The cause of the in-goal stoppage decides the restart.

The ruleset used on this page

This explanation applies International Rugby League's International Laws of the Game 2026, effective from 1 January 2026, especially Section 8, Laws 2–8, and Section 9, Law 2. In this page, the attacking team is the side attacking the in-goal under discussion; the defending team is protecting it.

Domestic leagues, age grades and tournaments may publish different playing conditions. The competition note below separates the confirmed 2026 NRL and Rugby League World Cup position from the IRL baseline.

Do not treat every kick from the 20 alike

• Goal-line drop-out: the defending side drop-kicks from the centre of its goal line after one of the defensive outcomes listed in Section 8, Law 4.
• 20-metre optional kick: the defending side kicks from the centre of its 20-metre line after an attacking dead-ball outcome, accidental attacking in-goal breach or clean in-goal catch of a general-play kick. Any manner and direction of kick is allowed.
• 20-metre drop-out: the defending side drop-kicks from the centre of its 20-metre line when a penalty kick goes dead in the opponents' in-goal. The penalty need not have been a shot at goal.

A drop kick must be kicked immediately after the ball rebounds from the ground. The optional kick is live as soon as it is kicked; it is not limited to a tap.

Attacking touch, accidental breach or a clean catch

IRL Section 8, Law 2 gives a 20-metre optional kick when:

1. An attacking player last touches the ball before it crosses the dead-ball line or enters touch in-goal, except for the specified penalty-kick, halfway kick-off and goal-line drop-out cases.
2. An attacking player accidentally infringes in the in-goal area.
3. A defending player, while in that player's own in-goal, takes an opponent's kick in general play on the full.

The third route is a common source of wrong explanations: a clean catch on the full in-goal earns the 20-metre option even though the defender touched the ball. The defender does not have to ground the catch first.

Section 8 lists the defensive triggers

Under Section 8, Law 4, the defending side takes a goal-line drop-out when a defender:

• last touches the ball before it crosses the dead-ball line or enters touch in-goal;
• accidentally infringes, touches down, or is tackled in possession in its own in-goal;
• kicks into touch on the full from its own in-goal; or
• kicks or passes in-goal, the ball accidentally strikes an opponent, and then goes dead or into touch in-goal.

It also applies if the ball or a defending ball-carrier touches a match official or encroaching spectator in-goal and play is irregularly affected, or if a defending player straddling the dead-ball or touch-in-goal line makes a kick dead. An intentional defensive breach in-goal is different: the penalty is taken 10 metres from the goal line, opposite the breach.

Letting the ball go dead is not the same as making it dead

Section 9 says the ball is in touch in-goal when it, or a player in contact with it, touches the touch-in-goal line or something on or outside that line. It is dead in-goal when the equivalent contact is with the dead-ball line or something on or outside it.

A stationary ball in-goal that contacts a player who is touch in-goal or over the dead-ball line is deemed to have been made dead by that player. For a general-play kick, a defender straddling either boundary also makes the kick dead unless catching it on the full. To have the kicking side make the ball dead, the non-kicking side must let it bounce on or beyond the dead-ball or touch-in-goal line; intervening from out of bounds produces a goal-line drop-out.

A bounced kick-off or drop-out can force another drop-out

The responsibility shortcut has a specific exception. Section 8, Law 4(h) gives a goal-line drop-out when a halfway kick-off or goal-line drop-out goes over the receiving side's dead-ball line or into touch in-goal other than on the full. The receiving side therefore drops out even though the kicking side supplied the last touch.

“Other than on the full” matters. A drop-out kicked on the full over touch, touch in-goal or the dead-ball line is ordinarily a kicker's offence under Law 6. The special contested-restart relief described below covers on-the-full touchline and short-distance failures only; it does not excuse an on-the-full kick over touch in-goal or the dead-ball line.

The IRL optional kick starts an extended count

Section 8, Law 2 states that the first tackle after the 20-metre optional kick is zero tackle. In practical terms, after that tackle is completed the team still has its normal numbered tackle count ahead of it.

