Law 18 Touch, Quick Throw and Lineout

Law 18 Touch, Quick Throw And Lineout

1. What happens when play reaches the touch-line?
Answer: The ball is in touch and play becomes dead.

2. What are quick throws and lineouts?
Answer: Methods of restarting play.

Touch OR Touch-In-Goal
1. When is the ball in touch or touch-in-goal?
Answer: A. the ball or ball carrier touches the touch line, the touch-in-goal line or anything beyond it, B. a player, who is already touching the touch line, touch-in-goal line or anything beyond, catches or holds the ball – (i). if the ball has reached the plane of touch when it is caught, the catcher is not deemed to have taken the ball into touch, (ii). if the ball has not reached the lane of touch when it is caught or picked up, the catcher is deemed to have taken the ball into touch, regardless of whether the ball was in motion or stationary.

2. When is the ball not in touch or touch-in-goal?
Answer: A. when the ball reaches the plane of touch but is caught, knocked, or kicked by a player who is in the playing area, B. when a player jumps from within or outside the playing area and catches the ball and then lands in the playing area, regardless of whether the ball reached the plane of touch, C. when a player jumps from the playing area and knocks, or catches and releases, the ball back into the playing area before landing in touch or touch-in-goal, regardless of whether the ball has reached the plane of touch, D. when a player who is in touch, kicks or knocks the ball but does not hold it, provided it has not reached the plane of touch.

Quick Throw
1. If a player carries the ball into touch, must this player release the ball to allow a quick throw in?
Answer: Yes.

Sanction: PK.

2. At a quick throw in, how is the ball thrown in?
Answer: A. between the mark of touch and the thrower’s own-goal line, B. parallel or towards the thrower’s own goal-line, C. so that the ball reaches the 5m line before it touches the ground or hits a player, D. by a player who has both feet outside the field of play.

Sanction: option of a lineout or scrum.

3. When should a quick lineout be disallowed?
Answer: A. a lineout had already formed, B. the ball had been touched after it went into touch by anyone other than the player throwing in or the player who carried the ball into touch, C. a different ball is used from the one that originally went into touch

4. How far must the ball travel at a quick throw?
Answer: It must reach the 5m line and a player must not prevent it from doing so.

Sanction: FK.

5. What does it mean if the mark of touch is outside the 22 and the defending team take a quick throw inside the 22?
Answer: The defending team is deemed to have taken the ball back into the 22.

Lineout
1. How is the mark of touch and who throws in determined?
Answer: A. general
•    Ball carrier goes into touch – where the player went into touch – opposition throw in
•    A player unintentionally knocks, passes or throws the ball into touch – where the ball reaches the touch-line – opposition throw in
•    The ball hits a player and goes directly into touch – where the ball reaches the touchline or at the point on the touchline closest to where the ball hit the player, whichever is nearer that player’s goal-line – opposition throw in
•    The ball hits a player and it bounces into touch – where the ball reaches the touchline – opposition throw in
•    A player who is in touch catches or picks up a ball which has reached the plane of touch – where the ball reached the plane of touch – the team of the player who caught or picked up the ball throws in
•    A player who is in touch catches or picks up a ball which has not reached the plane of touch – where the player is standing – opposition throw in

B. ball is kicked directly into touch from a kick-ff or restart kick
•    The ball goes directly into touch from a kick-off or restart kick – if the touch option is taken, the throw in is where the ball reaches the touchline or on the halfway line, whichever is closer to the kicker’s goal-line – non-kicking team throw in
•    The ball goes directly into touch from a 22 drop out – if the touch option is taken, the throw is where the ball reaches the touchline or on the 22m line, whichever is nearer the kicker’s goal-line – non-kicking team throw in

C. ball is kicked from a penalty
•    A player kicks the ball into touch – where the ball reaches the touchline – the kicking team
•    A player who is in touch catches the ball irrespective of whether the ball has reached the touchline – where the ball reaches the touchline or if the ball hasn’t reached the touchline, where the catcher is standing – the kicking team throw in
•    A player who is in touch kicks a ball that has not reached the plane of touch – where the player is standing – the kicking team throw in

D. ball is kicked directly into touch from within own 22 or in-goal.

No Gain in Ground – the defending team took the ball into their 22, no tackle, ruck or maul occurred, and no opponent touched the ball within the 22.
•    A player kicks the ball directly into touch – where the ball reaches the touchline or on the touchline in line with where the ball was kicked whichever is nearer the kicker’s goal-line – non kicking team throw in
•    An opposition layer who is in touch catches the ball – where the ball reaches the touchline or on the touchline in line with where the ball was kicked, whichever is nearer to the kicker’s goal-line – non kicking team throw in

Gain Ground – either the defending team did not take the ball into the 22 or a tackle, ruck or maul took place within the 22 or an opponent touched the ball within the 22.
•    A player kicks the ball directly into touch – where the ball reaches the touchline – non kicking team throw in
•    An opposition player who is in touch catches the ball – where the ball reaches the touchline – non kicking team throw in
•    A player kicks the ball from a free kick awarded within the 22 – where the ball reaches the touchline – non-kicking team throw in

E. ball is kicked directly into touch from outside the 22
•    A player kicks the ball directly into touch from open play or from a free kick – where the ball reaches the touchline or on the touchline in line with where the ball was kicked, whichever is nearer to that player’s goal line (no gain in ground) – non kicking team throw in

F. lineout options
•    Following an incorrect throw – where the original lineout took place – opposition throw in
•    Following a disallowed quick throw – where the formed lineout would have taken place but for the quick throw in – the same team throw in
•    Following an incorrect quick throw – where the incorrect quick throw was taken – opposition throw in
•    Following the ball going into touch from a knock on or throw forward – where the ball reached the touchline – opposition throw in
•    From a PK or FK awarded for a lineout infringement – where the original lineout took place – opposition throw in

Forming A Lineout
1. Where is a lineout formed?
Answer: At the mark of touch.

