Playing Rugby

Rugby League is an extraordinarily simple game to watch and enjoy with little or no knowledge of the game but some of the finer nuances of the game can sometimes confuse newcomers. In an attempt to explain the various facets of the game I've written this document which will hopefully lead to a greater understanding, and thus enjoyment, of what happens on the playing field. Newcomers to RL should ideally read each section in order but each one can stand alone as an explanation of the topic under discussion.

1) The Play-the-Ball and Why It's There
2) Tackling and Defence
3) Kicking the Ball in General Play
4) Rugby League Scrums and Why They're Still There
5) Passing, Running and Attack
6) Penalties

1) The Play-the-Ball and Why It's There

It would be impossible to watch a game of Rugby League and fail to notice the way a player, after being tackled, regains his feet and rakes the ball back along the ground with his foot to a player standing behind him. This is known as the play-the-ball and Rugby League simply wouldn't be Rugby League without it.

The play-the-ball was introduced in 1906, the same year the number of players was reduced from fifteen to thirteen, in an attempt to remove some of the unattractive scrambling associated with the previous system of releasing the ball following a tackle and it is essentially a compromise between a Rugby Union ruck and a scrum. Although it removes some of the skills associated with rucks and mauls, it introduces new skills and makes the game a more attractive spectacle for the paying spectator.

The play-the-ball on its own didn't solve the problem of making the game more attractive though. For the next 60 years a skilled side could keep possession of the ball through the vast majority of a game effectively starving the opposition of the ball. It was in 1966, during St.George's infamous winning run in the Sydney competition and probably as a response to it, that the four tackle rule was introduced. The rule stated that, after the fourth successful tackle in a series had been effected, the possession of the ball would be turned over to the opposition. This opened the game up a little by effectively forcing the side in possession to kick downfield after the third tackle.

The four tackle rule was deemed to be a step in the right direction but the authorities had gone a step too far. Unlike American Football, no ground gaining statistics were associated with the rule, you simply had to score within four tackles or the opposition gained possession of the football. It was decided, in 1972, to increase the number of tackles allowed to six to enable sides to put together a series of attacking raids on opposition territory and consequently allow more inventive and expansive play. If a member of the side not in possession touches the ball but does not gain possession himself then the tackle count is restarted. It is this that has lead indirectly to the most recent rule changes surrounding the play-the-ball in late 1995.

Until recently it was permissible for two players involved in the play-the-ball to strike for the ball immediately upon it being placed on the ground. This lead to a number of controversial refereeing decisions regarding whether to restart the tackle count and was recently outlawed. Presently, the play-the-ball situation is as follows:

The new rules serve to speed the game up even more than before and allow the game to proceed with fewer stoppages. Few players opted to strike for the ball, and those who did would generally only do so early in the tackle count when an unsuccessful attempt would be less disastrous so nothing great has really been lost.

The current most common problems with the play-the-ball concern the tackled player playing-the-ball back with his hand rather than his foot, hardly shocking now striking is no longer legal, and the player(s) effecting the tackle not allowing the player to play-the-ball straight away. These delaying tactics are currently being cracked down upon to great effect by the Controller of Referees in both Australian and Britain.

Each side might expect to play-the-ball up to 250 times and sometimes 300 times in each game lasting 80 minutes. Those players who have a heavy work rate, such as a prop forward or a second-row forward can expect to play-the-ball 30 or 40 times each. Other players, such as scrum-halves, might never do so during the game.

Since the play-the-ball is now so frequent in the modern game it has become an essential pivotal point in each game from which a side can launch its attacks. Since the introduction of the 10-metre rule in 1992 the space in which the side in possession can launch its attacks is much greater and has created wider scope for attack. The player receiving the ball from the play-the-ball, known as the dummy half, can now realistically pick the ball up and run with it making easy yards if the two opposition players involved in the play-the-ball aren't fully aware of what's going on at all times.

