The offside rule in rugby, both in Rugby Union and Rugby League, is a fundamental aspect that ensures fair play by maintaining the structure of the game. Here’s how it is applied:

• General Offside in Open Play
  • A player is offside if they are in front of a teammate who last played the ball or carried the ball, especially during kicks or passes.
  • If a player is offside, they must not interfere with play, attempt to play the ball, or prevent an opponent from playing the ball.
• Offside at the Ruck
  • A ruck forms when one or more players from each team, who are on their feet, are in contact, close around the ball on the ground.
  • Players must remain behind the hindmost foot (the last foot of the last player in the ruck) on their side. Any player in front of this line is offside.
• Offside at the Maul
  • Similar to the ruck, players must stay behind the hindmost foot of the maul on their side.
  • Players joining the maul must do so from behind the hindmost foot; entering from the sides or ahead is considered offside.
• Offside at the Scrum
  • Players not involved in the scrum (e.g., backs) must remain behind a line five meters behind the hindmost foot of their team’s scrum.
  • For the scrum participants, they must not unbind before the ball is out or risk being offside.
• Offside at the Lineout
  • Players not participating in the lineout must remain at least 10 meters back from the line of touch until the ball has been thrown in and touched by a player.
  • Those in the lineout must stay within the line until the ball is either caught or touched.
• Offside from a Kick
  • A player is offside if they are ahead of the kicker when the ball is kicked and they become involved in play before being put onside.
  • To be put onside, they must retreat until they are behind the kicker or the ball, or until a teammate who was onside at the time of the kick runs past them.

Consequences of Being Offside

• If a player is found to be offside, the opposing team is usually awarded a penalty or a scrum at the place where the infringement occurred.
• In some situations, a free kick might be awarded instead of a penalty, depending on the severity and location of the offense.

The offside rule maintains the game’s flow and ensures that players adhere to fair play standards, contributing to rugby’s strategic and structured nature.