Rugby sevens rules in five minutes
Rules baseline: World Rugby Laws of the Game and current Sevens variations in force on 1 August 2026. Tournament regulations add pool, tie-break, substitution, extra-time, review, and disciplinary rules.
- Objective: score more points by grounding the ball in the opponents' in-goal or kicking goals, using union law adapted for a faster seven-a-side game.
- Players, field, and equipment: seven players per team use the full rugby union field; scrums have three players, while the ball, posts, clothing, boots, and protective equipment follow World Rugby requirements.
- How play begins: a drop-kick at halfway starts each half; unlike 15s, the team that scored takes the restart, which must travel 10 metres unless opponents choose to play it.
- Possession: players carry, kick, and pass backwards or laterally, with tackles, rucks, mauls, three-player scrums, and smaller lineouts deciding rapid changes of possession.
- Scoring: a try is five points, a drop-kick conversion two, a penalty goal three, and a dropped goal three; a penalty try is seven points with no conversion.
- Length and winner: a standard sevens match has two halves of up to seven minutes; the higher score wins, while competition rules govern tied knockout matches and any extra time.
- Main infringements and foul play: forward passes, knock-ons, offside, illegal breakdown play, deliberate delay, obstruction, and dangerous contact bring scrums, free-kicks, penalties, or cards.
- Restarts and sanctions: kick-offs, drop-outs, scrums, lineouts, free-kicks, and penalties restart play; a yellow card suspends a sevens player for two minutes, a major numerical disadvantage.
- Competition differences: squad and replacement limits, pool points, tie-breakers, extra time, conversion timing, foul-play review, and event schedules come from the tournament regulations.
- Go deeper: continue with teams and positions, match timing, restarts, scoring, and all sevens pages below.
Browse Rugby Sevens rules by topic
26 plain-English explainers, grouped by the kind of decision you need to settle.
Essentials and setup
Players, playing areas, equipment, positions, and the basic structure of the sport.
Rugby Sevens Player Equipment and Clothing Rules
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens clothing rules explained: required kit, approved padding, studs, mouthguards, jewellery, monitoring devices and blood.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Team Size, Squads, and Positions
World Rugby's July 2026 rugby sevens team rules: seven on the field, five replacements, match lists, re-entry, cards, scrums and position names.
Read explainerScoring and match formats
How points, goals, results, tied contests, and competition formats are decided.
Rugby Sevens Scoring Rules (World Rugby 2026): Tries, Conversions, and Goals
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens scoring rules: try grounding, 30-second drop-kick conversions, penalty tries, penalty goals, dropped goals, and restarts.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Tournament Points and Pool Tiebreakers
How rugby sevens pool points and tiebreakers work, using World Rugby's 2026 HSBC SVNS records and clearly labelled Olympic, BUCS and invitational variants.
Read explainerFouls, penalties, and conduct
Illegal contact, violations, cards, discipline, and how sanctions are applied.
Penalty Kicks and Free Kicks in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's July 2026 sevens rules for quick taps, 10-metre retreat, penalty goals, touch, free-kick charges and end-of-half cases.
Read explainerRed Cards and Foul Play in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's 2026 sevens foul-play rules: straight reds, second yellows, head contact, mitigation and the elite 20-minute replacement rule.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Obstruction and Crossing Rules
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens obstruction rules explained: crossing, decoy runners, offside screens, kick chases, penalties and worked rulings.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Penalty Try Rules Explained
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens penalty-try rule: the probable-try test, seven points, mandatory card, no conversion, advantage, review and restart.
Read explainerYellow Cards in Sevens
World Rugby's 2026 sevens yellow-card rule: two-minute match-time suspensions, return procedure, half-time, scoring, and second yellow cards.
Read explainerTiming, restarts, and reviews
Clocks, substitutions, restarts, replay systems, reviews, and official procedure.
In-Goal, Touch and Dead-Ball Rules in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens rules for tries, touch, touch-in-goal, dead-ball calls, held-up ball and the correct restart.
Read explainerKick-Offs and Restarts in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's July 2026 rugby sevens kick-off and restart rules: who kicks after a score, 30 seconds, 10 metres, exact sanctions and 22-metre drop-outs.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Referee Signals and Whistle Calls
World Rugby's July 2026 referee signals and whistle calls for rugby sevens: how to read advantage, penalties, free-kicks, scrums, scores, cards and flags.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Substitution and Replacement Rules
World Rugby's July 2026 rugby sevens replacement rules: seven players, five replacements, rolling interchanges, injuries, blood and HIA cases.
Read explainerPlay and decisions
The live-play rulings, sequences, and judgment calls that decide what happens next.
Knock-Ons and Forward Passes in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's 2026 Law 11 explained for sevens: knock forwards, forward passes, regathers, charge-downs, rips, advantage, scrums and deliberate offences.
Read explainerLineouts in Rugby Sevens Explained
World Rugby's July 2026 sevens lineout rules: touch decisions, quick throws, the 15-second limit, numbers, straight throws, lifting and offside.
Read explainerMauls in Rugby Sevens Explained
World Rugby's 2026 maul law for sevens: formation, joining, offside, five-second calls, legal defence and who receives the turnover scrum.
Read explainerQuick Tap Penalties in Rugby Sevens Explained
World Rugby 2026 quick-tap penalty rules for sevens: the mark, legal kick, 10-metre retreat, players caught inside 10, sanctions and worked rulings.
