page_title: Rugby league
section_title: Laws of the game
hierarchical_section_title: Rugby league / Rules / Laws of the game
caption_attribution_description: English: A trial match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and Newcastle Knights taking place at WIN Stadium in February 2019.
context_page_description: Rugby league, often called simply as league is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 m wide and 112–122 m long. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in Northern England in 1895 as a split from the Rugby Football Union over the issue of payments to the players. Its rules progressively changed with the aim of producing a faster, more entertaining game for spectators.
  Rugby league is a popular sport played around the world in more than 70 countries. Rugby league is played on every continent except Antarctica.
  In rugby league, points are scored by carrying the ball and touching it to the ground beyond the opposing team's goal line; this is called a try, and is the primary method of scoring. The opposing team attempts to stop the attacking side scoring points by tackling the player carrying the ball. In addition to tries, points can be scored by kicking goals. Field goals can be attempted at any time, and following a successful try, the scoring team gains a free kick to try at goal with a conversion for further points. Kicks at goal may also be awarded for penalties.
context_section_description: The objective in rugby league is to score more points through tries, goals (also known as conversions) and field goals (also known as drop goals) than the opposition within the 80 minutes of play. If after two-halves of play, each consisting of forty minutes, the two teams are drawing, a draw may be declared, or the game may enter extra time under the golden point rule, depending on the relevant competition's format.
  The try is the most common form of scoring, and a team will usually attempt to score one by running and kicking the ball further upfield or passing from player-to-player in order to manoeuvre around the opposition's defence. A try involves touching the ball to the ground on or beyond the defending team's goal-line and is worth four points. A goal is worth two points and may be gained from a conversion or a penalty. A field goal, or drop goal, is only worth one point and is gained by dropping and then kicking the ball on the half volley between the uprights in open play.
  Field position is crucial in rugby league, achieved by running with or kicking the ball. Passing in rugby league may only be in a backward or sideways direction. Teammates, therefore, have to remain on-side by not moving ahead of the player with the ball. However the ball may be kicked ahead for teammates, but again, if they are in front of the kicker when the ball is kicked, they are deemed off-side. Tackling is a key component of rugby league play. Only the player holding the ball may be tackled. A tackle is complete, for example, when the player is held by one or more opposing players
  in such a manner that he can make no further progress and cannot part with the ball, or when the player is held by one or more opposing players and the ball or the hand or arm holding the ball comes into contact with the ground. An attacking team gets a maximum of six tackles to progress up the field before possession is changed over. Once the tackle is completed, the ball-carrier must be allowed to get to his feet to 'play-the-ball'. Ball control is also important in rugby league, as a fumble of the ball on the ground forces a handover, unless the ball is fumbled backwards. The ball can also be turned over by going over the sideline.
caption: A typical game of rugby league being played.
exif: {"Image Make": "Apple", "Image Model": "iPhone X", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "12.1.4", "Image DateTime": "2019:02:23 16:11:43", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "206", "GPS GPSLatitudeRef": "S", "GPS GPSLatitude": "[34, 25, 3973/100]", "GPS GPSLongitudeRef": "E", "GPS GPSLongitude": "[150, 54, 226/25]", "GPS GPSAltitudeRef": "0", "GPS GPSAltitude": "68760/7687", "GPS GPSTimeStamp": "[5, 11, 38]", "GPS GPSSpeedRef": "K", "GPS GPSSpeed": "0", "GPS GPSImgDirectionRef": "T", "GPS GPSImgDirection": "147008/4119", "GPS GPSDestBearingRef": "T", "GPS GPSDestBearing": "147008/4119", "GPS GPSDate": "2019:02:23", "GPS Tag 0x001F": "413846/305", "Image GPSInfo": "1852", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "2256", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "6926", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/2525", "EXIF FNumber": "9/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "20", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2019:02:23 16:11:43", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2019:02:23 16:11:43", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "171172/15145", "EXIF ApertureValue": "54823/32325", "EXIF BrightnessValue": "106751/9911", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "4", "EXIF SubjectArea": "[1982, 1539, 2220, 1329]", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "805", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "805", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "4032", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "3024", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1512/719", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "59", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF LensSpecification": "[4, 6, 9/5, 12/5]", "EXIF LensMake": "Apple", "EXIF LensModel": "iPhone X back dual camera 4mm f/1.8"}