Back to Refereeing HomepageLAW 23. TOUCH AND LINE-OUT
A. Touch
(1) The ball is in touch
* when it is not being carried by a player and it touches a touch line or the ground or a person or object on or beyond it, or
* when it is being carried by a player and it or the player carrying it touches a touch line or the ground beyond it.
(2) If the ball is not in touch and has not crossed the plane of the touchline, a player who is in touch may kick the ball or propel it with his hand but not hold it.
(3) The ball in deemed to have been kicked directly into touch if, from a kick, it is in touch without having pitched on the playing area or without having touched or been touched in flight by a player or the referee.
Notes:- (i) (a) If the ball is kicked directly into touch from a kick-off and the opposing team elects to accept the kick, the line-out shall be formed
(i) at the half-way line, or
(ii) where the ball went into touch if that place be nearer to kicker's goal line.
(b) If the ball is kicked directly into touch from a drop-out and the opposing team elects to accept the kick, the line-out shall be formed where the ball went into touch.
(ii) On or beyond the touch-line or touch-in-goal line refers to all areas except the playing area.
(iii) It is not touch or touch-in-goal when a player with both feet in the playing area catches the ball, even though the ball before being caught has crossed the touch-line or touch-in-goal line. Such a player may deflect or tap the ball into the playing area provided it is not propelled forward. If a player jumps and catches the ball his feet must land in the playing area.
B. Line-Out
The line-of-touch is an imaginary line in the field-of-play at right angles to the touch line through the place where the ball is to be thrown in. Formation of line-out
(1) A line-out is formed by at least two players from each team lining up in single lines parallel to the line-of-touch in readiness for the ball to be thrown in between them. The team throwing in the ball shall determine the maximum number of players from either team who so line up. Such players are those 'in the line-out' unless excluded below. (F.K.)
Note:- (iv) Prior to the beginning of the line-out, a free kick should be awarded for offences in forming the line-out, including wilfully failing to form a line-out or to line up at least two players.
(2) Each team must line up half a metre on its side of the line-of-touch, so as to leave a clear space of one metre between the two lines of players. (F.K.)
Note:- (v) The distance of one metre for the clear space is between the shoulders of the players when standing upright.
(3) The line-of-touch must not be less than one metre from the goal-line. The line-out stretches from five metres from the touch line from which the ball is being thrown in to a position fifteen metres from that touch line. (F.K.)
(4) Any player of either team who is further than fifteen metres from the touch line when the line-out begins is not in the line-out. (F.K.)
Note:- (vi) If, at a formed line-out, the team throwing in the ball line up less than the normal number, their opponents must be given a reasonable opportunity to conform. Opposing players who are retiring for that purpose must do so directly and without delay to a line ten metres behind the line-of-touch. Loiterers must be penalised. Subject to this, when the line-out is ended players so retiring may rejoin play, even if they have not reached the ten metres line.
Throwing in the Ball
(5) When the ball is in touch the place at which it must be thrown in is as follows:-
(a) When the ball goes into touch from a penalty kick; or from a kick including a free kick awarded within twenty-two metres of the kicker's goal line, at the place where it touched or crossed the touch line, except as otherwise provided.
(b) When the kicker has received the ball outside his 22 metre line and retreated behind that line before kicking, and on other occasions when the ball is kicked directly into touch, after having been kicked otherwise than as stated in (a), opposite the place from which the ball was kicked or at the place where it touched or crossed the touch-line if that place be nearer to the kicker's goal-line.
(c) When a quick throw-in is taken, from any point along the touch-line between where the ball went into touch and the goal-line of the team throwing in the ball.
(d) Otherwise when the ball is in touch, at the place where the ball touched or crossed the touch-line.
(6) (a) When kicked into touch from a penalty kick, the ball will be thrown in at the line-out by the team which kicked the ball into touch.
(b) Otherwise the ball it to be thrown in by an opponent of the player whom it last touched, or by whom it was carried before being in touch.
(c) In the event of doubt as to which team should throw in the ball, the attacking team shall do so.
(7) The ball may be brought into play at a formed line-out or by a quick throw in which can only be taken before the line-out has formed.
If a quick throw-in occurs after the line-out has formed, it is void and the ball is brought into play at the formed line-out by the same team.
(8) At a formed line-out the player throwing in the ball must:-
* not put any part of either foot in the field of play.
* throw the ball in at the place indicated in (5) so that it first touches the ground or touches or is touched by a player at least five metres from the touch-line along the line-of-touch; otherwise the opposing team shall have the right, as its option, to throw in the ball or to take a scrummage fifteen metres from the touchline.
(9) (a) At a quick throw-in, the ball that went into touch must be used and, after going into touch, unless it has been touched only by the player throwing it in, the ball shall be thrown in at the place indicated in (5) by the same team.
(b) At a quick throw-in, the ball must be thrown straight along the line-of-touch so that it first touches the ground or touches or is touched by a player at least five metres from the touch-line along the line of touch.
(c) At a quick throw-in a player must not prevent the ball from being thrown five metres (F.K.).
(10) If, on the second occasion, the ball is not thrown in correctly, a scrummage shall be formed and the ball shall be put in by the team which threw it in on the first occasion.
Note:- (vii) If a player wilfully or repeatedly throws the ball in not straight, a penalty kick should be awarded. If at a formed line-out a player delays or feints to throw the ball in, a free kick should be awarded.