2. How is a lineout formed?
Answer: Each team forms a single parallel line half a metre from the mark of touch between the 5 and 15m lines.

Sanction: FK.

3. How many layers from each team are required to form a lineout?
Answer: 2.

4. May teams delay the formation of a lineout?
Answer: No.

Sanction: FK.

5. Which team dictates the maximum number of players each team may have in a lineout?
Answer: The throwing in team.

6. May the non-throwing team have fewer players than the throwing team in a lineout?
Answer: Yes.

Sanction: FK.

7. Must the non-throwing team have a player standing 2m from the touchline and 2m back from the mark of touch?
Answer: Yes.

Sanction: FK.

8. If a team elects to have a receiver at a lineout, where must this player stand?
Answer: Between the 5 and 15m lines and 2m back from their team-mates in the lineout.

Sanction: FK.

9. Once a lineout is formed may players leave the lineout?
Answer: A. throwing team players may not, B. players of the non-throwing team may do so only to ensure they do not have more players than the throwing team.

Sanction: FK.

10. May lineout participants change places before the ball is thrown in?
Answer: yes.

11. May players in the lineout pre-grip players they intend to lift?
Answer: Yes, provided they do not grip below the shorts from behind or below the thighs from the front.

Sanction: FK.

• DSLV: at all levels of domestic rugby U13 and below, supporting or lifting is not permitted.

12. When may players be lifted or supported in a lineout?
Answer: After the ball has left the hands of the player throwing in.

Sanction: FK.

13. Can players make contact with opponents before the ball is thrown in?
Answer: No.

Sanction: PK.

Throwing into a Lineout
1. Can the player throwing the ball in step on the touchline or into the field of play?
Answer: No.

Sanction: option of a lineout or scrum.

2. How must the ball be thrown in?
Answer: A. straight along the mark of touch, B. so it reaches the 5m line before it hits the ground or is played.

Sanction: option of a scrum or lineout.

C. thrown in without delay once the lineout is formed.

Sanction: FK.

3. Can a thrower pretend to throw the ball?
Answer: No.

Sanction: FK.

4. Can opponents of the thrower block the throw?
Answer: No.

Sanction FK.

During A Lineout
1. When does a lineout commence?
Answer: When the ball leaves the hands of the thrower.

2. Once a lineout has commenced, what may the thrower and the thrower’s immediate opponent do?
Answer: A. join the lineout, B. retire to the offside line of the non-participants, C. stay within 5m of the touchline, D. move to the receiver position if that position is empty.

3. If the thrower or their immediate opponent go anywhere else other than that outlined in 27. Above, are they deemed to be offside?
Answer: Yes.

Sanction: PK.

4. Once a lineout has commenced, what can lineout players do?
Answer: A. compete for possession, B. catch or deflect the ball an deflect the ball with the outside arm/hand if both hands are above their head

Sanction: FK.

C. lift or support a team-mate and lower that player to the ground safely.

Sanction: FK.

D. leave the lineout to be in a position to receive the ball provided they remain within 10m of the mark of touch and keep moving until the lineout is over

Sanction: FK.

E. grasp and bring an opponent to ground provided that player is not in the air

Sanction: PK.

Offside At A Lineout
1. How do lineout players remain onside?
Answer: By remaining on their side of the mark of touch.

2. Players who jump for the ball and cross the mark of touch must do what?
Answer: Immediately return to their own side.

3. Until the ball has been thrown in and has been touched by a player or touched the ground, where is the offside line for lineout players?
Answer: The mark of touch – after that the offside line is the ball.

4. When a ruck or maul forms at the mark of touch, what may lineout players do?
Answer: A. join the ruck or maul, B. retire to the offside line which is the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the ruck or maul.

5. May a lineout player move beyond the 15m line once the ball is thrown in?
Answer: Yes, but if the ball does not go beyond the 15m line, the player must return to the lineout immediately.

6. Where must players not participating in the lineout be?
Answer: At least 10m back from the mark of touch or behind the goal-line if that is nearer.

7. When may non-participants at a lineout move forward?
Answer: Once the ball has been thrown in but if the ball does not go over the 15m line, they must retire to their offside line immediately.

Sanction: PK.

Ending A Lineout
1. When does a lineout end?
Answer: A. the ball or a player in possession of it (i). leaves the lineout, (ii). enters the area between the touchline and the 5m line, (iii). goes beyond the 15m line, B. a ruck or maul forms and all the feet of the players in the ruck or maul move beyond the mark of touch, C. the ball becomes unplayable.

2. May a player leave the lineout until it has ended?
Answer: No, except to move to the receiver position.