It is because of these runs the dummy half can make now that the two opposition players have become the most important defending positions on the field-of-play. Without them a side could advance the length of the field each time it's in possession. The solution is to drill all players in the art of defending at the marker position. As soon as the ball is clear of the play-the-ball they should step out of the line to each side and attempt to block the player running to either side from dummy half. Even if they are unsuccessful they should have delayed his progress enough to allow the rest of their team to advance the 10-metres and effect a good tackle on that player.

Other attacking options include the dummy half passing the ball to an oncoming forward. This is perhaps the most common action following a play-the-ball. A series of drives by the big forwards can, if the drives are run at the correct angles by an elusive yet powerful player, cause some measure of disarray in many a strong defence. At the right point in the tackle count the ball can then be passed to the more speedy and elusive threequarters who can make good ground in a defence losing its confidence or one that hasn't organised itself properly.

As the tackle count progresses, a player who has been nominated as kicker positions himself near the play-the-ball in order to kick the ball downfield. The play-the-ball preceding a kick is the most important one of all. The ball should come out of the play-the-ball both quickly and cleanly and should find its way to the kicker as quickly as possible. Speedy service for the kicker enables him to choose the type of kick and the point of the field he is going to kick to before the side not in possession gets to him. If he is tackled on the fifth tackle, the point at which kicking in-play normally takes place, the ball would be handed over to the opposition. A good kick can lead to a better position for defence or may be used as an attacking ploy to throw the oppositions defence into disarray.

2) Tackling and Defence

Speak to an Australian coach and they'll tell you tackling is the most important factor in winning any Rugby League game. Make of that what you will but you do have to acknowledge it's probably the most skilful aspect of the game. Watching a good defence in action is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game; there's more variety, skill and organisation involved in a successful defence than in a successful attack.

In defence most sides are organised according to a strict plan with two players marking at the play-the-ball, ten players forming a single defensive line across the field ten metres behind the play-the-ball and a single full-back operating as sweeper about ten metres again behind the line. At each point in the tackle count every player from the side not in possession of the ball should know exactly where he is on the field and, if in the line, where he is in the line. Such an organisation is the foundation of a solid defensive plan, all the tackling skill in the world will count for nought if a defending side lacks organisation.

As already mentioned in the play-the-ball section, the most important defensive positions on the field go to the two players marking at the play-the-ball. With the recent rule changes their purpose of stopping the tackled player picking the ball up and running with it is gone, but they still have to be there to defend against runs from dummy half. The first marker in position after the tackle should stand in line as prescribed in the Laws but face slightly to one side, i.e. the side he intends to defend. The second marker in position, if he has time to get there before the ball is played, should place his hand on the side of the first marker's waist opposite to that which the first marker is facing. This simple action indicates to the first marker that his colleague understands his intentions and that he will guard the other side of the play-the-ball. Any runs from dummy half can thus be defended against in a fairly effective manner and the attacking options of the opposition are limited.

The techniques involved in ensuring a side has two markers in position revolve around tackling effectively. Following the ideal tackle the ball-carrying player should finish up on his back under two players of the side not in possession. This means the player in possession of the football has to wait until the players are off him before he can attempt to regain his feet, knowing how long to 'lie-on' the tackled player is an art form in itself and misjudgement often leads to penalties being awarded. Being on his back the tackled player will need slightly longer to regain his feet and this should give the side not in possession more time to organise themselves. The two tackling players should be the two markers. A poor tackle is one effected by a single player who then, immediately following the tackle, is underneath the player in possession. This enables the tackled player to regain his feet quickly and play-the-ball immediately to a dummy half who can run unchallenged toward the defensive line.

