backwards, no restrictions to players in the lineout, restrictions on where receivers and opposition hookers can stand in a lineout, pregripping and lifting allowed, mauls can be pulled down and players can enter with their head and shoulders lower than their hips, offside line is five metres away from the scrum for the backs and scrum half must be positioned close to the scrum, all offences apart from foul play and offsides are a free kick, and unplayable rucks and mauls are restarted with a free kick. In 2009 the IRB approved ten of the laws, rejecting the laws relating to mauls, numbers in a lineout and the increase in sanctions punishable by free kicks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union gameplay</span> Contact sport game

Rugby union is a contact sport that consists of two teams of fifteen players. The objective is to obtain more points than the opposition through scoring tries or kicking goals over eighty minutes of playing time. The play is started with one team drop-kicking the ball from the halfway line towards the opposition. The rugby ball can be moved up the field by either carrying it or kicking it. However, when passing the ball it can only be thrown laterally or backward. The opposition can stop players moving up the field by tackling them. Only players carrying the ball can be tackled and once a tackle is completed the opposition can compete for the ball. Play continues until a try is scored, the ball crosses the side line or dead-ball line, or an infringement occurs. After a team scores points, the non-scoring team restarts the game at the halfway with a drop kick toward the opposition. The team with the most points at the end wins the game.

This is a general glossary of the terminology used in the sport of rugby union. Where words in a sentence are also defined elsewhere in this article, they appear in italics.

Rugby league football has accrued considerable jargon to describe aspects of the game. Many terms originate in the Laws of the Game. Some aspects of the game have more than one term referring to them. Different terms have become popularly used to describe an aspect of the game in different places, with notable differences between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrum (rugby union)</span> Means of restarting play after a minor infringement in rugby union

In rugby union a scrum is a means of restarting play after a minor infringement. It involves up to eight players from each team, known as the pack or forward pack, binding together in three rows and interlocking with the three opposing teams front row. At this point the ball is fed into the gap between the two forward packs and they both compete for the ball to win possession. Teams can be penalised for intentionally causing the scrum to collapse, and for not putting the ball into the scrum correctly. A scrum is most commonly awarded when the ball is knocked forward, or passed forward, or when a ball becomes trapped in a ruck or maul. Because of the physical nature of scrums, injuries can occur, especially in the front row.

A penalty in rugby union is the main disciplinary sanction available to the referee to penalise a team who commit deliberate infringements. The team who did not commit the infringement are given possession of the ball and they may either kick it towards touch, attempt a place kick at goal, or tap the ball with their foot and run. It is also sometimes used as shorthand for penalty goal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laws of rugby union</span> Rules for the international sport

The laws of Rugby Union are defined by World Rugby and dictate how the game should be played. They are enforced by a referee, generally with the help of two assistant referees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of association football and futsal</span> Comparison between futsal and association football

Futsal began in the 1930s in South America as a version of association football, taking elements of its parent game into an indoor format so players could still play during inclement weather. Over the years, both sports have developed, creating a situation where the two sports share common traits while also hosting various differences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free kick (association football)</span> Method of restarting play in association football

A free kick is a method of restarting play in association football. It is awarded after an infringement of the laws by the opposing team.

References