Rugby term
Captain
Definition
The captain is the player who leads a team on the field, takes part in the coin toss and makes choices for the team, such as which sanction to take.
What the captain does
Each team nominates a captain. The laws define the captain as the player who leads the team, consults the referee and selects options relating to referee decisions. The rest of the role is leadership: setting the tactics in the moment, talking to the team and keeping discipline.
Before the match: the coin toss
The referee organises the toss. One captain tosses a coin and the other calls. The winner decides whether to kick off or to choose an end, and the opponents get the other option (Law 6).
During the match
If a team offends again while the referee is playing advantage, and no advantage can come from it, the referee stops play and lets the captain of the other team choose the most useful sanction (Law 7).
When a team is awarded a penalty, it can kick at goal, kick to touch, tap and play or take a scrum (Laws 8, 18 and 20). Selecting that option is part of the captain's role, although any player in the team may take the kick (Law 20). If a team has too many players on the field, the referee orders that team's captain to reduce the number (Law 3).
Speaking to the referee
Under the definition, consulting the referee about decisions is the captain's job. That does not give the captain a licence to argue. Every player, captain included, must respect the referee's authority and must not dispute decisions. Doing so is penalised with a penalty kick, and the player can also be cautioned or sent off (Law 9).
Common questions
What does the captain do in rugby?
The captain leads the team on the field. Under the laws the captain takes part in the coin toss (Law 6), consults the referee, and chooses the sanction when the opponents offend twice during advantage (Law 7).
Who calls the coin toss in rugby?
One captain tosses the coin and the other captain calls. The winner chooses whether to kick off or which end to play towards (Law 6).
Can the captain argue with the referee?
No. Every player, including the captain, must respect the referee and must not dispute decisions. The sanction is a penalty kick, and the player can also be shown a yellow or red card (Law 9).
Does the captain decide what to do with a penalty?
Yes. The laws define the captain as the player who selects options relating to referee decisions, such as a kick at goal, a kick to touch, a tap or a scrum. Any team-mate may take the kick (Law 20).
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