A mark needs the right kick, catch, place and call.
Published
A defender does not earn a mark merely by catching a kick inside the 22. World Rugby Law 17 requires one combined act, and a missed element cannot be added after the catch.
Quick ruling: under the July 2026 World Rugby Laws, a player claims a mark by directly catching an opponent's kick after the ball has reached the plane of that player's own 22-metre line, having at least one foot on or behind the line when catching or landing, and simultaneously calling “mark”. The referee stops play immediately and awards that team a free-kick.
Effective rules
Scope and implementation date
This page applies the World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026 as updated in July 2026: principally Law 17 (Mark), Law 20 (Penalty and free-kick), and the Sevens replacement to Law 20.8. World Rugby says the July changes apply to new competitions and events starting after 1 July 2026; a competition already under way should confirm its implementation date with its union.
There is no separate Sevens replacement for Law 17, so the ordinary mark tests apply to the standard World Rugby seven-a-side game. A national union, age-grade programme or local competition may publish authorised variations; those should be checked rather than assumed to match this scope.
Four-part test
Every requirement must be present
Opponent's kick: the ball must have been kicked by an opponent.
Direct catch: it must be caught before touching the ground or anyone else.
Ball and player location: the ball must have reached the plane of the catcher's own 22-metre line, while the catcher has at least one foot on or behind that line when catching or when landing after an airborne catch.
Simultaneous call: the catcher must call “mark” as the catch is made.
These are the cumulative tests in World Rugby Law 17.1. A player cannot turn an ordinary catch into a mark by retreating into the 22 or calling after the catch is complete.
Two location tests
The ball and the catcher must both qualify
The 22-metre line is part of the 22. For a grounded catch, at least one of the catcher's feet must be on the line or nearer that player's own try line. For an airborne catch, Law 17.1(a) applies the foot test on landing.
Separately, the ball itself must have reached the vertical plane of the 22-metre line. A defender standing inside the 22 who reaches across the line and catches the ball before it reaches that plane has not satisfied Law 17.1(b).
Direct catch
A bounce or touch normally ends the option
World Rugby defines “directly caught” as caught without first touching anyone else or the ground. A bounce, a team-mate's touch, an opponent's touch after the kick, or a deflection from a match official therefore prevents a mark, even if the defender then catches cleanly in the 22.
Law 17.2 creates a specific exception for the goal frame: the ball may hit a goal post or crossbar and still be marked if the remaining requirements are met before it touches the ground or anyone else.
The call
“Mark” must accompany the catch
The call is not a request the player can make after securing possession. Law 17.1(c) requires it simultaneously with the catch. A clear catch followed by a delayed shout remains open play.
Likewise, an invalid shout does not itself make the ball dead. Players should respond to the referee's whistle: if the referee does not accept the claim and no other law stops play, the catcher may run, pass or kick and may be tackled.
Excluded kicks
Not from a kick-off or restart after a score
World Rugby Law 17.4 excludes a kick-off and a restart kick after a score. In sevens, where the team that scored takes the restart, the receiving side still cannot end that restart contest by catching in the 22 and calling a mark.
The live World Rugby law page expressly permits a mark after a penalty kick at goal or a dropped-goal attempt. A 22-metre drop-out is also not treated like a score restart for this purpose: World Rugby Clarification 1-2006 confirms that a mark may be taken from one, provided the current Law 17 tests are satisfied.
Immediate outcome
A valid mark ends open play
Under Law 17.3, the referee immediately stops the game and awards a free-kick to the team in possession. This is not an infringement for which the referee waits to see whether advantage develops; the accepted mark itself suspends play.
The award is a free-kick, not a penalty. It cannot be used to kick a penalty goal, and Law 8.29 prevents the awarded team from scoring a dropped goal until the ball next becomes dead or an opponent plays or touches the ball or tackles the ball-carrier.
Place and kicker
Where the free-kick is taken
Mark within the 22: at the place of the mark, but at least five metres from the try line and in line with the place of the mark.
Mark in in-goal: on the five-metre line, in line with the place of the mark.