Beginning and End of Line-Out
(11) The line-out begins when the ball leaves the hands of the player throwing it in. No player may jump for the ball or support any player before the ball has left the hands of the player throwing it in. (F.K.)
(12) The line-out ends when
* a ruck or maul is taking place and all feet of players in the ruck or maul have moved beyond the line-of-touch, or
* a player carrying the ball leaves the line-out, or
* the ball has been passed, knocked back or kicked from the line-out, or
* the ball is thrown beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch-line, or
* the ball becomes unplayable.
Notes:- (viii) If a player participating in a line-out hands the ball to another player who is peeling off from the line-out, the line-out ends when the second player takes the ball.
(ix) When the ball has been passed or knocked back from a line-out, the line-out is ended. Players in front of a player of their own team who receives the ball from the line-out may be off-side but they should only be penalised under Law 24 A if they play the ball or obstruct an opponent in any way.
(x) A ruck or maul has not moved from the line-of-touch unless all the feet of the players in the ruck or maul have moved beyond that line.
Peeling Off
"Peeling-off" occurs when a player (or players) moves from his position in the line-out for the purpose of catching the ball when it has been passed or knocked back by another of his team in the line-out.
(13) When the ball is in touch players who approach the line-of-touch must always be presumed to do so for the purpose of forming a line-out. Before the ball leaves the hands of the player throwing it in, the players in the line-out must not leave it but may change their position along the line-of-touch. After the ball has been thrown in such players must not leave the line-out except in a peel-off movement or to join a maul. (F.K.)
Exception:-
At a quick throw-in, when a player may come to the line-of-touch and retire from that position without penalty.
(14) In a peeling off movement a player must move parallel and close to the line-out. (F.K.)
Restrictions on Players in Line-out
(15) Experimental Variation.
When a line-out is taking place, any player in the line-out must NOT
(a) stand within five metres of the touch-line or prevent the ball from being thrown five metres (F.K.), or F.K.
(b) be off-side (P.K.), or P.K.
(c) use an opponent as a support to enable him to jump for the ball (P.K.), or P.K.
(d) hold, push, charge, obstruct or grasp an opponent not holding the ball, except when a ruck or a maul is taking place (P.K.), or P.K.
(e) charge an opponent except in an attempt to tackle him or to play the ball (P.K.), or P.K.
(f) use any player of his team as a support to enable him to jump for the ball (F.K.), or F.K.
(g) lift a player of his team (F.K.), or F.K.
(h) support any player of his team before this player has jumped for the ball (F.K.), or F.K.
(i) hold a supported player below the waist (P.K.). P.K.
Notes:- (xi) Law 23B(8) is not an alternative to Law 23B(15)(a). The first is an obligation on the thrower, the second is an obligation on the receiver. If a player prevents the ball from reaching five metres it must always be penalised by a free kick.
(xii) Any movement of a player beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch line must be solely for the purpose of catching or jumping to catch the ball. The player may move in-field in an attempt to catch the ball only after it leaves the hand of the player throwing it in.
(xiii) A player acting as scrum-half may not stand or move beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch line before the ball has passed that position unless he moves to anticipate a long throw-in but he may so move only in accordance with the conditions in the preceding note (xii).
(xiv) Any infringement between the formation of the line-out and its beginning shall be dealt with under the provisions of Law 26(3)(e).
Experimental Variation
(16) A player jumping for the ball must do so with either both hands or his inside arm to catch or deflect the ball. When a player plays the ball with both hands above his head, he is allowed to use either hand. (F.K.)
(17) Except when jumping for the ball or peeling off, a clear space of one metre must be left between the two lines of players until the ball has touched or has been touched by a player or has touched the ground. (F.K.)
Note:- (xv) The act of jumping for the ball may include a step or steps in any direction provided it takes the jumper up to but not across the line-of-touch.
(18) A player in the line-out may move into the space between the touch line and the five metres mark only when the ball has been thrown beyond him and, if he does so, he must not move towards his goal line before the line-out ends, except in a peeling off movement. (F.K.)
(19) Until the line-out ends, no player may move beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch line except as allowed when the ball is thrown beyond that position, in accordance with the Exception following Law 24D(1)(c). (P.K.)
Note:- (xvi) If the ball in a line-out becomes unplayable, otherwise than as a result of an infringement for which a penalty is prescribed, a scrummage should be ordered.
(20) A player participating in the line-out as defined in Law 24D may run into a gap in the line-out and take the ball provided he does not charge or obstruct an opponent in the line-out. (P.K.)
Restrictions on Players not in Line-out
(21) Players of either team who are not in the line-out may not advance from behind the line-out and take the ball from the throw-in unless in accordance with the exception in Law 24 D (3).
Penalty:- (a) For an infringement of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (9c), (11), (13), (14), (15)(a), (f), (g) or (h) a free kick fifteen metres from the touch line along the line-of-touch.
(b) For an infringement of paragraphs (15)(b), (c) (d) (e) or (i), (19) or (20), a penalty kick fifteen metres from the touch line along the line-of-touch.
(c) For an infringement of paragraph (21), a penalty kick on the offending team's off-side line (as defined in Law 24 D) opposite the place ofinfringement, but not less than fifteen metres from the touch line.
Place of Scrummage:-
Any scrummage taken or ordered under this Law or as the result of any infringement in a line-out shall be formed fifteen metres from the touch line along the line-of-touch.
Note:- (xvii) If a player repeatedly infringes, he must be dealt with under Law 26(2).
For Off-side at Line-out see Law 24 D.
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