The ball drops out of the air and a player catches the ball and shouts ‘mark’, whilst simultaneously stamping a foot on the ground. What is all that about?
A player can deliberately stop the game and gain a free kick by calling a ‘mark’. This can be done when the ball is kicked into the air and the player catching the ball is inside their own 22-meter area when they catch the ball and they shout ‘mark’.
The reason to call for a mark is so that the game stops and the player can then compose themselves, take their time, and put in a good kick downfield in. Marks cannot be claimed off any restart kicks such as kick-offs.
To take a mark a player must have one foot on or inside their own 22-meter line and they must catch the ball directly without it bouncing first. Players can even claim a mark if the ball bounces of a post from a drop goal or penalty kick.
A mark can be made in the in-goal area, i.e. behind the try line. However, the ensuing free-kick will be awarded on the 5-meter line in line with where the mark was made.
Once a mark is called, the game stops and the opposition has to retreat 10 meters. This gives plenty of space for the kicker to put in a good kick and gain territory. Any player that does not retreat 10 meters can be penalized for offside which will lead to a penalty.
Players do not have to kick the ball for touch, or territory downfield, they can instead simply tap the ball with their foot through the mark and run with it. This is a great way to start a counterattack if the opposition’s defense is not yet set and organized.
Players need to be careful though that if they ‘tap and go’ from a free-kick and run outside of the 22-meter area if they kick the ball into touch then the lineout will be in line with where they kicked the ball.
However, if a player kicks the ball from within their 22-meter area then the following lineout will be from where the ball crosses the touchline although the opposition will gain the throw into the lineout.
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Why is a catch called a mark?
A catch may be called a ‘mark’ because, in years gone by in order to claim a mark, the catcher had to stamp the heel of their foot into the ground and literally make a mark in the pitch surface.
Nowadays, players only have to shout ‘mark’, and players generally also raise an arm immediately after, although this is not actually required in the rules of the game.
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When was the mark introduced?
The ‘mark’ was introduced in October 1888 as a way of rewarding a fair catch. It has remained until the present as a way for a player to gain time to return a kick under less pressure and to aid a player who has become isolated from teammates in their own 22-meter area.
The skill of catching a ball and taking a mark has become a crucial aspect of the game as teams often focus on gaining territory through kicking or testing out a full back, or winger with high balls.
Back three players that struggle to take high balls and make a mark are likely to be phased out of national teams very quickly indeed.
Can you call a mark in the air?
You can, and should, call for a mark whilst you are taking the ball in the air, or immediately after you have landed. You should also raise an arm to further indicate that you have called for a mark.
Failure to do either of these could lead the referee to not award the mark leaving the player with the potential difficulties of clearing the ball under pressure from attackers.
Whilst it is rare for this to happen, it is not unheard of and the last thing you would want is for this to happen in an important match.
What is the ‘goal from a mark’ rule?
The ‘goal from a mark’ rule was abolished in 1977 but it meant that a player could call for a mark when they caught a kick anywhere on the pitch. After catching the ball they could then attempt to kick the ball via either a drop kick or place kick to score an additional three points.
The impact of reintroducing this may decrease the amount of kicking that occurs as teams would worry about conceding points following a bad kick that was marked successfully.
The last players to score points from a ‘goal from a mark’ were brothers Don and Ian Clarke who both scored in this manner for New Zealand All Blacks in back-to-back seasons in the 1960s. My guess is that they practiced this at home as kids!
The mark in rugby union is yet another unique aspect of the game with its own ins and out’s for players, coaches, and spectators to fathom out. I hope I have managed to shed a bit of light on the matter.
So, no excuses, go and get involved!
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