In rugby union, a set piece is a controlled restart of play — a scrum or a lineout — used to bring the ball back into the game after a stoppage. For New Zealand teams, from Super Rugby Pacific down to club and school level, these restarts are far more than a way to regain possession: they are the launchpads from which most planned attacks begin. This guide explains how scrums, lineouts and mauls actually work, the space the laws create around them, and the tactics coaches use to turn a clean set piece into points.
Key Points
- A set piece is a scrum or lineout used to restart play — and the launchpad for most planned attacks.
- It commits forwards to one spot and holds other defenders back: 5 metres at a scrum, 10 metres at a lineout.
- The scrum is a contest of collective power; the lineout is a contest of timing, lifting and disguise.
- A rolling maul is a legal driving weapon, but collapsing it deliberately is penalised.
- Since January 2025 a 30-second shot clock applies to forming scrums and lineouts, with 60 seconds for conversions.
- Strike plays and quick, accurate work from the halfback and fly-half turn clean set-piece ball into points.
Why the Set Piece Shapes the Whole Game
A set piece "fixes" a large group of forwards in one place. At a scrum, all eight forwards from each side are bound together in a single spot; at a lineout, the forwards line up between the 5-metre and 15-metre lines. Because those players are committed to the contest, the attacking team's backs face fewer defenders across the rest of the field — the numerical and spatial advantage that different rugby forward and back positions are built to exploit. Winning your own set-piece ball cleanly is, therefore, the first requirement of almost every structured attack.
The Offside Buffer That Creates Space
The laws add a second advantage: an offside line that holds non-participating defenders back. At a scrum, players not taking part must stay behind a line five metres behind the hindmost foot of the scrum. At a lineout, players not involved must stand at least ten metres back from the line of touch until the lineout is over. This "buffer" gives attacking runners room to build speed before contact — space that simply does not exist in the chaos of open play. Reading and respecting these distances is part of wider offside discipline.
Set-Piece Comparison
| Set piece | How play restarts | Main contest | Offside line for others |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrum | After a knock-on, forward pass or similar minor infringement | Collective pushing power and the hooker's strike | 5 metres behind the hindmost foot |
| Lineout | After the ball goes into touch (out of bounds) | Timing of the throw, jump and lift | 10 metres back from the line of touch |
| Maul | From a caught lineout or a held-up ball-carrier | Driving forward while the ball is kept at the back | Offside line at the hindmost foot of the maul |
The Scrum: Eight Players, One Shove
The scrum restarts play after a minor infringement such as a knock-on (dropping the ball forward) or a forward pass. Eight forwards from each team bind together and push against the opposition pack while the halfback (scrum-half) feeds the ball into the tunnel between them and the hooker tries to strike it back with a foot. A stable scrum lets the number 8 control the ball at the base and gives the halfback time to choose an option; a dominant scrum can drive the opposition backwards for a pushover try or a penalty. For a fuller breakdown of the positions and mechanics, see our technical guide to the scrum.
Crouch, Bind, Set
Engagement follows a strict, safety-driven sequence. The referee calls "crouch", then "bind" — at which point each prop must take and hold a firm grip on the opponent's jersey — and finally "set", when the two packs come together. Building the bind before the set removes the far more dangerous practice of hitting from a distance, making the contest about sustained power rather than a heavy collision. The main jobs inside the pack are:
- Front row (props and hooker): hold a strong, flat body position to absorb and transfer the pressure.
- Second row (the two locks): supply the primary leg drive, with heads placed between the front-row players.
- Back row (flankers and number 8): add stability and control the ball once it reaches the base.
- The hooker: times the strike for the ball with the halfback's feed so possession is won cleanly.
When a scrum is stationary and the ball has been available at the back for a few seconds, the referee calls "use it" and the attacking team must play the ball immediately. If a team has no fit specialist front-rowers left — through injuries or cards — scrums become "uncontested": no pushing is allowed and the team putting the ball in simply keeps it, which removes the contest a strong scrummaging side relies on.
The Lineout: Precision in the Air
If the scrum is about power, the lineout is about timing and disguise. It restarts play after the ball has gone into touch (out of bounds). The thrower — usually the hooker — delivers the ball down the middle of a channel between two lines of forwards, where "jumpers" are lifted into the air by supporting players. A designated caller, often a lock, uses coded words or numbers to signal who will jump and where, so the aim is to reach the ball before the defence can match the movement. Two rules shape the contest: a clear gap of one metre must be kept between the two lines until the ball is thrown, and the throw must travel straight down the middle — a crooked throw is penalised, usually with a scrum or throw to the opposition.
