Rugby Football
In the two codes of rugby (union and league) a forward pass is against the rules. It results in a scrum to the opposing team.
The team in possession must get behind the ball carrier or be ruled offside. Offside players will not be penalised as long as they remain inactive but if the ball is thrown to them then they become active and thus a scrum or penalty is awarded to the opposition. To minimize the chances of this happening and to support the ball carrier, teammates try to stay behind the player with the ball.
According to the rules stipulated by the governing body of rugby league in Australia a forward pass is relative to the player making the pass and not the actual path relative to the ground. A forward pass occurs when the player passes the ball forward in relation to himself. This is rarely a deliberate offence and is often caused by misjudgement. A forward pass is generally restarted with a scrum after an accidental infringement, however a penalty may be awarded if the referee is of the belief that the ball was deliberately thrown forward.
In rugby league the video referee may not make judgements on whether a pass is forward.
Read more about this topic: Forward Pass
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