Last updated: 6 August 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Makin, FA Level 2 Football Coach
How the six-tackle rule works
What happens at each tackle
- Tackle occurs — the ball carrier is brought to ground (or held) by the defence.
- Play-the-ball — the tackled player gets up and rolls the ball backward with their foot to a teammate (usually the hooker/dummy-half), restarting play.
- Count increments — this counts as one of the six tackles. The referee and big screen typically display the current tackle count.
- Sixth tackle — if the attacking team doesn't score or lose the ball earlier, the sixth tackle's play-the-ball is followed by an automatic handover to the opposition (unless the sixth tackle happens to be a kick, which is standard practice to avoid simply gifting field position).
Why teams usually kick on the last tackle
Since possession changes automatically after six tackles regardless of field position, most teams choose to kick the ball downfield on their fifth or sixth tackle rather than risk a simple handover in poor field position. This tactical kicking on the last tackle is one of rugby league's most recognisable features and a major driver of field position battles throughout a match.
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| Top pick | Rugby League Ball (Match Spec) | Match-size ball for play-the-ball practice. | Check price → |
| Option | Tackle Bags (Training) | Safe tackle technique practice for the six-tackle sequence. | Check price → |
| Option | Rugby League Rulebook (Official) | Full official rules reference including tackle-count specifics. | Check price → |
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Frequently asked questions
What happens if the sixth tackle results in the ball going into touch?
The opposing team is awarded a scrum (or in many modern competitions, a handover at that spot instead of a scrum, depending on the specific competition's rules) rather than the attacking team simply losing the ball where the tackle count ran out — the exact procedure varies slightly by competition.
Does rugby union have an equivalent six-tackle rule?
No — this is one of the most fundamental structural differences between the two codes. Rugby union has no tackle-count limit; possession is instead contested through rucks, mauls, and scrums rather than a fixed number of tackles before an automatic handover.