The defensive line is the second most important area of defence and there are a number of styles it can adopt at a given time, all of which again require effective communication between players. The most common form of the past is 'man to man' marking. This method requires all players to determine how many players of the team in possession are stood to either side of the play-the-ball and to match them man for man, i.e. if six players from the opposition are on one side then so there should be six players of the side not in possession facing them. Someone should always be counting and acting as a leader organising his troops with this method. This system on its own has become somewhat out-dated of late but still it forms the foundation on which all other defensive patterns are built.

The most famous of the current methods, and the one always mentioned by fat, balding British commentators when they want to look like they know what they're talking about, is the Sliding Defence. The method is Australian by invention but has become adopted by British and other nations clubs and basically involves the defensive side 'bunching' together slightly in front of the player in possession. As the ball is passed to either side the 'bunch' should follow it or, to use the correct terminology, should slide across the field with it. That is not to say that the individual players in the line should follow the ball, rather the bunch should 'ripple' through the line like a wave. If the defensive line 'slides' too much they create an overlap and so can be easily beaten by a cross-field kick to a wingman on the opposite side of the field, the technique is described below.

The final basic defensive method is called Blocking Defence in Britain and Compressed Defence in Australia. It's increasingly used in nearly all situations where the ball is driven straight into the defence by a forward but only in combination with one or both of the methods previously described. The method is simple and involves a third man becoming involved in the tackle by positioning himself on the ball carrying side of the player being tackled. This prevents the tackled player passing the ball out of the tackle to a supporting player before the tackle is complete. More complex variations of this type of defence can be used in certain situations, for example an attempt to drive a player in possession into touch, but can be dangerous if not properly executed. A number of players combining in blocking defence create a gap in the defensive line and a ball slipped out of the tackle to a supporting player in such a situation puts the full-back in an unenviable position.

The full-back's main responsibility in defensive play is to guard against kicks from the opposition. The type of kicks the player may have to diffuse are many and varied and a good pair of hands are thus the fullback's main defensive weapon. 10m behind the defensive line is a good compromise on where to stand to guard against a small chip-kick over the line by an opposing player. As the tackle count progresses he should drop back slightly depending on whereabouts on the field-of-play play is currently taking place. If play is some distance from the fullback's goal-line he should move some way back to try and diffuse both bomb's and touch-finding kicks. Closer to his goal-line he can still expect a shallow bomb, chip-kicks and grubber kicks. Whilst guarding against kicks is the main responsibility of the full-back all players on the field should have some ability in this area.

The final weapon in the armoury of a good defensive side is the substitute's bench. Defence is the most mentally and physically taxing aspect of modern Rugby League and players such as Gary Larson of Norths who always exceeds forty and sometimes fifty tackles in a game need to be rested to maintain their potency.

3) Kicking the Ball in General Play

Until fairly recently kicking in Rugby League was all but treated as a necessary evil. If on the fifth tackle a side was some distance from the oppositions goal-line then a touch-finding kick was just about the only option; otherwise a grubber kick along the ground was employed. Goal kicking (covered in Scoring Points) has always been important but tactical kicking wasn't acknowledged as an important skill until the early to mid-eighties. Most teams now designate specialist kickers, Brad Fittler of Sidney City Roosters and Allan Langer of Brisbane Broncos being obvious examples, to cover all aspects of kicking in general play.