Kicker: the player who claimed the mark takes it. Law 20.6's usual freedom for any team-mate to kick does not apply to a free-kick awarded for a mark.
Law 20.2 allows the free-kick to be taken at the awarded place or farther back on a line through it, parallel to the touchlines. A kick from the wrong place must be retaken.
Official wording note
The one-minute replacement wording is inconsistent
The July 2026 law-book PDF says that if the claimant is unable to take the free-kick within one minute, a team-mate may take it. The current live Law 17.6 page is narrower: it says this applies when the player was injured in the act of claiming the mark and cannot kick within one minute.
Because those two current World Rugby formats differ, this page uses the narrower live wording: a team-mate takes the kick only for that injury situation. An appointed competition or referee should confirm the applicable text if a different reason prevents the claimant from kicking.
Sevens free-kick
No place-kick in sevens
Ordinary Law 20.8 permits a punt, drop-kick or place-kick, but the 2026 Sevens variation replaces it: the kicker may punt or drop-kick and may not place-kick. The ball must be kicked a visible distance; if held, it must clearly leave the hands.
Opponents must immediately retreat 10 metres, or to their own try line if that is nearer. Eligible opponents may charge once the kicker initiates the movement to kick. If a fair charge prevents the kick, Law 20.17 gives the charging team the throw-in at a scrum on the mark.
Worked case 1
Jumping back across the 22
Situation: a defender jumps from outside the 22, catches an opponent's kick after the ball has crossed the plane of the line, calls “mark” in the air and lands with one foot inside the 22.
Ruling: mark under World Rugby Law 17.1 (July 2026). The law checks the airborne catcher's foot position on landing; the take-off point does not defeat the claim.
Worked case 2
Standing in the 22 but reaching out
Situation: a defender has both feet inside the 22 but reaches forward and catches the ball while it is still outside the plane of the 22-metre line, calling “mark” immediately.
Ruling: no mark under World Rugby Law 17.1(b). The player-location test is satisfied, but the separate ball-location test is not. Play continues unless another law stops it.
Worked case 3
A failed goal attempt hits the upright
Situation: a penalty attempt strikes a post and a defender directly catches it in-goal while calling “mark”. It has not touched the ground or anyone else.
Ruling: mark under World Rugby Laws 17.2 and 17.4. The goal-frame contact is allowed and a penalty attempt is not an excluded kick. The free-kick is taken on the five-metre line, in line with the catch.
Worked case 4
A score restart is caught deep
Situation: after scoring, Red takes the sevens restart. Blue catches it inside Blue's 22 and calls “mark” with the catch.
Ruling: no mark under World Rugby Law 17.4. The catch, place and call cannot overcome the express exclusion for a restart after a score.
Decision path
How to judge a claim in order
Confirm the appointed competition uses the July 2026 World Rugby laws or identify its authorised variation.
Was it an opponent's kick, and not a kick-off or restart after a score?
Had the ball reached the plane of the catcher's own 22-metre line?
Was it caught directly, without ground or another person first? A post or crossbar does not invalidate it.
At the catch or airborne landing, was at least one foot on or behind the 22-metre line?
Was “mark” called simultaneously?
If every answer is yes, stop play and locate the Law 17.7 free-kick; otherwise continue under the law governing what happened.
Common mistakes
Shortcuts that give the wrong ruling
“Any clean catch in the 22 is a mark”: the kick source, ball location and simultaneous call also matter.
“The catcher can step back and then call”: neither a late location nor a late call repairs the claim.
“Every restart is excluded”: Law 17 excludes kick-offs and score restarts; the official clarification permits a mark from a 22-metre drop-out.
“A post rebound is no longer direct”: Law 17.2 expressly preserves that claim.
“The reward is a penalty”: it is a free-kick, with charging and scoring restrictions.
“Sevens removed the mark”: standard World Rugby sevens retains Law 17 and changes only the permitted kick types through Sevens Law 20.8.
Source note: checked on 27 August 2026 against the July 2026 law-book PDF and the live World Rugby law pages. The Law 17.6 wording difference is stated above. Competition regulations and union implementation notices may supplement the World Rugby baseline.
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