Rugby Laws Explained: Law 18 “The Lineout”
![Former Munster, Connacht and Ireland 'A' scrum half Frank Murphy is part of the match official panel for the GUINNESS PRO14 final series ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne Former Munster, Connacht and Ireland 'A' scrum half Frank Murphy is part of the match official panel for the GUINNESS PRO14 final series ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne](https://d19fc3vd0ojo3m.cloudfront.net/irfu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/30192312/inpho_01482559-e1556648996709-1248x794.jpg)
The IRFU’s High Performance Referees continue their series of explaining the laws of the game with Frank Murphy this week looking at Law 18 “The Lineout”.
When play reaches a touchline, the ball is in touch and becomes dead. Quick-throws and lineouts are methods of restarting the game with a throw after the ball or ball-carrier has gone into touch.
The sections and sanctions associated with Law 18 that are explored this week are:
Law 18.10:
Each team must form a line half a metre from the mark
The gap must be maintained until the ball is thrown in
SANCTION: Free-kick
Law 18.23.a:
The ball must be thrown in straight along the mark of touch
SANCTION: Option of Scrum or Lineout to Opposition
Law 18.29.e:
A player can grasp and bring an opponent in possession of the ball to ground, provided that the player is not in the air
SANCTION: Penalty
Law 18.37.a:
The lineout ends when the ball or player in possession:
(i) Leaves the lineout (ii) Enters the area between touchline and the 5m line (iii) Goes beyond the 15m line