Basics
Field
A game of rugby league consists of two forty-minute halves, played by two teams on a rectangular grass field 120 metres long and 58–68 metres wide, depending on the individual ground. In the middle of the field is the 50-metre "halfway" line. Each side of the field, on either side of the 50-metre line, is identical. 10 metres from the 50-metre line is the 40-metre line, followed by the 30, 20, 10-metre and goal or "try" lines. This makes up 100 metres of field that is used for general play. At the middle of each goal line is a set of goal posts in the shape of the letter "H", used for point scoring from kicks (Players
All rugby league players must be particularly physically fit and tough because of the game's fast pace and the expansive size of the playing-field as well as the inherently rough physical contact involved. Depending on his exact role or position, a player's size, strength and/or speed can provide different advantages (or disadvantages). Effective teamwork is also extremely important.Mode of play
After a coin toss with the two captains and referee, the winner elects either to kick off or to receive the kick off and chooses which end of the field to attack for the first half. The ends change over after the half-time break. Play commences once the ball has been kicked off from the ground in the centre of the field by one team to the other. The longer and higher the kick, the more advantageous, as this forces the team receiving the ball to return it from deeper within their own territory. If a long or misdirected kick goes out of the field of play without first bouncing, a penalty is awarded to the non-kicking team from the halfway line, but if a kicked ball lands in the field of play and then bounces out, the kicking team receives possession at the point of entry. A short kick off may be employed to regain possession, but it must travel at least beyond the 10 metre line; they are usually attempted towards the end of closely fought matches when time is scarce and points are needed. Each team is responsible for defending their end of the field, and they take turns throughout a game at defending and attacking. At half-time (the 40th minute of the game), the teams have a 10-minute break, then swap ends before resuming play. The team with possession of the football is the team in attack. The primary aim of this team is to "work" the ball out from their own end of the field, into a more favourable position towards the opposition's end, and score a try by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area or on the goal line. In some circumstances, the team in attack may opt to kick a one-pointPoint scoring
There are four ways to score in rugby league: tries, conversions, penalty goals, and drop goals. * The try is worth four points and is the primary means of scoring. To score a try, the ball must be placed with controlled downward pressure on the goal line (also called the ''try line'') or in the in-goal area between the goal line and the ''dead ball line'' using the hand,Passing
Players on the team with possession may pass the ball to one another while trying to reach the opposition's end of the field. A player may only pass the ball behind himself, or pass the ball sideways parallel to the trylines. Therefore, the rest of the players on the team in possession must ensure that they are "on-side", and in a position to legally receive the ball by staying behind or in-line with the passer. A pass deemed to have propelled the ball forward is called a "forward pass" and results in an immediate halt to play. A scrum will restart play, as "head and feed" of the scrum will be to the team who did not make the forward pass, a forward pass normally means that possession of the ball is ceded to the opposing side. Passes are also susceptible to interception by enterprising players on the defensive team who anticipate the pass and rush up to catch it, winning possession for their team.Tackling
The defensive team tries to stop the attacking team from scoring by tackling the player with the ball as quickly as possible to prevent him gaining more ground. A tackle forces a halt in play for as long as it takes the tackled player to return to his feet and play the ball. In that time, the defending team, with the exception of two markers, must move back a minimum of 10 metres towards their end of the field. The attacking team restarts play and continues with its next chance to score via the=Six tackle rule
= Since 1972, an attacking team has a set of six chances to score, often referred to as six tackles. The referee keeps track of how many tackles have been performed in each set of six. Some referees choose to shout the number of tackles (to avoid any players' confusion as to what point in the tackle count it is); however, this is not a requirement. When a side has used five tackles, the referee signals "fifth tackle" by raising an arm above his head with fingers spread, indicating that five of the tackles in the set have taken place and the next tackle will be the last. If a sixth tackle is made, a ''change-over'' takes place. The defending and attacking teams switch roles, and the new attacking team starts its own set of six by playing the ball at the point on the field where the last tackle was made. Usually the attacking team kicks the ball onwards after the fifth tackle in either a last-ditch attempt to score, or to force the opposition to start their next set of six tackles as far back as possible. An attacking team may also have seven chances to score in a special circumstance, governed by the zero tackle rule.Play-the-ball
