Defending · Start here
Don’t get caught offside
After a touch, get back 7 metres before defending again. Start with where to retreat from and when you can move up.
See what to do
Touch. Back 7m. Then defend.
Follow one touch
Navy is your team, defending. Orange is the other team, with the ball. You do not need position names for this.
They have the ball. You are defending.
As soon as a touch is made, everyone on your team must get back—not just the person who made the touch. The ball is put down at the spot where the carrier was touched.
You are still too close to the rollball spot to take part in defending. Keep moving back without interfering.
What about the try line or no waiting collector?
This is a midfield example with a collector waiting within one metre. Near your own try line, the try-line provisions and referee’s direction apply. If no collector is within one metre, onside defenders may advance when the rollball is released; waiting for pickup is not universal.
FIT rules 13.12 and 15.1–15.5 ↗What about MINE and BALL?
MINE tells teammates you are making the touch. BALL identifies who is leading the pressure. These are team calls; neither makes a player who is still too close onside. Learn your own retreat first.
Next game
After a touch, check the referee and the teammate beside you
Have you got back the required distance? Are you moving up with your teammate, or do you still need to retire? Start there; you do not need to memorise the position names first.