The Bomb
The bomb, or high-ball, is the current in-vogue attacking kick. It requires a great deal of kicking skill to execute properly but often results in a try. To execute a successful bomb the player in possession needs to select a point of the field to kick to, the area of the goal-posts being a good choice as the posts can obscure the full-backs view of the ball, and then put the ball high in the air towards that point. Before the kick, all players of the side in-possession should know the kick is on so they can follow through to put pressure on the full-back. If no-one follows through then the full-back merely has to catch the ball in his own in-goal area for the bomb to be diffused, with a follow through he may panic and knock-on, catch the ball in the field-of-play and be knocked into touch or his in-goal, or a try may be scored. Cross-field bombs have also recently become fashionable in Australia through players such as Ricky Stuart of Canberra Raiders as a means of beating a solid sliding defence. First of all the ball should be passed quickly across field in an attempt to get the side not in-possession to 'slide' too far. If the defensive line over-reacts an overlap should be created on the opposite side of the field and a quick kick to the winger on that side of the field may give him a clear run for the goal-line with only the full-back to beat.
Chip Kicks
The chip-kick is to British Rugby League what the bomb is to Australian Rugby League and this type of kick illustrates best why full-back positioning is difficult yet vital in defensive play. The best famous example of a well executed chip-kick occurred in the first game of the 1990 Ashes series at Wembley Stadium, London. Gary Schofield noticed the Australian full-back, Gary Belcher, had dropped back on the last tackle expecting a touch-finding kick leaving the 'Roos with a flat-backed defensive line. Upon receiving the ball at first receiver he ran straight at the defensive line, chipped the ball over their heads and re-gathered on the full. By the time the Australian defence had turned round Schofield was twenty metres down-field committing Belcher to the tackle. A slipped pass to the supporting Eastwood ensured a try under the posts.
Grubber Kicks
The grubber kick is another useful weapon in breaking a strong defensive line. As the line moves forward to effect a tackle, the ball is 'slotted' between two players in the line, preferably at an angle, and the ball can be picked up by another player who may then have a clear run for the line. This tactic is usually more effective when used against a side defending on their own-goal line but most sides are well-drilled to defend against it. Deryck Fox of Featherstone Rovers has mastered an interesting variant on the grubber kick. He lines himself up to kick, say, to the right and goes through the normal motions of effecting a grubber kick to the right. The ball though actually hits the side of his heel as it falls to his feet and swings off to the left for a supporting player to go in and collect the ball for a try. Unfortunately for Deryck he's been 'found out' by opposition coaches and it rarely works these days, but it's a delight to watch when it comes off.

Territory and Touch-Finding Kicks
These are by far the most common forms of kicks found in general play and so the skills required by them need to be finely tuned. They generally come following the fifth tackle as a means of avoiding being tackled in possession of the football on the last tackle. Such an action results in possession being handed to the opposition on the spot where the tackle was effected. By kicking for territory or touch, the ball generally ends up in the possession of the opposition still but with this method they have further to run with the ball and, with kicks to the corner, are usually easier to defend against. The ideal territorial kick involves the kicker putting the ball in an area of the field, close to the oppositions goal-line but not over it, away from opposition players; kicking directly to a full-back or winger who has dropped back in expectation is a wasted effort. Ideally the ball will be tantalisingly close to the touch-line, but shouldn't go over it, leaving the opposition player in two minds as to whether or not he should pick the ball up and run with it or leave it to go dead. Delays like this enable the side who have just kicked to get to that end of the field and tackle the player and, ideally, bundle him into touch. A demonstration of the ideal kick came in the Leeds v Bradford championship game at Headingley in September, 1995. Deryck Fox, then with Bradford, put in a kick which upon bouncing rolled parallel with the touch-line but not touching it. The Leeds winger, Jim Fallon, had his back to the Bradford players who were closing in behind him. As he picked the ball up he was hit hard from behind and was as good as thrown into touch. From the resulting scrum Bradford gained possession and scored a try on the second tackle. An ideal demonstration of the old adage that a kick is only as good as the resulting chase!

Touch-finding kicks are now less common in general play and when they occur they are rarely deliberate. The perfect general-play touch-finding kick merely puts the ball into touch as far into the oppositions territory as possible. If the ball does not bounce into touch, i.e. it goes into touch on the full, then the resulting scrum is awarded where the ball was kicked from. Unless, that is, the kick occurred after the fifth tackle, in which case play is restarted with a play-the-ball.

The only deliberate touch-finding kick in common usage these days follow penalties. In this case Law 13.4 allows for the ball to be kicked directly into touch if the side awarded the penalty chooses to do so. The result is a free kick 10m in field from where the ball crossed the touch-line. The ball can be kicked in any direction so the usual occurrence is for the ball to be tapped slightly with the foot, picked up and passed to an oncoming forward.