Play-the-ball is used to restart play in various instances during a game, most commonly immediately following a tackle. The act of the play-the-ball is sometimes referred to simply as "playing the ball". To return the ball to play correctly, the tackled player must: # have stopped forward progress (i.e., been tackled); # have both feet on the ground; # place the ball on the ground in front of one foot and; # roll the ball backwards by use of the boot. From the moment the ball is rolled back by the tackled player's boot, the next phase of play begins. The "dummy half" is the term used to refer to the player who then picks up the ball and resumes his team's attack. The ruck is located between the player playing-the-ball and the defending marker. RLIF, 2004: 7 The ruck exists during the time between a tackle being completed and the subsequent play-the-ball being completed. The ball cannot be interfered with by a defending player whilst it is in the ruck, otherwise a penalty will be issued against that player's team. A penalty is also issued against the attacking team if the player responsible for playing the ball, does not play it correctly. Many penalties in rugby league occur in and around the ruck. Part way though the 2020 seasons in both Australia and Europe penalties for defensive infringements at the ruck were replaced by the "six again" rule which gives the attacking team an immediate new set of six tackles.Offside
Following a completed tackle, all but two of the defending team (the markers) must retreat at least ten metres from the point at which the tackle is made. This distance is marked by the referee. Following the play-the-ball, defenders are permitted to advance to try to put pressure on the attackers and to reduce the distance they can make with the ball. If a defender who has failed to retreat 10 metres interferes with play, then he will be deemed to have been offside and this will result in a penalty to the attacking team. Equally, if a defender advances too quickly before the ball is played, then this will also result in a penalty to the attackers. When a player kicks the ball, his teammates must be behind him, or they will be called for offside if they interfere with the play.Markers
During theMiscellaneous rules
Knock on
If at any time the ball is dropped forwards by an attacker and hits the ground or another player, this constitutes a knock on and possession will be turned over. The only exception is if a player is performing a drop-kick. If the ball is dropped in a backwards motion, this will not be ruled as a knock-on. Equally, if a player fumbles the ball but manages to regather it before it hits the ground or another player then play will be allowed to continue. A ball floating forward but landing backwards also ends in a knock on.Zero tackle rule
If the defending team 'knocks on' or touches the ball when it's in the air, and the ball is immediately regathered by the attacking team, the referee may elect to restart the tackle count in lieu of awarding a scrum; known as the zero tackle rule because the next tackle is counted as 'tackle zero' and not the usual 'tackle one'. The zero tackle rule cannot be used in a set that was started by the zero tackle rule. On awarding the zero tackle rule, the referee will shout "Back to zero!" or "Six again", and wave one arm over his head with fingers clenched into a fist, indicating the attacking side's next tackle is tackle zero. If a player collects the ball directly from an opposition kick in general play, the first time he is tackled does not register on the tackle count. If the receiving player kicks or passes the ball prior to being tackled then this does not apply.Scrum
The scrum is formed by the 'front row' forwards of each side locking together, and 'packing down' to push against each other. The 'second row' forwards pack in behind the front rows, and the loose forward join the scrum at the back. The ball is "fed" through the legs of one of the props by the halfback, who normally then retrieves it again from the back of the scrum. The scrum was traditionally used as a mechanism where the two teams compete for possession of the football; however this has since changed with the introduction of fair, but uncontested scrums, where the ball is fed into the second row, instead of the first, all but eliminating an effective competition for the ball. Because of these changes the scrum serves to simply remove the forwards from the play for a period, thus creating more space for the backs to attack the depleted defensive line. This is intended to give advantage to the side that is awarded the scrum. It is very rare for a team to win possession of the ball, despite not having the feed, though in such situations the referee may restart the scrum. A scrum can be awarded following a forward pass, knock on or the ball going over the sideline and into ''touch''.40–20 kick
The ''40–20 rule'' was introduced by the ARL in Australia in20–40 kick
The ''20–40 rule'' was introduced by the NRL in Australia inGoal-line drop-outs
If the player in possession of the ball is tackled behind his own goal line, plays the ball over his own dead-ball line, or grounds the ball in his own in-goal area, his team is obliged to perform a drop-kick from between their own goal posts. This kick must travel over the 10-metre line before it is touched by either team. The goal line drop-out usually gives possession back to the opposing team. The drop-kicking team might attempt to gain possession by executing a short kick and have their players attempt to reach the ball before the other team does; but this carries the risk that the other team could gain possession very close to the try-line. The drop-kicking team might also attempt to gain possession by kicking the ball so that it bounces before going into touch; in that event they would be awarded head and feed at the resulting scrum. This rule is similar to theDisciplinary sanctions
