4. Starts & Restarts

Question 1

How is the game started or restarted and what are the core elements to this?

Answer 1

4. Starts and Restarts:
   a) A drop kick from the centre of the half way line will be used to start each half of
   the match and for all restarts after a score. After a score, the opponents of the team who scored will have the option to receive the kick or kick off themselves.
   b) The kicker’s team must be behind the ball until it has been kicked and the non-
   kicking team must be at least 7 metres back from the half way line.
   c) If the ball does not travel 7 metres but is first played by an opponent, play
   continues.
   d) If the ball does not travel 7 metres or is played by the kicking team before reaching 7 metres or is kicked directly into touch, the non-kicking team will have the choice of
   i. A throw in to a scrum at the centre of the half way line.
   ii. The kick to be re-taken.
   e) Where players of the kicking team are in front of the ball , the non-kicking team
   shall have a throw in to a scrum at the centre of the half way line.
   f) If the ball is kicked into the opponents’ in-goal, without having touched or been
   touched by a player and is then immediately touched down or made dead, or the ball goes into touch in goal, the non-kicking team has the choice of:
   i. A throw in to a scrum at the centre of the half way line.
   ii. The kick to be re-taken.