This rule attaches to the optional kick, not to every restart located at the 20-metre line. A 20-metre drop-out after a dead penalty kick is a different restart, and a goal-line drop-out does not automatically create zero tackle either.

The kick and the players must begin legally

For a 20-metre optional kick, opponents retire 10 metres from the 20-metre line and cannot advance until the ball is kicked. The side taking the restart cannot advance in front of the ball before it is kicked. Any deliberate restart offence can bring a penalty where the offence occurred.

For a goal-line or 20-metre drop-out, the kicker must use the prescribed drop kick and make it travel at least 10 metres forward into the field of play. Teammates may not run in front of their kicker; opponents may not approach nearer than 10 metres to the restart line; and a player must not wilfully touch the ball before it has travelled 10 metres. Section 8, Law 8 places a penalty arising at a goal-line drop-out on the line 10 metres from the goal line, in centre field.

Retreating opponents do not receive a free obstruction

If a restart is taken quickly before opponents have had adequate time to retire 10 metres, the IRL note to Law 6 distinguishes deliberate from accidental interference before the ball travels 10 metres. Wilful interference can be penalised; accidental interference produces a scrum. If the player had adequate time to retire, IRL directs the offence to be treated as deliberate.

The general advantage law applies to restarts too. The referee may allow play to continue only when the non-offending side obtains a real tactical or territorial benefit; merely touching the ball does not by itself negate the offence.

A failed genuine contest can avoid the full penalty

IRL's 2025 amendment, now printed in the 2026 law book under Section 8, Law 6, creates a narrow outcome for a goal-line or 20-metre drop-out that is capable of being contested in the referee's opinion. IRL describes a reasonable opportunity for both teams to play for possession, typically from a high or bouncing cross-field kick towards chasers.

• If that qualifying goal-line drop-out fails to travel 10 metres or goes over the touchline on the full, the opponents receive a play-the-ball 10 metres from the goal line and 10 metres in from touch.
• For the equivalent 20-metre drop-out failure, the play-the-ball is 10 metres beyond the 20-metre line and 10 metres in from touch.
• If either side touches the ball before it has had the opportunity to travel 10 metres, the full penalty still applies.

The referee's contestability judgment is essential. This is not a blanket conversion of every short or misdirected drop-out into a play-the-ball.

The on-the-full note is different at the 20

A 20-metre optional kick need not travel 10 metres forward because it may be kicked in any manner and direction. The 2026 Section 8 notes separately provide that if it travels on the full over the touchline, the other side restarts with a play-the-ball 10 metres beyond the 20-metre line and 10 metres in from touch, instead of receiving the ordinary penalty.

The law book's “capable of being contested” test expressly describes goal-line and 20-metre drop-outs. It should not be silently added to the separate optional-kick touch provision.

A legal touch-finder can return possession to the kicker

Section 8, Law 1 applies a special result when a kick-off, goal-line drop-out, 20-metre drop-out or optional-kick restart finds touch other than on the full: the kicking team receives a play-the-ball on the 20-metre line opposite where the ball entered touch.

The kicking captain may move that play-the-ball to the 10-metre mark in from touch or to centre field. This is why a restart that bounces before crossing touch can be tactically valuable, while a kick crossing on the full is tested under the offence and contested-restart provisions.

An untouched grubber rolls dead

Situation: Blue attacks Red's in-goal. Blue's grubber bounces through the in-goal and over the dead-ball line without Red touching it.

IRL 2026 ruling: Red receives a 20-metre optional kick under Section 8, Law 2(a), with the first tackle at zero. Blue was the attacking side and supplied the last touch; this was a general-play kick, not a penalty, kick-off or goal-line drop-out.

The fullback catches the bomb in-goal

Situation: Red's fullback stands in Red's in-goal and cleanly catches Blue's general-play kick before it bounces.

IRL 2026 ruling: 20-metre optional kick under Section 8, Law 2(c). The decisive fact is the defending player's catch on the full in-goal; it is not a goal-line drop-out merely because Red touched the ball there.