Read explainerRucks and Tackles in Rugby Sevens
World Rugby's July 2026 tackle and ruck rules for sevens: release duties, legal entry, jackals, offside lines, use-it calls and restarts.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Advantage Rule
World Rugby's 2026 advantage rule in rugby sevens: the clear-and-real test, when play returns, mandatory whistles, later offences and worked rulings.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Captain and Referee Communication Rules
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens rules on captain-referee consultation, dissent, team cautions, TMO requests, penalties and cards.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Kicking from Open Play Rules
World Rugby's July 2026 rugby sevens laws for open-play kicks: kick-chase offside, mandatory retreat, the 10-metre law, touch, marks and in-goal outcomes.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Mark Rule Explained
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens mark rule: the catch, 22-metre line, call, excluded restarts, free-kick, edge cases and official sources.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Offside Rules Explained
World Rugby 2026 rugby sevens offside rules: open play, the 10-metre law, tackles, rucks, mauls, scrums, lineouts, restarts and sanctions.
Read explainerRugby Sevens Uncontested Scrums and Player Safety Rules
World Rugby's July 2026 sevens rules on uncontested scrums: what changes, what stays, why cards and injuries are not automatic triggers, and when event rules control.
Read explainerScrums in Rugby Sevens Explained
World Rugby 2026 sevens scrum rules: three-player formation, 15-second set-up, throw-in, offside lines, endings, resets and sanctions.
Read explainerSevens Match Timing
World Rugby's 2026 rugby sevens timing rules: seven-minute halves, finals, golden-point extra time, time-expired play, conversions and restarts.
Read explainerWhere sevens feels different
- Timing: shorter halves, tournament clocks, and how stoppages affect the game.
- Cards and substitutions: temporary suspensions are shorter but more severe because teams have only seven players.
- Restarts and conversions: drop-kick conversions and restart pressure shape momentum quickly.
Rugby sevens pages
- Sevens match timing: halves, extra time, restarts after scores, and tournament clocks.
- Team size, squads, and positions: seven-player teams, match replacements, tournament squads, common roles, cards, and too many players.
- Player equipment and clothing rules: required kit, permitted padding, studs, mouthguards, jewellery, dangerous items, blood, and referee inspections.
- Kick-offs and restarts: who restarts after points, 10-metre kick-offs, free-kick sanctions, and drop-outs.
- Kicking from open play: punts, grubbers, chips, kick chases, offside players, the 10-metre law, kicks to touch, in-goal outcomes, and no 50:22.
- Mark rule explained: direct catches from opponent kicks, 22-metre and in-goal requirements, restart exceptions, free-kick outcomes, and common misunderstandings.
- Penalty kicks and free kicks: tap kicks, kicks to touch, penalty goals, free-kick limits, 10-metre retreat, and sevens drop-kick requirements.
- Referee signals and whistle calls: penalties, free-kicks, scrums, advantage, tries, touch judge flags, cards, time off, and common signal misunderstandings.
- Captain and referee communication rules: who may speak to the referee, captain clarification, dissent, warnings, cards, and sideline limits.
- Quick tap penalties: legal quick taps, correct marks, visible kicks, 10-metre retreat, defenders inside 10, and referee management.
- Advantage rule explained: tactical and territorial advantage, when play comes back, no-advantage exceptions, and how referees judge the benefit.
- Knock-ons and forward passes: knock forwards, forward passes, charge-downs, advantage, scrum restarts, and intentional handling offences.
- Rucks and tackles: tackle release duties, legal breakdown entry, ruck formation, offside lines, turnovers, and penalties.
- Mauls in rugby sevens: maul formation, legal joining, offside lines, use-it calls, collapsed mauls, turnovers, and sanctions.
- Offside rules explained: open-play offside, kick chasers, the 10-metre law, rucks, mauls, scrums, lineouts, and sanctions.
- Obstruction, blocking, and crossing: legal decoy lines, illegal screens, offside obstruction, kick chases, materiality, and sanctions.
- Scrums in rugby sevens: three-player scrums, throw-ins, resets, offside lines, and sanctions.
- Uncontested scrums and player safety rules: when a sevens scrum stops being contested, what changes, and how officials manage safety.
- Lineouts in rugby sevens: quick throws, 15-second formation, throw-in rules, lifting, offside lines, and common touch outcomes.
- In-goal, touch, and dead ball rules: touchline boundaries, grounding, touch-in-goal, held-up calls, dead-ball outcomes, and sevens restart differences.
- Yellow cards in sevens: how the sin bin works when the suspension is two minutes.
- Red cards and foul play: dangerous play, serious misconduct, two yellows, and what a sending off means in sevens.
- Scoring rules: tries, drop-kick conversions, penalty tries, penalty goals, and drop goals.
- Tournament points and pool tiebreakers: pool table points, head-to-head, points difference, tries difference, forfeits, and ranking mistakes.
- Penalty try rules: seven-point awards, probable tries, foul play, no conversions, card sanctions, and restarts.
- Substitution and replacement rules: seven-player limits, five replacements, dead-ball procedure, injury replacements, and card situations.
Related rugby hubs
- Rugby union rules for the 15-a-side law explainers that sevens is based on.
- Rugby league rules for the separate 13-a-side code.
- Rugby rules hub for the top-level split between codes.