How Does Rugby League’s Six-Tackle Rule Work?

Editorial illustration of an oval rugby league ball on grass with H-shaped goalposts behind

In rugby league, a team normally has a set of six tackles to use while it keeps possession. After the sixth completed tackle, it must surrender the ball to the opposition in a handover.

Before that final tackle, play usually restarts with a play-the-ball. The tackled player gets to their feet, places the ball on the ground and makes a genuine attempt to play it backwards with a foot. A teammate positioned behind can then collect it and continue the attack. The referee signals the fifth tackle with a raised arm, warning that the next play is the last in the set.

The count is not always a simple six-and-stop sequence. Certain defensive infringements can give the attacking side another set, and some changes of possession involve a ‘zero tackle’. For a new viewer, following the referee’s count helps explain when possession is approaching a handover and why a fresh set matters.

Source: International Rugby League’s 2026 laws, Section 11.

 

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