The defender reaches from beyond the dead-ball line

Situation: Blue's kick stops in Red's in-goal. A Red player standing beyond the dead-ball line reaches in and touches the stationary ball before it reaches the boundary.

IRL 2026 ruling: goal-line drop-out. Section 9 deems the stationary ball to have been made dead by that player, and Section 8, Law 4 assigns the defensive restart.

A penalty kick misses and runs dead

Situation: Blue takes a penalty kick; the ball goes dead in Red's in-goal. It does not matter whether Blue nominated a shot at goal.

IRL 2026 ruling: Red takes a 20-metre drop-out under Section 8, Law 3. It must be a drop kick, so this is not the optional kick and does not carry the optional kick's automatic zero tackle.

A short cross-field drop-out stops eight metres out

Situation: Red attempts a bouncing cross-field goal-line drop-out with clear Red and Blue chasers able to contest it, but the untouched ball comes to rest only eight metres forward.

IRL 2026 ruling: if the referee judges it capable of being contested, Blue receives a play-the-ball 10 metres from the goal line and 10 metres in from touch, rather than the full penalty. If a player wilfully touches it before it has the opportunity to travel 10 metres, the full penalty remains available.

NRL and Rugby League World Cup 2026

The Australian Rugby League Commission's 4 February 2026 notice says that, for the 2026 NRL season, there is no seven-tackle set following an attacking knock-on in-goal. That is a direct variation from assuming every accidental attacking in-goal breach produces the IRL optional-kick zero-tackle outcome.

On 29 April 2026, IRL and the tournament organiser confirmed that the men's and women's Rugby League World Cup 2026 will use the 2026 NRL and NRLW Premiership Rules and Interpretations, including NRL-style shot clocks for goal-line drop-outs. The public announcement does not reproduce every restart procedure, so tournament-specific officiating material controls where it supplements the IRL book. Wheelchair rugby league uses a separate IRL laws family and is outside this page's scope.

Choose the restart in six checks

1. Name the phase. Was the ball in general play, from a penalty kick, from a halfway kick-off or from a goal-line drop-out?
2. Name the final event. Last touch over a boundary, grounding, tackle in-goal, infringement, catch on the full or a player making the ball dead?
3. Apply the special route first. A clean in-goal catch of a general-play kick means a 20-metre optional kick; a dead penalty kick means a 20-metre drop-out.
4. Otherwise assign responsibility. Attacking last touch or accidental attacking breach normally means a 20-metre option; the listed defensive outcomes mean a goal-line drop-out.
5. Check set-kick exceptions. A bounced halfway kick-off or goal-line drop-out that runs dead creates another goal-line drop-out.
6. Check the restart itself. Method, player positions, 10-metre travel, touch, contestability, advantage and the applicable competition's playing conditions can change the next ruling.

Five shortcuts that give the wrong call

• “The last player to touch it always decides.” The clean in-goal catch and set-kick exceptions disprove that shortcut.
• “Every 20-metre restart is a tap.” The optional kick may use any kick; the dead-penalty restart is a required drop kick.
• “Standing out of bounds makes the attacking kick dead.” A defender who contacts a stationary in-goal ball from beyond the boundary is deemed to make it dead.
• “Any failed short drop-out becomes a play-the-ball.” The IRL relief is limited by the type of failure and, for drop-outs, the referee's contestability judgment.
• “IRL zero tackle applies everywhere in 2026.” NRL and the 2026 World Cup have confirmed competition-specific interpretations.

Governing-body sources and effective version

• International Rugby League — International Laws of the Game 2026, Sections 2, 8, 9 and 16
• International Rugby League — contested-restart amendment to Section 8, Law 6, effective 8 February 2025
• International Rugby League — 2026 international-law amendments, effective 1 January 2026
• Australian Rugby League Commission — 2026 NRL on-field rule changes, accidental breach in-goal
• International Rugby League / RLWC2026 — 2026 World Cup competition rules announcement, 29 April 2026

Checked against the IRL 2026 law book and amendment notices current on 27 August 2026. The baseline applies to international 13-a-side rugby league; appointed competition rules and age-grade modifications may supplement or replace it.