19.14 OFFSIDE WHEN TAKING PART IN THE LINEOUT

(a) Before the ball has touched a player or the ground. A player must not overstep the line of touch. A player is offside if, before the ball has touched a player or the ground, that player oversteps the line of touch, unless doing so while jumping for the ball. The player must jump from that player’s side of the line of touch.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(b) If a player jumps and crosses the line of touch but fails to catch the ball, that player is not penalised provided that player gets back onside without delay.

Players jumping for the ball may take a step in any direction providing they do not step across the line of touch.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(c) After the ball has touched a player or the ground. A player not carrying the ball is offside if, after the ball has touched a player or the ground, that player steps in front of the ball, unless tackling (or trying to tackle) an opponent. Any attempt to tackle must start from that player’s side of the ball.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(d) The referee must penalise any player who, intentionally or not, moves into an offside position without trying to win possession or tackle an opponent.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(e) No player of either team participating in the lineout may leave the lineout until it has ended.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(f) Long throw-in. If the player who is throwing in throws the ball beyond the 15-metre line, a player taking part in the lineout may run infield beyond the 15-metre line as soon as the ball leaves the hands of the player throwing in.
If this happens, an opponent may also run infield. If a player runs infield to take a long throw in, and the ball is not thrown beyond the 15-metre line, this player is offside and must be penalised.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line

(g) Ruck and maul from a lineout. When a ruck or a maul develops in a lineout the offside line for a player taking part in the lineout no longer runs through the ball. The offside line is now the hindmost foot of that player’s team in the ruck or maul.

(h) The lineout ends when the ruck or maul leaves the line of touch. For this to happen, all the feet of all the players in the ruck or maul must have left the line of touch.

(i) A player taking part in the lineout must either join the ruck or maul, or retire to the offside line and stay at that line, otherwise that player is offside.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line
(j) The rest of the Law of ruck or maul applies. A player must not join the ruck or maul from the opponents’ side.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(k) Players must not join it in front of the offside line. If they do, they are offside.
Sanction: Penalty kick on the 15-metre line