Page:Football, the Rugby game.djvu/68

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58
RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL.

16. It is lawful to run-in anywhere across the goal-line.

17. The goal-line is in goal, and the touch-line is in touch.

18. In the event of any player holding or running with the ball being tackled, and the ball fairly held, he must at once cry down, and immediately put it down. If, in the opinion of the Referee, he has not immediately put the ball down, or if being on the ground has not immediately got up, he shall, on a claim from the opposite side, award a free-kick, such free-kick to be taken in accordance with Law 44.

19. A Maul in Goal is when the ball is held inside the goal-line and one of the opposing side endeavours to touch it down. Those players only who are touching the ball with the hand when the maul begins, and then for so long only as they retain their touch, may continue in the maul. The ball shall be touched-down, where the maul is concluded, and shall belong to the players of the side who first had possession of it before the maul began, unless the opposite side have gained entire possession of it, or unless it has escaped from the hold of all parties engaged, in which latter event it shall belong to the defending side.

20. Touch in Goal. (See Plan.) Immediately the ball, whether in the hands of a player or not, goes into touch in goal, it is at once dead and out of the game, and must be brought out as provided by Laws 37 and 38.

21. Every player is on-side, but is put off-side if he enters a scrummage from his opponents' side, or being in a scrummage gets in front of the ball, or when the ball has been kicked, touched, or is being run with by any of his own side behind him (i.e. between himself and his own goal-line). No player can be off-side in his own goal.

22. A player being off-side is put on-side when the ball has been run five yards with, or kicked by, or has touched the dress or person of, any player of the opposite side, or when one of his own side has run in front of him either with the ball or having kicked it when behind him.

23. Every player when off-side is out of the game, and shall not touch the ball in any case whatever, or in any way interrupt or obstruct any player until he is again on side. In case any player wilfully touches the ball when he is off-side, the opposite side may claim either (1) a free-kick, such free-kick to be taken in accordance with Law 44 where such off-side play occurred; or (2) a scrummage at the spot where the ball was last played before the offence occurred.

When a player has the ball, none of his opponents who are off-side may run, or attempt to tackle, or otherwise interrupt