Glossary of Rugby Union Terms - O

O

Off-load pass

A short pass made by a player being tackled before he reaches the ground, usually by turning to face a team-mate and tossing the ball into the air for a team-mate to catch.

Offside

A player is offside when he/she is forward of the relevant offside line i.e. between the relevant offside line and the opposing team's dead ball line.

In a match, most players will be offside several times but they only become liable for penalty if they do not act to attempt to become onside (which generally means retreat downfield) or attempt to interfere with play.

In open play, only the ball carrier's team (or the team that last carried or deliberately touched the ball) is bound by offside - the offside line for them is the ball. (Note every player who passes the ball backwards is offside and must attempt to retire.)

Onside

A player is onside whenever he or she is behind the relevant offside line for the particular phase of play. Players who are onside take an active part in playing the game.

Previously offside players may be "put onside" by the actions of other players (for example, in a kick ahead in open play, players in the kicker's team in front of the kick are offside but can be put onside by the kicker or any other team member who was onside at the time of the kick running up the pitch past them). So that players can be confident they are now onside and can take an active part in the game, the referee may shout "Onside" or "All Onside".

On the full

If the ball is kicked into touch without first bouncing inside the field of play it is termed as ball is kicked into touch on the full.

Openside

The broad side of the pitch in relation to a scrum or a breakdown in play. The openside flanker is expected to cover the opposing team openside at scrum and breakdown. It is the opposite of blindside.

Overlap

Situation where there are more attacking players (typically backs) on one side of the field than there are defending players. An overlap can be used to manufacture a try by forcing the defenders into tackles and offloading to teammates until the defenders have run out.