Ball in touch (inc - Tackled player in touch on rising) 1. The ball is in touch when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch line or the ground beyond the touch line or any object on or outside the touch line except when a player, tackled in the field of play, steps into touch as he regains his feet in which case he shall play the ball in the field of play.

Jumping player knocks ball back The ball is in touch if a player jumps from touch and while off the ground touches the ball. The ball is not in touch if during flight it crosses the touch line but is knocked back by a player who is off the ground after jumping from the field of play.

Touch in-goal 2. The ball is in touch in-goal when it or a player in contact with it touches the touch in-goal line, or any object on or outside the touch in-goal line.

Points of Entry 3. When a ball has entered touch or touch in-goal, the point of entry shall be taken as the point at which the ball first crossed the touch or touch in-goal line.

Ball back 4. If the ball is kicked by or bounces off a player in a forward direction (except from in-goal – Section 8 No.4 (e) and it goes into touch on the full, a scrum is formed where contact with the ball was made except after the fifth play-the-ball (but not nearer than twenty metres to the touch line or ten (10) metres to the goal line) – (see Section 12).

Touch from 5. If the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick the Penalty game is restarted by a free kick ten metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch. (see Section 13).

Scrum on ‘20’ 6. Other than as outlined in paras. 4 and 5 above, the game is restarted after the ball has gone into touch by forming a scrum twenty metres in-field opposite the point of entry into touch but not nearer than ten (10) metres to the goal line – (see Section 12).

7. In all aspects of general play, a player who does not deliberately play at the ball (eg. ricochet or rebound) will not be disadvantaged by a consequent restart of play when the ball has gone dead or into touch.

ALSO NOTE


Player not “object” 1. and 2. A player is not considered to be an “object”. For example, the ball is not in touch when the player in possession, himself being in the field of play, is in contact with another player who is in touch.

Ball Dead 1. Where the ball which is stationary in the field of play or the in-goal area comes in contact with a player in touch, touch ingoal or over the dead ball line, the ball is deemed to have been made dead by that player.

Dead Ball line restarts Should a kick be made dead by a defending player straddling the dead ball line or touch in-goal line, play will restart with a goal line drop-out.

Corner post touch in-goal 2. A corner post placed at the intersection of a touch line and a goal line is in touch in-goal. It is a duty of a touch judge to replace a corner post which is displaced during the game.

3. See Section 8. No.4 (e) in respect of kicking into touch on the full from in-goal.