Rugby Player Penalties

Rugby is a full contact team sport that requires players to run and kick an oval size ball up and down a field. Scoring takes place by grounding the ball into the goal area and successfully completing penalty kicks. Like most team sports, rugby has a set of rules that players must follow or receive a penalty.

  1. Offsides

    • The rules for player offsides in rugby are determined by the game situation. In loose play, players are offsides if they run out in front of a teammate who has possession of the ball, are not trying to play the ball or do not retreat from an opponent who is attempting to catch a ball. In mauls and rucks, referees establish an imaginary line that goes through the foot of the last man on each side. If any other players goes outside of that imaginary line, he is considered offsides. During scrum halfs, an imaginary lines goes through the ball and the offensive and defensive players must stay on their side.

      Players participating in a lineout are not allowed to cross an imaginary line until the ball is thrown in.

    Tackling

    • Tackling penalties are also prevalent in rugby and occur when players attack an opponent above the shoulders or hit a player while he is in midair. It is also illegal in rugby for players to tackle an opponent who is not in possession of the ball. Players are also not allowed to prevent or obstruct an opponent from tackling a player who is carrying the ball.

    Late Hits

    • Rugby players are also penalized for committing a late hit on an opponent. A late hit constitutes hitting a player who has already been taken to the ground. Depending on the severity of the late hit, a player may be awarded a yellow or red card. Players who receive a yellow card may sit out of the game for 10 minutes. A red card may signify an egregious hit against an opponent and kick a player out of the game.

    Penalty Kicks

    • After a penalty is committed by a rugby player, the other team is awarded a free kick or penalty kick. A penalty kick allows a team to place a kick for a goal, while a free kick is designed to resume play. Free kicks allow teams to get the ball downfield and retain possession for a lineout. If a team misses a penalty kick, then the ball is in play for the opposition.