The standard disciplinary sanction in rugby league is the penalty. The referee may also award a penalty try, which is described in the section on scoring. If a team that has been penalised commits another offence (often by expressing dissent against the referee's decision), the referee may advance the position of the penalty 10 metres towards the offending team's goal line, and may also sin bin (temporary expulsion) or send off (permanent expulsion) the offending player(s). A rarely known law of Rugby League however is that a player may receive multiple yellow cards in a game and not receive a red card. The maximum possible number of yellows therefore are 7 yellow cards in a game for one player over different scenarios. Generally however two yellow card offences for the same reason will equal a red card even though it is not written into the laws of the game. In the United Kingdom, the referee uses penalty cards to signal a sin-binning (yellow card) and a sending-off (red card). In games played in the southern hemisphere, the referee raises both arms straight out with fingers spread (to indicate 10 minutes) for a temporary expulsion and simply points sent-off players from the field of play.Tactics
The defensive team and attacking team carry out any number of tactics, within the rules, to achieve their short term and ultimately long-term objectives. The tactics below are a basic guide to how the game is typically played. On occasions, enterprising teams may choose to deviate from the typical tactics to surprise their opponents.Attacking tactics
Improving field position
Field position is crucial in rugby league.=Ball running
= Usually when inside their own half of the field, an attacking team will use low-risk plays to attempt to gain metres while avoiding turning over possession. Hit-up=Kicking
= * Kicks in play can, if successful, result in rapid field advancement. Towards the end of the tackle count, the ball will often find its way to the best kicker on the team who will then return possession of the ball to the other side in the most favourable position for his team by kicking it down to the other end. These kicks are sometimes intended to go into touch (leave the field of play), resulting in a scrum to restart play. Scrums take a while to form, so this gives the attacking team a chance for a short rest before play resumes. * Following a defensive penalty, a team with possession may gain field position by kicking for touch; that is, by kicking the ball on the full over either of the touch lines. UnlikeBreaching the defence
In addition to trying to break the defensive line with the sheer force of a hit-up, players attempt to breach the opposing team's defence through combinations of plays, using speed, passing and/or kicking.= Ball Running
= * Most rugby league tries result from back-line movements which involve deft passing between attacking players to move the ball out quickly to the=Kicking
= * A chip kick can be used to put the ball behind the defensive line so that either the kicker himself or a teammate can chase or regather it. Sometimes the kicker himself will attempt to regather after an extremely short chip kick over or past the defenders whilst running towards them. Upon kicking, a player is deemed to have relinquished possession of the ball and thus may not be tackled or interfered with by the defence. The kicker's already-existing momentum as he runs towards the opposition's in goal area gives him an advantage over defenders who must turn and chase. However this chip and regather is risky as it is difficult to perform successfully and good defending fullbacks will usually be lurking behind the defensive line, waiting for just this type of kick. * The grubber is more commonly used in a similar play. The grubber kick is commonly performed when close to the in-goal area; the grubber kick causes the ball to roll along the ground which at times, makes the ball jump up into a perfect catching position, easier than catching a punt or other kick. The rolling on the ground gives chasers more opportunities to regather the ball, rather than waiting for the ball to fall back to earth. The rolling also slows down the ball, allowing the kicker to place the kick so that it comes to rest inside the in-goal area. * TheDefensive tactics
When a side is defending they must prevent metres lost. They must defend against ball runners and kickers.Defending against ball running
=Preventing metres lost
= * The easiest way to do this is to select the largest players from the team to do most of the tackling; A larger tackler will force back an attacking player much easier than a smaller tackler. * In preventing metres lost it is also important to 'wrap up the ball' to prevent the attacking player who is currently hitting the ball up from offloading. Offloading causes second phase play.=Preventing line breaks
= Defending players aim to spread across the field in a single line and stop the attacking players from breaking this line. The 'Slide Defence' and the 'Umbrella Defence' tactics aim to curb the number of breaks in the line. * The 'sliding defence' requires that gaps are left at either edge of the field at the end of the defensive line, which aims to squeeze more players around the area of play. This allows the line to be at its strongest around the position of play, thus leaving the attacking side less opportunity to run through the line. Should the attacking side move the ball towards one edge of the field in an attempt to go around the defensive line, then the entire defensive line will move in that direction; this is known as sliding. Because defenders remain on the inside shoulder of attacking players, slide defence effectively uses the touch line as an extra defender. One of the main disadvantages of sliding defence is that it gives the attacking team more time and space with the ball. * The 'umbrella defence' (or 'up and in' defence) requires that players do not spread across the entire field. The defensive line is particularly vulnerable on the edges around the wings, therefore the best defensive measure in this case is a preventative measure. That is, the aim becomes to prevent the attacking team from going to the wings or to disrupt any passes towards the edge of the field. This requires that defensive players (wingers or centres) on the edge of the defensive line move up faster than those in the middle of the line. Umbrella defence is a key tactic for defending against attacking plays close to the goal line, when it can be necessary to quickly shut down attacking players' time and space with the ball.Defending against kicks
