Penalty (rugby) - Penalties in Rugby League

Penalties in Rugby League

Penalties operate in roughly the same manner as in union, but with some slight differences. Firstly, the implication is that a side either takes a tap kick or a shot at goal. They can kick for touch, but, if the ball makes it into touch, the side then takes a tap kick 10m infield (20m infield in the NRL as of 2007) from the point where the ball went into touch (except where it goes into touch inside the opposition's 10m line, in which case the tap is taken from the 10m line), as opposed to a scrum. They can also tap the ball from where the penalty was awarded. In both instances, the defending side must remain 10m from the ball until the tap kick is taken.

The penalty may also be place-kicked towards goal. If successful, the kicking side scores two points. If the kick is unsuccessful and the ball is caught by the opposition before it leaves the field of play, play continues. If the ball goes into touch-in-goal or over the dead ball line, then play is restarted with a drop-out from the offenders' 20m line.

Penalties may be awarded for:

• Offside
• Tackling an opponent above the shoulders
• Tackling an opponent who is not in possession of the ball
• Tackling a player in midair
• Late hits (such as hitting a ballcarrier already taken to ground)
• Obstructing an opponent from tackling the ball-carrier
• Failing to retreat 10m from an opposition play-the-ball
• If marker at the play-the-ball, failing to stand opposite it
• Not playing the ball correctly at a play-the-ball
• Kicking the ball into touch, touch-in-goal, or over the dead ball line on the full from the kick-off
• Crossing the goal line, not sending the ball ten metres, on sending it into touch on the full from a goal-line drop-out

There is also a differential penalty, awarded for technical breaches when a scrum is packed (as opposed to foul play within a scrum). A penalty goal cannot be scored from a differential penalty.