4) Rugby League Scrums and Why They're Still There

Anyone can tell you a modern Rugby League scrum is a complete farce. I suspect no-one can tell you they've seen one that obeys the Laws on the matter to the letter in the past 10 years or more! However, the fact remains they are ideal as a means of restarting play and the best way to get players and coaches to obey the rules on scrums is to change the rules to suit. If you want to see piles of sweaty bodies testing strength with intricate skills you can only understand when you've played the game then Rugby Union is the game for you. If you want a minimum of fuss before the 'real' action restarts then you can do no better than Rugby League.

In Rugby League, the six forwards of each side form the scrum leaving the seven backs to line up in a particular formation. As described above the modern game rates defence so highly that, if a scrum were a 'real' contest for the ball, both sets of backs would have to line up in a defensive formation. With two well-drilled defensive sides, a description you can attach to all top sides, the events immediately following the ball coming out of the scrum can go down two paths. One is to run with the ball and, because you are prepared for defence rather than attack, be tackled almost immediately. That leaves you with kicking the ball in some way. Since scrums tend to follow kicks that have bounced into touch at one end of the field a chip-kick would be too risky, the opposition may catch it and you then have to defend your own goal-line. A bomb is useless in your own territory so you are left with a kick down-field. If that kick goes into touch, as they often do unintentionally, you have a procession of scrums and an unattractive game.

To make the game more attractive, it is surely better to have each side aware who is likely to get the ball from the scrum so they can line up for either attack or defence, as befits their situation. So 'feeding', or the action of putting the ball into the scrum in such a way that your side will almost certainly get the ball, is an offence usually ignored by Referee's. The result everyone on the field knows where they are as regards attack or defence, and the side gaining possession can run the ball with a chance of making some ground.

Of course, this doesn't detract from the fact that defences are still strong and difficult to breach. A recent rule change has created more attacking options following the scrum in an attempt to alter this though. Previously, when a ball bounced into touch, the scrum was awarded ten metres in from where the ball crossed the touch-line. This ten-metre gap (known as the blind-side since the Referee can't see it properly, he being on the other side of the scrum where the ball is fed in) wasn't a great deal of room to work in and so was often unavailable for attack. Consequently the scrum is now awarded 20m in-field from where the ball crossed the touch-line giving the side in possession the option to attack down either side of the scrum.

5) Passing, Running and Attack

Running with the ball in your hands is often overlooked by spectators as a skill in itself but how a player runs with the ball is often the key to successful attacking play. When considering 'how' to run you must first look at the position the player in question is playing, or more often these days the role he has been given and at the situation the player is in at a given moment. For example, a player given the task of running the ball at the defence in an attempt to make cheap yards, a task known as 'hitting the ball up' in modern parlance, should lean forward slightly as he runs. When he meets the defensive line, the combination of his forward lean and speed means his momentum will drag the tackling players with him before he finally hits the deck. It also means he will more than likely be on his front when he lands so he can quickly regain his feet to play-the-ball.

Effective use of this style of running is an asset to all sides as you can very quickly get a 'roll-on' in attack. With it defending sides find it difficult to master the key to any successful defence, i.e. good organisation, and so suffer in terms of territory as a consequence. The task of hitting the ball up is usually given to the front-row forwards since they are the biggest men on the field but it has given them a reputation of being slightly less than skilful. Being a second-row I'm not going to argue with that but I do acknowledge that there is more to it than being used as a mere battering ram. Pace coupled with a strong shoulder or hand-off and fend are essential elements to hitting-the-ball up as they can result in would-be tacklers who go too high bouncing off. This gives the player in possession the option to smack into the tackler, spin round and off-load the ball to a supporting second-row or centre. In this situation the ball should be held in one hand and tucked firmly into the body area ready for the collision, this leaves the other hand free to execute a solid fend.

