Reference
Rugby Glossary: Every Term, Call and Position
92 rugby terms and definitions, searchable and organised A–Z. Each term links to its own page and to the laws it relates to.
Most looked-up terms
A
- Advantage
- A law allowing the referee to refrain from stopping play for an infringement if doing so would benefit the non-offending team. Advantage must be clear and real.
- Agent
- A player who acts for another player in a specific game situation, such as a scrum-half acting as agent for the number 8 at the base of a scrum.
- Attacking team
- The team moving towards the opposing team's dead-ball line (i.e., towards the opponent's in-goal area).
B
- Ball back
- A term used when the ball has gone backwards relative to the direction of play.
- Binding
- Grasping another player's body firmly between the shoulders and the hips, with the whole arm in contact from hand to shoulder. Correct binding is essential at scrums, rucks, and mauls.
- Box kick
- A high kick from behind the scrum or ruck, typically by the scrum-half, aimed at landing in a specific area to challenge the opposition.
C
- Captain
- The player nominated by a team to lead it on the field, consult the referee and select options relating to referee decisions.
- Charge-down
- Blocking an opponent's kick with the hands, arms or body as it is kicked. Play continues, and it is not penalised as a knock-on.
- Chip kick
- A short kick over the top of advancing defenders, usually intended for the kicker or a supporting player to regather.
- Conversion
- A kick at goal taken after a try is scored. It is worth 2 points if successful. The kick is taken from a position in line with where the try was scored.
- Corner post
- A flag post at each corner where the try line meets the touch-in-goal line. If the ball or ball carrier touches it, play continues unless the ball is grounded against the post.
D
- Dead ball
- The ball is dead when play has stopped, after the ball crosses the dead-ball line, goes into touch, or when the referee blows the whistle.
- Dead-ball line
- The line at each end of the playing area, beyond the in-goal. The ball is dead if it crosses or touches the dead-ball line.
- Defending team
- The team defending their own in-goal, i.e., the team moving away from their own dead-ball line.
- Deliberate knock-on
- Intentionally batting or knocking the ball forward with hand or arm. This is foul play and may result in a penalty try.
- Drop goal
- A goal scored by drop-kicking the ball through the opponent's uprights during open play. Worth 3 points.
- Drop kick
- A kick made by dropping the ball and kicking it as it rises from its first bounce. Used for drop goals, kick-offs, restart kicks and drop-outs.
- Dropout
- A drop kick that restarts play after the ball is made dead in in-goal without a score. A 22-metre drop-out is taken on or behind the 22-metre line, and a try line drop-out on or behind the try line.
- Dummy
- A feigned pass or movement intended to deceive opponents. A dummy is legal unless it involves obstruction.
E
- Engagement
- The coming together of the two front rows at a scrum, controlled by the referee using the sequence "Crouch, Bind, Set."
F
- Fair catch
- See "Mark." A player who catches the ball directly from an opponent's kick in their own 22 or in-goal while calling "Mark" is awarded a free-kick.
- Field of play
- The area of the playing field between the goal lines and touchlines (not including in-goal). The field of play is bounded by these lines but does not include the lines themselves.
- Flanks
- The sides of a ruck, maul, or scrum. Players may not enter a ruck or maul from the flank; they must enter through the gate.
- Free kick
- A kick awarded for less serious infringements. A goal cannot be scored directly from it. The team can kick or tap and play, but it cannot choose a scrum instead.
- Front row
- The three players at the front of a scrum: the loosehead prop, hooker, and tighthead prop. They form the "front row union."
- Full time
- When the playing time for a match has run out. The match ends when the ball next becomes dead, so play can continue for a scrum, lineout, penalty or conversion.
- Forward Pass
- When a player throws or passes the ball forward, meaning the passer's arms move towards the opponents' dead-ball line (officially: throw forward). Results in a scrum to the opposing team.
G
- Gate
- The everyday name for how players must join a tackle, ruck or maul: from the direction of their own try line, not from the side.
- Goal line
- Also called the try line. The line a player must ground the ball over (or on) to score a try. The goal line is part of the in-goal.
- Grounding
- Touching the ball down in in-goal, either while holding it or by pressing down on it with the hand or arm, or with the front of the body between waist and neck. Required to score a try.
- Grubber kick
- A low kick along the ground, intended to bounce forward in front of defenders.
H
- Half-time
- The interval between the two halves of the game. Teams change ends and the team that did not kick off at the start kicks off for the second half.
- Head injury assessment (HIA)
- A temporary removal that lets a player with a possible head injury be assessed off the field, while a temporary replacement takes their place.
- Held up
- When a ball carrier in in-goal is held so that they cannot ground or play the ball. No try is scored. The ball is dead, and play restarts with a try line drop-out or a 5-metre scrum, depending on how the ball got into in-goal.
- Hindmost foot
- The foot nearest a team's own try line of its last player in a maul or scrum, used to set the offside line. At a ruck the offside line runs through the hindmost point of any player in the ruck instead.
I
- In-goal
- The area between the goal line and the dead-ball line at each end of the field. This is where tries are scored.
- Intentional knock-on
- See "Deliberate knock-on." A penalty try may be awarded if the action prevented a probable try.
- Intercept
- Catching an opponent's pass before it reaches the intended receiver. This is legal and the intercepting player may run with the ball.
J
K
- Kick-off
- A drop kick from the centre of the halfway line used to start each half and restart play after a score. The ball must reach the opponents' 10-metre line.
L
- Lineout
- A set piece used to restart play after the ball goes into touch. At least two players from each team line up at right angles to the touchline to contest a throw from touch, usually taken by the hooker.
