A - Z of Rugby League

ACCIDENTAL STRIKE when a ball strikes a player who makes no attempt to play at the ball.

ADVANTAGE allowing the advantage means allowing play to proceed if it is to the advantage of the team which has not committed an offence or infringement.

ATTACKING TEAM is the team which at the time has a territorial advantage.

BACK as applied to a player means one who is not taking part in the scrum.

BALL BACK means to form a scrum from where the ball was kicked after it has entered touch on the full.

BEHIND when applied to a player means, unless otherwise stated, that both feet are behind the position in question.
Similarly “in front” implies “with both feet”. When applied to a position on the field of play, “behind” means nearer to one’s own goal line than the point in question.
Similarly “in front of” means nearer to one’s opponents’ goal line.

BLIND SIDE means the side of the scrum or of the play-the-ball nearer to touch (cf.open side).

CHARGING- is blocking the path of the ball with hands, arm or body

DOWN as it rises from an opponent’s kick.

CONVERTING A TRY is the act of kicking a goal following the scoring of a try.

CORNER POST is a post placed at the intersection of each touch line and goal line. The post shall be of non-rigid material and shall be not less than 1.25m. high. The corner posts are in touch in-goal.

DEAD BALL means that the ball is out of play.

DEFENDING TEAM is the team opposing the attacking team.

DIFFERENTIAL PENALTY differs in one respect from a Penalty Kick in that a goal cannot be scored from it.

DROP GOAL sometimes referred to as a Field Goal, is a goal scored by propelling the ball on the full, over the crossbar, by drop kicking it.

DROP KICK is a kick whereby the ball is dropped from the hands (or hand) and is kicked immediately it rebounds from the ground.

DROP-OUT means a drop kick from between the posts or from the centre of the 20m line when bringing the ball back into play.

DUMMY is the pretence of passing or otherwise releasing the ball while still retaining possession of it.

FIELD OF PLAY is the area bounded by, but not including, the touch lines and goal lines.
FORWARD means in a direction towards the opponents’ dead ball line. As applied to a player it means one who is at the time packing down in the scrum.

FORWARD PASS is a throw towards the opponents’ dead ball line.

FREE KICK is the kick awarded to a team which kicks into touch from a penalty kick. The kick is taken 20 metres in from touch opposite the point of entry into touch and the ball may be kicked in any manner in any direction. A goal cannot be scored from it, nor can ground be gained by only kicking into touch on the full. (Experimental Law: 2008 only)

FULL TIME means the end of the game.

GENERAL PLAY refers to all aspects of play after a match has been started or re-started by a Place Kick, Drop-Out, Penalty Kick, Free Kick or Scrum.

GROUNDING means (a) placing the ball on the ground with hand or
THE BALL hands or (b) exerting a downward pressure on the ball with hand or arm, the ball itself being on the ground or (c) dropping on the ball and covering it with the part of the body above the waist and below the neck, the ball itself being on the ground.

HALF TIME means the end of the first half of the game.

HANDOVER is the surrendering of the ball to the opposition after a team has been tackled the statutory number of successive times (Section 11 Law 7).

HEEL is when a player propels the ball behind him with the sole or heel of his foot.

HOOK is the act of the hooker when he strikes with a foot for the ball in the scrum.

IN POSSESSION means to be holding or carrying the ball.

KICK means imparting motion to the ball with any part of the leg (except the heel) from knee to toe inclusive.

KNOCK-ON means to knock the ball towards the opponents’ dead ball line with hand or arm, while playing at the ball.

LOOSE ARM is an offence by the hooker if he packs with one arm loose in the scrum.

LOOSE BALL is when during play the ball is not held by a player and not being scrummaged.

LOOSE HEAD refers to the front row forward in the scrum who is nearest to the referee.
MARK is the point at which a penalty kick or free kick is awarded or a scrum is formed.

OBSTRUCTION is the illegal act of impeding an opponent who does not have the ball.

OFF SIDE as applied to a player means that he is temporarily out of play and may be penalised if he joins in the game.

ON THE FULL means the ball is kicked over a given line without first bouncing.

OPTIONAL KICK is the kick to be taken from the 20m restart. The kick can be taken in any manner and kicked in any direction. It is in play from the moment it is kicked.

OPEN SIDE means the side of the scrum or the play-the-ball further from touch (cf.Blind Side).

PACK refers collectively to the forwards of any one team. To pack down means to form a scrum.

PASS is a throw of the ball from one player to another.

PENALISE is to award a penalty kick against an offending player.

PENALTY KICK see Section 13.

PLACE KICK is to kick the ball after it has been placed on the ground for that purpose.

PLAYING AREA is the area enclosed by the fence, or other such line of demarcation, which prevents the encroachment of spectators.

PLAYING FIELD is the area bounded by, but not including, the touch lines and dead ball lines.

PLAY-THE-BALL is the act of bringing the ball into play after a tackle.

PROP is the front row forward in each team nearest to the scrum half who is putting the ball into the scrum.

PUNT is a kick whereby the ball is dropped from the hand or hands and is kicked before it touches the ground.

RUCK is the area, at the play-the-ball, between the player playing the ball and the marker.

STRIKE as applied to the foot means to attempt to secure possession of the ball in a scrum.

TACKLE See Section 11.

TOUCH DOWN is the grounding of the ball by a defending player in his own in-goal.

TOUCH IN-GOAL See Section 9.

TRY when a player crosses the goal line and puts the ball down over the goal line, scoring four points.

TACKLE without being brought to the ground (see Section 11).