Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
When the ball goes into touch (out of play), play restarts with a line-out. Both teams’ forwards stand in parallel lines perpendicular to the touchline. The throwing team’s hooker throws the ball down the middle, and players can be lifted by teammates to compete for it at height. Line-outs require coded calls — teams signal who will catch the ball using coded language. Winning line-out ball is as important as scrum dominance. Line-outs do not exist in rugby league.
- Restart after ball goes into touch
- Forwards lifted to contest at height
- Coded calls signal the target receiver
- Unique to union — no equivalent in league
Try the tool
Put this into practice with our free calculator.
Open the Rugby Union Fixture Generator →In practice
A rugby lineout — restarting play after the ball goes into touch — looks chaotic to newcomers but is one of the most rehearsed set-pieces in the sport, with teams running pre-planned lifting and jumping patterns, coded calls, and specific blocking to win clean possession, making lineout success a major focus of weekly training for forwards.
FAQ
How is a rugby lineout restarted?
Players from both teams line up perpendicular to the touchline where the ball went out, and the throwing team's hooker throws the ball straight down the middle for jumpers (lifted by teammates) to contest and catch.
Why do teams use coded calls at the lineout?
Coded calls (often numbers or words) communicate which jumper will be targeted and what lifting pattern will be used, without revealing the plan to the opposing team listening nearby.