Line-out (rugby union)

A line-out or lineout is a means by which, in rugby union, play is restarted after the ball has gone into touch. When the ball goes out of the field of play, the opposing team is normally awarded a line-out; the exception is after the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick, when the team that was awarded the penalty throws into the line-out. In 2021 World Rugby began trialling what was dubbed the "50:22" (or "50–22") rule, wherein the kicking team has the throw-in if the ball travels from the kicker's half and bounces beyond the opposing 22-meter line.^[1] This was inspired by rugby league's 40/20 kick.^[2]

A line-out is formed by players from each team lining up inside the touchline, at 90° to it. A player from the side that did not put the ball into touch then throws the ball back into play.

A line-out is one of the two methods of restarting play after the ball has gone into touch, the other is the "quick throw-in" (sometimes referred to as a quick line-out). Due to the specific rules placed on quick throw-ins they are uncommon in a rugby match, with the majority of restarts from touch taking the form of a line-out.