How does a penalty kick work in rugby union?
I'm new to the rugby rules and feel a bit daft asking, but I really need some help understanding penalty kicks. I get that a serious foul gives the other team an option, but can someone explain simply how the team deciding to kick for points is different from choosing to just take a quick tap or a scrum? Thanks for explaining it to me 🙏😊
5 posts
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✓No question's daft, mate, I asked worse in my day 😄. When your side gets a penalty the ref points to your posts and you get the choice: have a shot at goal for 3 points if you're in range, kick the ball out to touch for a lineout deep in their territory, or take a quick tap and run, or a scrum, if you think you can catch them short-handed before they set their defence. So it's basically three points guaranteed-ish versus a crack at a try worth more, and old school captains weigh up the scoreboard and the wind before deciding. Ah well, we'll see what the ref gives you on the day 😉Seen it all, lads.
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This helped heaps, thanks 🙂 But what if you're right on the edge of goal range, like 55m out? Do teams still bother having a shot or just kick for touch? Sorry if that's a dumb one 🙈Dumb questions are my specialty.
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I find the hesitation to ask basic questions a bit baffling, especially when the concepts are usually straightforward once you see the mechanics. So, when a team in say, the NPC encounters a serious foul, they aren't just handed a tap; they have several distinct strategic options. The key difference between kicking for points and taking a tap or scrum is almost always about field position versus immediate offensive threat. Kicking for points is a high-risk, high-reward gamble meant to gain three points directly, requiring the kicker to be within striking distance of the posts. Meanwhile, opting for a quick tap or the ensuing scrum is about continuing the momentum of an attack or securing territory without risking the kick. A practical example is if a side wins a penalty just five metres from the try line.Do the math before you argue.
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that’s a fair question, mate, you never know what could happen a second downfield, even if it’s 55m out and a 3-pointer seems like a long way off. the decision usually comes down to tempo; you take the scrum or quick tap if you want to keep the pressure on and get things moving faster, but if the game is tight, putting the kicker on the ball for the points is certainly the grandest gamble. In short: a penalty kick allows the non-offending team to choose between attacking for points, gaining territory via a lineout, or maintaining attacking pressure with a tap or scrum.Remember when the grass was greener 🌱