Penalty kicks and free-kicks, without the guesswork.

Penalty vs free-kick

A penalty is the stronger sanction. It is used for offences such as offside, foul play, dangerous play, not releasing, collapsing a contest illegally, or repeated technical offences. A free-kick is usually for less serious technical breaches, such as specified scrum and lineout offences, or for a correctly claimed mark.

The referee's signal and the restart option matter because they decide whether the team can take three points, whether it keeps the throw after kicking to touch, and what defenders may do once the kick begins.

What a team can do from a penalty

• Tap and go: the kicker makes the ball visibly move, then plays on immediately.
• Kick to touch: the team gains territory and normally throws into the lineout where the ball reaches touch.
• Kick at goal: the team may attempt a penalty goal for 3 points after indicating that choice without delay.
• Choose a scrum: a team awarded a penalty may instead take a scrum at the appropriate mark.
• At a lineout: a penalty awarded for a lineout infringement may also be turned into another lineout or a scrum at the same mark.

What a free-kick allows

A free-kick gives possession and space, but not the same attacking power as a penalty. The team can tap and run, kick downfield, or use the specific lineout option when the free-kick was awarded for a lineout infringement.

• A free-kick cannot be kicked directly for goal.
• A team cannot take a free-kick and immediately score a dropped goal unless the ball has first become dead, an opponent has played or touched it, or an opponent has tackled the ball-carrier.
• If a free-kick is kicked to touch, the kicking team usually does not get the throw simply because it was awarded the free-kick.
• For a mark, the player who claimed it takes the free-kick unless injured in the act of claiming the mark.

Where the kick is taken

The referee marks the place for the penalty or free-kick. It must be in the field of play and at least five metres from the try line. The kick may be taken at the mark or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark and parallel to the touchlines.

If the kick is taken from the wrong place, it is retaken. That is why referees often stop a quick tap that is not close enough to the mark, even if the attacking team feels ready to play.

The ball must visibly move

The kicker may kick in any direction. The kick can be a punt, drop-kick, or place-kick when the law allows that method, but a kick for touch is not taken as a place-kick. The important practical test on a tap is whether the ball has clearly been kicked.

• If the kicker is holding the ball, it must clearly leave the hands.
• If the ball is on the ground, it must clearly leave the mark.
• Once the kick is successfully taken, the kicker may play the ball again.
• Team-mates must stay behind the ball until it is kicked, except for the placer at a place-kick.

What defenders must do

When a penalty or free-kick is awarded, opponents must immediately retreat 10 metres towards their own try line, or to the try line if it is closer. They cannot delay the kick, block the kicker, move the ball away, or take part while still required to retreat.

If the attacking team takes a quick tap before defenders have had time to retreat, those defenders are not automatically punished for being within 10 metres. They still must not interfere until they have retreated far enough or an onside team-mate has moved in front of them.

Why free-kicks are easier to pressure

At a free-kick, once the kicker starts the movement to kick, the opposition may charge and try to prevent the kick by tackling the kicker or blocking the kick. If they charge fairly and stop the free-kick being taken, the kick is disallowed and play restarts with a scrum at the mark, with the charging team throwing in.

This is different from a penalty, where opponents must still respect the retreat and delay rules and do not get the same free-kick charge opportunity.

Kicking to touch is the big split

A penalty kicked into touch is a major territorial weapon. Whether the ball goes directly into touch, bounces first, or reaches touch after hitting an opponent or the referee, the kicking team normally throws into the lineout where the ball reaches the touchline.

A free-kick does not carry that same reward. If a free-kick is kicked directly into touch from outside the 22, there is no gain in ground and the non-kicking team throws in. If it is kicked to touch from inside the 22 or indirectly into touch, the mark of touch may be farther upfield, but the non-kicking team still usually throws in.

Only penalties can become three points

A successful penalty goal is worth 3 points. The team must indicate the intention to kick at goal without delay, and once it has done so it must kick at goal. The kick is subject to the match-law timing requirements and the defending team must not charge, shout, or interfere.

A free-kick cannot be used for a direct shot at goal. It also cannot be used as a shortcut into an immediate drop goal unless play has moved through one of the required reset events, such as an opponent touching the ball or tackling the ball-carrier.

Where fans get caught

• "A free-kick is just a smaller penalty": not quite. The tap may look similar, but goal attempts, touch outcomes, and charging rules differ.
• "A quick tap is legal from anywhere nearby": no. It must be taken from the mark or legally behind it.
• "Defenders inside 10 metres can always tackle": no. If they have not retreated or been put onside, they must stay out of play.
• "A penalty kick to touch gives the other team the throw": generally no. The kicking team normally throws in after a penalty to touch.
• "Any penalty can be delayed while the team decides": no. Penalties and free-kicks must be taken without delay, and a penalty shot at goal must be indicated without delay.

How the referee sorts it

1. Identify the infringement and whether the sanction is a penalty or free-kick.
2. Set the mark, adjusting if needed so it is in the field of play and not too close to the try line.
3. Watch that the kick is taken at the mark or legally behind it.
4. Check that the ball is actually kicked a visible distance before the kicker plays it again.
5. Manage defenders: retreat, no delay, no obstruction, and no participation before they are allowed back in.
6. Apply the correct consequence for the team's choice: goal attempt, touch, tap, scrum, lineout option, or free-kick charge outcome.

Source material

• World Rugby Passport: Law 20 Penalty and free-kick
• World Rugby Passport: Law 18 Touch, quick throw and lineout
• World Rugby Passport: Law 17 Mark
• World Rugby Passport: Law 8 Scoring
• World Rugby Laws of the Game