Start with three questions
Who has possession? Where are they on the field? Which tackle is next? Follow those questions first; leave unfamiliar calls for the next break.
This guide uses the 2026 international lawbook. Use the competition’s own regulations for variations.
Follow the match and scoreboard
Two teams of 13 aim to finish with more points. Play starts with a halfway kick-off. There are normally two 40-minute halves, with teams changing ends at half-time.
Read the points alongside the clock. A try followed by a successful conversion adds six points: a scoring example, not a live score. European Rugby League’s introduction explains these basics.
| Score | Points | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Try | 4 | Grounding the ball in the opponents’ in-goal. |
| Conversion | 2 | The kick at goal following a try. |
| Penalty goal | 2 | A successful goal attempt from a penalty. |
| Drop goal | 1 | A drop-kicked goal during play. |
Watch one possession
Passes cannot travel forwards. The attack normally has six tackles; a completed sixth tackle hands possession over. Late in the count, watch for a kick to gain territory.
After a tackle, watch the carrier stand, face the opposition’s goal line, place the ball down and attempt to play it backwards with a foot. That movement restarts play; it is not another pass. The 2026 amendment announcement clarifies this action.
For exceptions, use tackle counts and turnovers and six-again decisions.
Recognise the restart
Accidental forward errors generally produce scrums; ordinary touch generally produces a play-the-ball. A defender tackled in their own in-goal concedes a goal-line drop-out.
Use scrum decisions, penalties and taps and drop-outs versus 20-metre restarts for exceptions.
| What you see | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pointing to the scoring spot | Try awarded. |
| Raised fist waved sideways | Tackle count cancelled. |
| Hands draw a square | Video referral, where available. |
Why the whistle goes
High tackles, tripping and abusive language can bring penalties. Yellow means a ten-minute sin-bin; red means dismissal for the remainder of the match.
Watch the official before interpreting the crowd’s reaction. Explore signals and whistle calls and disciplinary decisions.
Stoppages and the result
Injuries can stop play; lost time is allowed for. The final hooter need not end a live play immediately. Equal points mean a draw under the baseline; extra time, golden point or any shoot-out require competition-specific confirmation. Video-review availability also needs checking.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| In-goal | Scoring area beyond the goal line. |
| Handover | Possession passes to the opposition. |
| Touch | The sideline or ground beyond it. |
Sources and scope
- IRL 2026 lawbook: controlling baseline.
- European Rugby League introduction: basic scoring, possession and discipline only; its older touch-restart description is not used.
- RFL announcement of IRL amendments: play-the-ball clarification.
Rule editions and sources
- International Rugby League · 2026 International Laws of the Game with Notes on the Laws · Standard adult 13-a-side baseline. Check competition regulations separately; this guide does not establish youth, wheelchair, NRL or World Cup playing conditions. — International Rugby League: 2026 International Laws of the Game with Notes on the Laws