Laws of Rugby - Law 18 - Mark

Law 18 - Mark

DEFINITION
To make a mark, a player must be on or behind that player’s 22-metre line. A player with one foot on the 22-metre line or behind it is considered to be ‘in the 22’. The player must make a clean catch direct from an opponent’s kick and at the same time shout “Mark”. A mark cannot be made from a kick off, or a restart kick except for a drop out.
A kick is awarded for a mark. The place for the kick is the place of the mark.
A player may make a mark even though the ball touched a goal post or crossbar before being caught.
A player from the defending team may make a mark in in-goal.

18.1 AFTER A MARK
The referee immediately blows the whistle and awards a kick to the player who made the mark.

18.2 KICK AWARDED
The kick is awarded at the place of the mark.

18.3 KICK - WHERE
The kick is taken at or behind the mark on a line through the mark.

18.4 WHO KICKS
The kick is taken by the player who made the mark. If that player cannot take the kick within one minute, a scrum is formed at the place of the mark with the ball thrown in by the player’s team. If the mark is in the in-goal, the scrum is 5 metres from the goal line, on a line through the mark.

18.5 HOW THE KICK IS TAKEN
The provisions of Law 21 - Free Kicks - apply to a kick awarded after a mark.

18.6 SCRUM ALTERNATIVE
(a) The team of the player who made the mark may choose to take a scrum.
(b) Where is the scrum. If the mark is in the field of play, the scrum is at the place of the mark, but at least 5 metres from the touchline. If the mark is in-goal, the scrum is 5 metres from the goal line on a line through the mark, and at least 5 metres from the touchline.
(c) Who throws in. The team of the player who made the mark throws the ball in.

18.7 PENALTY KICK AWARDED
(a) An opponent, whether onside or offside, must not charge a player who has made a mark after the referee has blown the whistle.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
(b) Where the penalty kick is taken. If the infringing player is onside, the penalty kick is taken at the place of the infringement. If the infringing player is offside, the penalty kick is taken at the place of the offside line (Law 11 offside and onside in General Play.)
(c) The penalty kick. Any player from the non-offending team may take the penalty kick.