The purpose of the lineout is to restart play, quickly, safely and fairly, after the ball has gone into touch, with a throw-in between two lines of players.

 

Lineout players are the players who form the two lines that make a lineout.

 

The receiver is the player in position to catch the ball when lineout players pass or knock the ball back from the lineout. Any player may be the receiver but each team may have only one receiver at a lineout.

 

Players taking part in the lineout are the player who throws-in and an immediate opponent, the two players waiting to receive the ball from the lineout and the lineout players.

 

All other players who are not taking part in the lineout must be at least 10 metres behind the line of touch, on or behind their goal line if that is nearer, until the lineout ends. 

 

The 15-metre line is 15 metres infield and parallel with the touchline.

 

Any scrum ordered because of an infringement or stoppage at the lineout is on the 15-metre line on the line of touch.