- Line of touch
- The imaginary line perpendicular to the touchline at the point where the ball went into touch. Players line up along this line for a lineout.
- Loosehead prop
- The prop on the left side of the scrum (when viewed from behind). Wears jersey number 1. Binds by placing the left arm inside the right arm of the opponent's tighthead prop.
M
- Mark
- A catch made directly from an opponent's kick in the catcher's own 22 or in-goal, while calling "Mark." It earns a free-kick at the place of the mark, but no closer than 5 metres to the try line.
- Maul
- A phase of play with the ball carrier and at least one player from each team bound together and on their feet. Once formed, a maul must move towards a try line.
- Midfield line
- The halfway line, dividing the field into two equal halves. Kick-offs are taken from the midfield line.
- Misconduct
- Behaviour against the spirit of good sportsmanship, such as disputing the referee's decisions. It is penalised with a penalty kick, and the player can also be cautioned, shown a yellow card or sent off.
N
O
- Obstruction
- Illegally blocking an opponent who does not have the ball. A form of foul play. Sanction: Penalty kick.
- Offside
- Being in a position where a player is not permitted to play the ball, interfere with play, or advance. Offside lines vary by phase of play.
- On the ground
- A player who has any part of their body (other than feet) touching the ground. Players on the ground cannot participate in open play, rucks, or mauls.
- Onside
- Being in a position where a player is permitted to participate in play, i.e., not offside.
- Open play
- All phases of play except set pieces (scrums and lineouts).
P
- Penalty kick
- A kick awarded for a serious infringement. Options include kicking at goal (3 points), kicking to touch and keeping the lineout throw-in, or taking a tap.
- Penalty try
- A try awarded between the posts when a player would probably have scored but for foul play by an opponent. Worth 7 points, with no conversion attempted.
- Place kick
- A kick made when the ball has been placed on the ground or on a kicking tee. Used for conversions and penalty kicks at goal, but not for kick-offs, which are drop kicks.
- Playing area
- The field of play plus the two in-goal areas. The touchlines, touch-in-goal lines and dead-ball lines are not part of it.
- Prop
- A front-row forward who supports the hooker in the scrum. The loosehead prop wears number 1; the tighthead prop wears number 3.
- Punt
- A kick made by dropping the ball from the hands and kicking it before it touches the ground. The most common type of kick in open play.
Q
- Quick throw-in
- A throw-in at the lineout taken before the lineout forms, using the original ball, by any player of the throwing team.
R
- Red card
- Shown to a player who is sent off for serious foul play or misconduct. The player takes no further part in the match and, under the standard law, may not be replaced.
- Referee
- The match official in charge of the match. Together with the other appointed match officials, the referee is the sole judge of fact and of law during a match.
- Replacement
- Substitution of one player for another. Replacements may be made for injury or tactical reasons, subject to law limits. Players temporarily replaced for a blood injury or a head injury assessment may return.
- Restart kick
- A drop kick that restarts play after a score, or at a 22-metre drop-out or try line drop-out. A penalty or free-kick is not a restart kick.
S
- Sanction
- A punishment for an infringement, typically a penalty kick, free-kick, or scrum. The referee indicates the sanction by hand signal.
- Scrum
- A set piece where 8 forwards from each team bind together and contest for the ball. Engagement sequence: Crouch, Bind, Set.
- Scrum-half
- The player wearing jersey number 9. Acts as the link between the forwards and backs. Feeds the ball into the scrum and distributes from breakdowns.
- Set piece
- A structured phase of play used to restart the game, primarily the scrum and the lineout.
- Sin bin
- The temporary suspension of a player following a yellow card. The player must leave the field for 10 minutes of playing time.
- Straight arm tackle
- An illegal tackle technique where the tackler leads with a stiff or straight arm. This is dangerous play and is sanctioned.
- Substitution
- The everyday word for a replacement: a player from the bench coming on in place of a team-mate. See also "Replacement."
T
- Tackle
- The act of bringing the ball carrier to the ground while holding them. Specific obligations apply to the tackled player, tackler, and arriving players.
- Tackled player
- A ball carrier who has been brought to the ground (at least one knee on the ground) while being held by an opponent.
- Tap kick
- A kick where the player taps the ball with their foot to themselves (or lets it go a short distance) and then picks it up or plays on. Used to restart from penalties or free-kicks.
- Tighthead prop
- The prop on the right side of the scrum (when viewed from behind). Wears jersey number 3. Binds by placing the right arm outside the left upper arm of the opposing loosehead prop.
- TMO (Television Match Official)
- An extra match official who reviews incidents on video replays. The TMO advises the referee on tries, kicks at goal and foul play.
- Touch
- The area outside the playing field, beyond the touchlines. The ball or player is in touch when touching or crossing the touchline.
- Touch judge
- A match official positioned along each touchline to assist the referee. Touch judges indicate when the ball or players go into touch using a raised flag.
- Touchline
- The boundary line running along the length of the field, separating the playing area from touch.
- Try
- Scored when an attacking player grounds the ball in the opposition's in-goal. Worth 5 points. A conversion kick (worth 2 points) follows.
U
- Uncontested scrum
- A scrum where neither team contests for the ball; the feeding team is awarded possession automatically. Used when a team cannot provide a safe front row.
- Up-and-under
- A high kick designed to hang in the air long enough for the kicking team to chase and contest the catch. Also called a "Garryowen."
W
- Winger
- The players wearing jerseys number 11 and 14, positioned on the extreme edges of the backline. Often the players who score the most tries.
Y
- Yellow card
- Shown to a player who commits a serious or repeated infringement. The player is temporarily suspended for 10 minutes (the "sin bin").