How do I signal touch and which team throws in?
Rule- Canada
- Rugby Canada
- Community rugby
- World Rugby laws
- All ages
- 2026
- Assistant referees
- Officials
Under World Rugby Laws 2026 (Law 6.26):
- When the ball or the ball-carrier has gone into touch or touch-in-goal, hold up the flag.
- Stand at the place of the throw and point to the team entitled to throw in. The official signal chart shows this as raising the flag with one arm, moving to the mark of touch and standing there, pointing with the other arm towards the team entitled to throw.
- When the ball is thrown in, lower the flag, except when:
- the player throwing in steps on the field of play as part of the throwing action;
- the team not entitled to throw in has done so; or
- at a quick throw, the ball that went into touch is replaced by another ball, or after going into touch it was touched by anyone except the ball-carrier who took it into touch or the player who takes the throw.
- Carry a flag or something similar to signal your decisions.
Source: World Rugby Laws of the Game 2026, Law 6 and the assistant referee signals page: https://passport.world.rugby/media/wnvjlxtb/2607en-world-rugby-laws-final-compressed.pdf
Added 25 Oct 2026