Pods, Lifting and Movement
Modern lineouts are built around "pods" of three — one jumper and two lifters. By shifting these pods up and down the line and varying the timing, the attacking team tries to create a jump where the defence has not matched their height. Common elements include:
- Front, middle and back options: a shorter throw to the front is the quickest delivery; a throw to the back opens up more attacking width.
- Safe lifting: lifters must support the jumper all the way back to the ground.
- The receiver: a player positioned to collect the tap-down and feed the backs, or protect the halfback.
- The quick throw: taking the throw before a full lineout forms, allowed only if the same ball is used and it has not touched anyone else.
The Rolling Maul: A Legal Driving Weapon
A maul forms when a ball-carrier is held up by an opponent and at least one team-mate binds on, and it is one of the most effective attacking tools from a lineout. Once the jumper is brought to ground with the ball, team-mates bind on and drive towards the try line while the ball is moved to the back. Because opponents may not go round the side to reach it, a well-organised maul is very hard to stop legally. Two limits keep it fair: intentionally collapsing a maul is illegal and penalised, and can draw a yellow card; and if the maul stops and the ball is not available, the referee calls "use it", after which the team must play the ball at once or concede a scrum. A skilled pack does not just push straight — it shifts left or right to attack the weakest part of the defensive line.
Strike Plays: Cashing In the Space
Set-piece tactics reach their peak in "strike plays" — pre-planned moves run the moment the ball leaves the scrum or lineout, while the offside buffer still holds defenders back. Decoy (or dummy) runners are central to them: by running a hard line without the ball, a decoy forces a defender to commit, opening a gap for the real ball-carrier. Typical options include:
- The loop: a player passes and then runs around the receiver to create an extra attacker on the outside.
- The switch: the ball-carrier changes the direction of the attack by handing to a runner cutting back the other way.
- The blindside strike: attacking the narrow side of a scrum with the number 8, halfback and winger.
- The cross-field kick: a higher-risk play kicking to a winger in the corner rather than passing along the line.
These moves sit inside a team's broader game plan, alongside tactical kicking used to win field position before the set piece even happens.
Defending the Set Piece
Mastering set pieces also means disrupting the opposition's. Defensive scrummaging is not only about resisting the shove; a pack may try to hold firm and force the attackers into an error or a reset. At the lineout, defenders "mirror" the attacking jump, timing their own lift to contest or steal the throw — a stolen lineout is a major momentum swing. Against a maul, defenders can try to bring the jumper to ground before the maul forms, or hold the ball-carrier up to force a turnover. Sound set-piece defence is one pillar of the wider defensive systems teams build around the gain line.
The Shot Clock and the Modern Set Piece
World Rugby has tightened the time teams may take over restarts. From January 2025, a 30-second "shot clock" applies to forming both scrums and lineouts once the referee signals, and conversions must now be taken within 60 seconds rather than 90. The aim is to increase ball-in-play time and cut time-wasting. Tactically, it rewards fitter, better-drilled packs: forwards can no longer treat a set piece as a rest, and lineout calls must be quick and clear. It is one of several recent adjustments changing how New Zealand sides play through the current Super Rugby Pacific and provincial seasons.
The Halves: Turning Ball Into Points
The halfback (9) and first five-eighth or fly-half (10) are the decision-makers who spend the possession the forwards win. The halfback's speed and accuracy of delivery set the tempo — the quicker the ball reaches the 10, the less time the defence has to organise. The fly-half then reads the picture in front of them, chooses the strike play or kick, and steers the forwards clear of the attacking channel so they do not stray offside. This partnership, honed over seasons together in Super Rugby Pacific, is often what separates a tidy set piece from a try.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a set piece in rugby union?
A set piece is a restart of play from a fixed formation — specifically a scrum or a lineout — used to bring the ball back into play after a stoppage such as a knock-on or the ball going into touch.
Why is the set piece so important for attacking?
It commits a large group of forwards to one spot and holds non-participating defenders behind an offside line — five metres back at a scrum and ten metres at a lineout. That creates space and time for the backs to run planned moves.
What is the shot clock for scrums and lineouts?
Since January 2025 teams have 30 seconds to form a scrum or a lineout once the referee signals, and conversions must be taken within 60 seconds. The rule is designed to reduce stoppages and keep the ball in play longer.
Who calls the lineout?
A designated caller, usually a lock, uses coded words or numbers to tell the team who will jump and where the ball will go, while the hooker throws it in straight down the middle of the channel.
Can you score a try directly from a maul?
Yes. If the ball-carrier at the back of a legally formed maul grounds the ball over the opposition try line, it is a try — one of the most reliable ways to score from close range.
