TRY AND TOUCH-DOWN

Grounding the ball is the act of a player who

(a)

while holding the ball in his hand (or hands) or arm (or arms) brings the ball in contact with the ground, or

(b)

while the ball is on the ground either

• places his hand (or hands) or arm (or arms) on it with downward pressure, or
• falls upon it and the ball is anywhere under the front of his body from waist to neck inclusive.

Picking up the ball from the ground is not grounding it.

A. Try

(1)

A player who is on-side scores a try when

• he carries the ball into his opponents' In-goal, or
• the ball is in his opponents' In-goal,

and he first grounds it there.

(2)

The scoring of a try includes the following cases:-

(a)

if a player carries, passes, knocks or kicks the ball into his In-goal and an opponent first grounds it,

(b)

if, at a scrummage or ruck, a team is pushed over its goal line and before the ball has emerged it is first grounded in In-goal by an attacking player,

(c)

if the momentum of a player, when tackled, carries him into his opponents' In-goal and he first there grounds the ball

(d)

if a player first grounds the ball on his opponents' goal line or if the ball is in contact with the ground and a goal post,

(e)

if a tackle occurs in such a position that the tackled player whilst complying with the Law is able to place the ball on or over the goal line.

(3)

If a player grounds the ball in his opponents' In-goal and picks it up again, a try is scored where it was first grounded.

(4)

A try may be scored by a player who is in touch or in touch-in-goal provided he is not carrying the ball

B. Penalty Try

A penalty try shall be awarded between the posts if but for foul play by the defending team

• a try would probably have been scored, or
• it would probably have been scored in a more favourable position than that where the ball was grounded.

C. Touch-Down

(1)

A touch-down occurs when a player first grounds the ball in his In-goal.

(2)

After a touch-down, play shall be restarted either by a drop-out or a scrummage.

D. Scrummage after Grounding in Case of Doubt

Where there is doubt as to which team first grounded the ball In-goal, a scrummage shall be formed five meters from the goal line opposite the place where the ball was grounded. The attacking team shall put in the ball.