Lesson 2: The Playing Area and Equipment

Understanding the field helps you follow the action much more easily. **The Pitch (Field):** - Rectangular shape, up to **100 metres long** (try line to try line) and up to **70 metres wide** - Each end has an **in-goal area** — typically **6–22 metres deep** — where tries are scored - **H-shaped goalposts** stand at each end, with a crossbar **3 metres high** **The Ball:** - Oval shaped — this unique shape affects how it bounces and is passed - Can be **kicked in any direction** - Can only be **passed laterally (sideways) or backward** — never forward **Key Lines to Know:** - **Try line** — cross this with the ball grounded to score a try - **Touch line** — the out-of-bounds sideline; when the ball crosses here, play stops - **Dead-ball line** — the back edge of the in-goal area In MLR, there are also **two marked lines near the posts** in the in-goal area that create a special scoring zone — more on that in Lesson 3!