An attacking side may kick the ball through or over the defensive line of players. The defence must defend against kicks in the normal field of play and in the in-goal area.=Defending the field of play
= * Late in the tackle count, when the attacking side is more likely to kick, the fullback and wingers drop back towards the defending team's in-goal area. As the name suggests, the fullback covers the end of the field and in-goal area whilst the wingers cover the edges of the field and the area between the defensive line and the fullback. A kick to the corner can be more efficiently fielded by a winger than by pulling the fullback out of position, while a long kick to the end of the field is best taken by the fullback. The use of the fullback and wingers to defend against potential kicks allows the other rear defenders to become available to receive a pass as their side receives the ball and begins its set. * While the backs prepare to receive a kick, the other defenders will attempt to apply pressure to the kicker. It is usually rather predictable when a side is about to kick: normally one member of the attacking team is in charge of kicking, and as the team prepares to kick, he will drop back and make himself available deep behind the dummy half, to give himself space and time to set up for the kick. To limit the kicker's effectiveness, the defenders will often rush up out of the defensive line towards him. As well as giving him less time to set up, this action can cloud the kicker's mind, distracting him with thoughts of the upcoming tackle or encouraging him to consider switching to another attacking option due to the sudden change in the defensive line. This combination of physical and mental pressure may lead to a poor kick, giving an advantage to the non-kicking team. This manoeuvre could also result in a 'charge-down', if a defending player manages to get in the way of the ball very shortly after it is kicked (If the ball travels forward this is an exception to the knock-on rule). This often results in a line break or try to the previously defending team, however it runs the risk of having the attacking team regather the ball for a new set of tackles.=Defending the in-goal area
= * If the ball is caught on the full by a defender standing in the in-goal area, play halts and possession is awarded to the catcher's team, with play to restart twenty metres from the in-goal area. This is aimed to penalise the attacking team for a poor kick that was easily fielded by the opposition full back whilst awarding the defending team who were skilled enough to field the kick. * A defender will shadow the ball over the touch line to prevent an attacking team member from getting into a position to ground the ball. It is most likely a ball may be heading to touch off a kick from the attacking side. On this occasion, the roles of each team are reversed, where the attacking team becomes the defending and vice versa. * Grounding the ball in-goal or putting the ball into touch are considered last-ditch defensive techniques that prevent the attacking side from scoring. These two moves effectively force a stoppage of play, which means the opposition cannot score. Both of these measures result in a goal-line drop-out, meaning the attacking team retains possession of the ball. Thus, even if an attacking team is unable to score they can regain another set of chances to score by forcing the defending team to perform either of the above two moves; accomplish by placing a kick into the in-goal area.Turning defence into attack
It is commonly said that the best form of defence is attack. A defensive team in rugby league can gain possession of the ball at any stage during an attacking teams set. * The ''one-on-one strip'' is performed by a defender on an attacking player when that defender is the only person involved in the tackle. A player is ruled to be in the tackle if he/she is currently holding onto or has only just recently let go of the attacking player. The strip itself is the act of taking the ball from the arms of an attacking player, thus gaining possession for the defending team (who becomes the attacking team). * An ''intercept'' is performed by a defending player coming out of the defensive line in anticipation of a pass that can be prevented from reaching its targeted player. An intercept usually ends in a try because in achieving the interception, the player has passed through the opposition's line of players. The interceptor may or may not have a full back to evade. Speed is a great asset in assuring the interceptor scores a try. * During a tackle, the defensive team may force the attacking player 'into touch' while he's in possession of the ball. As it is illegal for any part of a player in possession of the ball's body touching the ground outside the field of play, this results in a stoppage of play. Play restarts via a scrum with the head and feed going to the defensive team that forced the attacking player into touch. * Lastly, ''strong tackles'' using the size and speed of a defending player can force the ball loose from the impact. The defensive side shall only win a scrum if the ball comes forward out of the tackle towards the in-goal area, (consisting of a knock-on) otherwise the first team to pick up the ball wins possession. Forwards are more effective at this play than the backs because of their size, but it is not unknown for backs to force a ball loose in this manner.Handover
Late in the tackle count the attacking side will start to think defensively in anticipation of a handover, RLIF, 2004: 5 also known as a changeover or turnover. That is, whilst most kicks performed at this time will be primarily for attacking purposes, there is always a defensive element to consider. The attacking team uses these tactics to put themselves in the better defensive position when their set of six ends at the 'change over'. The attacking team uses theSee also
*References
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