In contrast, most other styles of running require the ball to be held in both hands. With the ball held in one hand, it can only really be passed in one direction. Holding with both hands not only gives the option to off-load in either direction but it also means the opposition don't really know which direction it's going to go in if it's to be passed at all. Such a style is the bread and butter of centres, second-rows and certainly the stand-off and half-back.

As you might expect, the key element to most running plays is pace. In situations where the ball is off-loaded in a tackle to a supporting player the only way such a move will be a success is through that supporting player hitting the ball at pace. The defence is concentrating on preventing the pass by using blocking defence techniques and by trying to get the player on the ground. If the pass is away successfully then the supporting players speed will get him through the gap in the defensive line that should now exist before it closes again.

Speed also makes all but the bravest of tacklers think twice about effecting a full-on tackle. By the time the defender has realised he has no choice he probably only has time to throw his arms around the player and if that player is fast enough and strong enough the tackle is easily broken.

Of course, at the very top-level holding off the tackle like this is extremely rare so other attacking measures are needed. Pace, or rather sudden changes of pace, are again a key element. Ellery Hanley was always the master of changing pace. By running at less then top gear he could convince the opposition he was slower than he actually was. Sudden changes in his running speed often left tacklers lying on the ground watching him go by. Coupled with side-steps or sudden changes in direction changing pace at the right moment can be an effective way of evading tackles. For the best example of the perfect side-step you could do no better than watch Brad Fittler of Sydney City Roosters in action.

Swerving around tacklers is the most difficult feat to accomplish when running with the ball as you need a perfect balance coupled with exceptional speed to finish the movement off. As half-backs by nature, Henry Paul of Wigan and his brother Robbie at Bradford are well-suited to the technique as they can run along their own attacking line feigning passes to their players; with this sort of movement the opposition's defenders would normally expect a pass to be off-loaded somewhere in the attacking line. A sudden change in direction executed by running on the outside of one foot and the inside of the other can see the player in possession arc through the defensive line at pace leaving a clear run for the line. Such a move is devastating when executed properly and often results in a try.

Whilst running with the ball is a key element in attack, it's the passing movements of League that truly make the game what it is. As with running, the types and styles of passes vary according to the situation and position of the player in possession. With the introduction of the 10-metre rule, front-row forwards can now run at the defence and off-load to a supporting player in the tackle. With two or three players surrounding the player in possession a quick decision on whether it is safe to pass without an interception or knock-on is required plus no shortage of skill to make sure the ball gets to it's target. If the pass gets to the supporting player the defensive line should be stretched to its limits; with two or three players effecting the tackle there will be holes in the line somewhere.

The second-row forwards and the loose (or lock) forward tend to have a wider variety of passing skills to call on. They too are used to hit the ball up but you'll often see them, particularly the second-rows, operating further out wide effectively as a couple of extra centres. This is basically the reason why they are required to have more explosive pace than the front-row forwards, running wide of the ruck means they have to evade the oppositions three-quarters, feed the ball to their own three-quarters and often make the breaks themselves.

The hooker's role in the scrum has now more or less disappeared but the ball distribution skills are still required. The hooker is more often than not the man acting as dummy half at the play-the-ball and so he's still one of the most important players on the field. His main responsibility, when not running from dummy half himself, is to get a quick and clean pass from the ruck to a supporting player to ensure a flowing attacking movement. Two types of passes generally occur from dummy half, the first being a simple flick to the half-back or stand-off who can then organise an attack as required. The second type is a quick flat pass to an oncoming forward who will then hit the ball into the defensive line; the ball should go smoothly from the dummy half position and as close to parallel with the goal-lines as possible so that the forward can hit the ball at pace ready to batter his way through the line.

