Tackle, release, roll away.

When a tackle exists

In rugby union, a tackle occurs when a ball-carrier is held by one or more opponents and brought to ground. A player is brought to ground if they are lying, sitting, or have at least one knee on the ground or on another grounded player.

That definition matters because the tackle laws do not apply to every collision. If the ball-carrier is held upright and team-mates bind on, the phase may become a maul. If a defender knocks a player off balance but does not hold them as they go to ground, officials may treat the next contest differently.

What the tackler must do

A tackler is a player who goes to ground while bringing the ball-carrier to ground. Once the tackle is complete, that player has immediate duties.

• Release the tackled player and the ball.
• Move away from the tackled player and the ball, or get back to their feet.
• Be on their feet before trying to play the ball.
• Allow the tackled player to release, pass, place, or move away from the ball.

If the tackler is trapped by bodies, the referee judges whether they are genuinely unable to move or whether they are slowing the ball by staying in the way.

What the ball-carrier must do

The tackled player does not get unlimited time just because they have been taken down. They must immediately make the ball available so play can continue.

• They may release, pass, place, or push the ball in any direction except forward.
• They must move away from the ball or get up after playing it.
• They cannot lie on, over, or near the ball to stop opponents who are on their feet from winning possession.
• They cannot hold on because support players are late or because a turnover threat is present.

What the penalty means

"Not rolling away" is the common description for a tackler or grounded player failing to clear the tackle area. The exact problem can be a body blocking the ball, legs trapping the tackled player, arms staying wrapped after the tackle, or a player staying on the wrong side and stopping quick possession.

Referees usually ask a practical question: did the grounded player prevent the non-offending team from playing the ball fairly? If yes, a penalty can follow even if the player did not deliberately slow the ball.

Who may compete

Players who arrive after the tackle must stay on their feet and enter from the direction of their own try line before playing the ball. They cannot dive over the ball, seal it off, or play it while supporting their weight with hands, elbows, knees, or bodies on the ground.

• A legal jackal must be on their feet, supporting their own weight, and in a position to lift or win the ball before a ruck forms.
• A cleanout player must arrive legally, bind or drive safely, and avoid collapsing onto players on the ground.
• A player on the ground near the tackle is out of the game and cannot tackle, play the ball, or block opponents.

When the tackle phase ends

The tackle phase does not last forever. It ends when a ruck forms, when a player on their feet gains possession and moves away or plays the ball, when the ball leaves the tackle area, or when the ball becomes unplayable.

Once a ruck has formed, the hands-on-ball picture changes. Players generally cannot handle the ball in the ruck unless they were legally on the ball before the ruck formed and remain on their feet. From there, ruck laws and ruck offside lines become central.

How officials read it

1. Confirm that the ball-carrier was held and brought to ground.
2. Identify the tackler, the tackled player, and any other players already involved.
3. Check for immediate release by both the tackler and any upright assist tacklers.
4. Check whether the tackled player made the ball available immediately.
5. Watch whether grounded players move away or block the ball.
6. Judge whether arriving players are on their feet, through the gate, and supporting their own weight.
7. Decide whether the contest is still a tackle, has become a ruck, or is unplayable.

What fans often miss

• "The tackler made the tackle, so they can play it": only after releasing, moving or getting up, and being on their feet.
• "The tackled player is allowed one movement": the law is about immediate availability, not a fixed extra movement. Placing the ball is allowed; holding on is not.
• "They were trapped, so it cannot be a penalty": being genuinely trapped can matter, but a player who chooses a poor body position can still be responsible for blocking the ball.
• "The first player there always wins the penalty": the first arriving player must still be legal, on feet, through the gate, and not beaten by a ruck forming over them.
• "Not rolling away only applies to defenders": attackers on the ground can also be penalised if they stop a fair contest or prevent the ball being played.

What referees usually call

The most common penalties in this area are not releasing, holding on, not rolling away, side entry, off feet, sealing off, and playing the ball on the ground. Referees also manage the contest with short calls such as "release," "roll," "leave it," or "ruck."

Those calls help players react, but the law still comes from what has happened on the field. A player can be penalised without a warning if their action clearly denies a fair contest or slows playable ball.

What this page covers

This page explains the standard rugby union tackle and breakdown rules under the World Rugby law structure. Competition directives can affect emphasis, especially around dangerous tackles, community tackle height, and referee management, but the core tackle obligations are stable: release, move, stay on feet, and make the ball available.

Source material

• World Rugby Laws of the Game
• World Rugby Passport: Law 14
• World Rugby Passport: Law 13
• World Rugby Passport: Law 15