Free kick (rugby union)
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A free kick in rugby union is usually awarded to a team for a technical offence committed by the opposing side. Free kicks are awarded for technical offences such as numbers at the line-out or time wasting at a scrum. They are quite rare, and for accidental offences the referee will award a scrum and for deliberate offences the referee will award a penalty kick. No goals can be scored directly from a free kick. Once awarded a free kick the team must decided how they wish to play it. There are four options.
First, the team may opt to play a place kick, where the ball is placed on the ground by the kicker at a point designated by the referee then the player may take a run up to the ball and kick it downfield wherever they choose.
Secondly, they may opt for a drop kick, where the ball starts in the player's hands and is dropped onto the ground whereupon it is kicked downfield on its upward bounce by the player.
Thirdly, they may opt to play a tap kick. A tap kick is played when the team feel they would benefit more from keeping possession of the ball rather than kicking it downfield. To play a tap kick, the player holds the ball in their hand and then taps it against their foot; this is deemed a kick and the ball is immediately in play. The game continues as if the player had just picked the ball up off the ground in normal play.
Finally, in the modern rules, a team awarded a free kick may opt to take it as a scrum.
The team in possession cannot score a drop goal until the ball has become dead or an opponent has touched the ball or tackled a ball carrier. This also applies if the team in possession opts for a scrum.
