In rugby union, a player is offside when they are in front of the ball or in front of a teammate who last played the ball. Being offside does not automatically result in a penalty — but an offside player must not take part in play, challenge for the ball, or obstruct opponents. If they do, a penalty is awarded against them.
Offside in Open Play
During open play, the offside line runs through the position of the ball. Any player from either team who is in front of the ball is technically offside. However, they are only penalised if they:
- Move towards the ball or an opponent
- Attempt to play the ball
- Obstruct an opponent
An offside player can be put back onside in several ways:
- A teammate who was behind the ball runs past them
- An opponent runs 5 metres with the ball
- An opponent kicks the ball
- The player retreats behind the offside line themselves
Offside at a Ruck or Maul
At a ruck or maul, the offside line runs through the hindmost foot of the last player in the ruck or maul. Players not involved must be behind this line on their own side. This is one of the most commonly penalised offside offences in rugby — defenders creeping up in front of the ruck before the ball is cleared.
Offside at a Scrum
At a scrum, the offside lines are clear and defined:
- Forwards — must stay bound into the scrum until it ends
- Scrum-halves — can move around the scrum but must stay behind the ball
- All other backs — must stay behind an imaginary line running through the hindmost foot of their own scrum, parallel to the goal lines. They cannot move forward until the ball leaves the scrum
Offside at a Lineout
At a lineout, players not participating must stand at least 10 metres back from the lineout, behind their offside line. They cannot move forward until the lineout ends — which happens when the ball is caught or the lineout moves into a maul.
Offside Under the High Ball (10-Metre Law)
When a player kicks the ball, all teammates who are in front of the kicker at the moment of the kick are offside. They must not approach within 10 metres of the opposition player waiting to catch the ball, unless put onside by the kicker or a teammate running past them from behind.
This is why you often see players standing still while waiting to be “run onside” by a teammate who was behind the kicker.