The half-back and stand-offs passing skills are paramount to successful attacking play. Short flick passes, long passes that cut-out players in the attacking line and reversed passes are all part of the armoury of the two halves. The goal for either of the halves is to hold the ball in both hands whilst running so the ball can go in either direction as required.

This style is the goal for centres and forwards also but it is not always possible to achieve when the player in question has to hold off a tackler with one hand and keep the ball secure with the other. In this case a number of methods can get the ball away to some support. One is to flick the wrist of the ball carrying arm around so the ball comes out backwards from under the arm to the supporting player. Another would be for the ball carrying arm to reach around the back of the would be tackler and hold the ball ready for support to arrive.

6) Penalties

Penalties appear less and less in Rugby League at the top-level these days but they are still fairly frequent. The 'average' modern game will see around 15 to 20 penalties shared between the two sides and the majority of those will be accounted for by off-side decisions and high or dangerous tackles. These are the offences most likely to incur the wrath of the Referee:

Off-side
There are two common ways in which you can be off-side. One is in defence at the play-the-ball, kick-off and most forms of restart in the game. The defending side has to retire 10m from the ball until the ball is in-play. At the play-the-ball two players are allowed to take part but that is all. At the play-the-ball and scrum the side in possession must also retire a certain distance, this time 5m, or they too are considered to be off-side. The second most common off-side offence occurs after kicks. All players of the side in possession must be behind the kicker if they are to be allowed to take an immediate role in the game. Picking the ball up or tackling a player in such a situation will result in a penalty unless the kicker moves further down the field than that player, thus putting him back on-side.
Holding Down
Holding down is preventing the player in possession to regain his feet to play-the-ball after a tackle. It's a fairly common offence when the side not in possession has been out manoeuvred in defence it allows the defensive line time to reform before play restarts. Sometimes Referees allow players to get away with it and sometimes not so what actually constitutes holding down is very subjective.
Obstruction
An offence more popularly known as crossing in Britain and Shepherding in Australia. A player in possession who runs behind a member of his own side to block a would be tackler is guilty of obstruction. Other forms of obstruction include players deliberately blocking others chasing after a loose ball and tackling players not in-possession of the ball.
Dangerous Tackles
There are a number of dangerous tackles, the most common being the high tackle. A high tackle generally involves the tackling player swinging an arm at the head or neck of the player in possession. Most are clumsy rather than malicious but some can look horrific when you see them in slow motion. The most dangerous tackle is the spear tackle which involves a player being picked up and driven head first into the ground. This kind of tackle always results in a trip to the disciplinary committee and is so dangerous the mere act of picking a player up often results in players being dismissed from the field.

Most offences result in the touch-finding kicks described above which are used to gain ground. The kick must find touch otherwise the penalty is wasted as the opposition will generally get the ball. Leeds have become masters at turning over possession in this way.

The main decision when a side has been given a penalty is to choose between going for goal, a sure fire two points when you have someone like Frano Botica in your side, or whether to kick for touch and run the ball in an attempt to score a try. Goal kicking isn't always an option depending on how far down the field the penalty was awarded so touch-finding kicks are the most common result. Very occasionally there is no choice whatsoever; penalties awarded for offences at scrums are known as differential penalties and no attempt at goal may be made in such a situation.

Penalty tries result when a try would have been scored but for the foul play of a member of the opposition. For example, if a player has a clear run for the line but is tripped before he gets there then a penalty try should be awarded. Each penalty try is awarded under the goal-posts to make the following conversion easier. At the top-level penalty tries are rare these days, the kick from under the posts as good as guarantees 6 points to the opposition and possibly the loss of one man to the sin-bin or the rest of the game.

An even rarer beast these days is the 8-pointer. If a player who, whilst in the act of placing the ball down for a try, is fouled in some way then the Referee may award a penalty to that players team. The try has already been scored so it cannot be awarded under the posts, instead a kick at goal is ordered after the attempt at conversion from the same spot. If both kicks are successful then 8 points is the result.

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