Law 10: Offside and Onside in Open Play

A player is offside in open play when in front of a team-mate carrying the ball or who last played it.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.1 · recall

When the last action is a kick, the kicking foot determines the offside line.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.1 · recall

A player can be offside anywhere in the playing area.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.2 · recall

A player who receives an unintentional throw forward is not offside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.3 · applied

Interfering includes playing the ball, tackling, preventing the opposition playing, and loitering.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.1d · recall

Accidental offside: play stops only if the offending team gains an advantage. Sanction: scrum.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.5 · applied

The 10-metre law does not apply when the kick is charged down or touched in an attempted charge down.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.4c · recall

Under the 10-metre law the player must retire behind an onside team-mate or the imaginary line 10 m from the catch.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.4c · applied

The player must retire at once; an onside team-mate running past puts them onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.4c, 10.7a · recall

The player closest to where the ball lands or is caught is penalised; team B picks penalty or scrum.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.4c · recall

An offside player is put onside by moving behind the team-mate who last played the ball, or behind an onside team-mate.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.6a · recall

An onside team-mate moving past, while within or back in the playing area, puts the player onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7a · applied

An opponent who kicks or intentionally touches the ball without gaining it puts offside players onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7b · applied

The ball going into touch puts the player onside, providing they complied with the law until then.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7c · applied

A player offside under 10.4c cannot be put onside by any action of an opponent, apart from a charge down.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.8 · recall

Getting behind any onside team-mate works too.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.6b · recall

An onside team-mate running ahead puts the player onside (subject to the 10-metre law).

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7a · applied

An opponent kicking the ball puts offside players onside (except those under the 10-metre law).

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7b · applied

Number 9 is onside, so being passed by him is enough.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7a · recall

Only if the player was complying with the law until then.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.7c · recall

A player offside at a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout remains offside after it has ended.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.9 · applied

An opposition player carrying the ball five metres in any direction puts the player onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.10b · recall

An opposition player kicking the ball also puts the player onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.10c · recall

The player can immediately retire behind the applicable offside line.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.10a · recall

An offside player who moves towards the ball may be penalised. Sanction: penalty.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.11c · applied

Failing to retire without undue delay and benefiting from being put onside is penalised.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.11a · applied

It applies to players offside at a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.9 · recall

The player stays offside after the ruck ends until retiring or until an opponent carries 5 m or kicks.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.9-10 · applied

A 5 m carry by an opponent puts the player onside.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.10b · recall

5 m, 10 m and 22 m.

Source: World Rugby Laws 2026, Law 10.4c, 10.10b; Law 1 · recall