Article 1 – Receiving Team – Scrimmage Kick
a) Players of the receiving team may interfere with any player of the kicking team who has crossed the line of scrimmage, provided that the initial contact is made at or above the waist. Such interference will be legal from the time the ball is snapped, until it is declared dead.
- Before A loses possession
- apply penalty at PLS.
- apply Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play at the PLS, Point of Possession, or PBD, at option of non-offending team.
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- Ball in flight
- apply penalty at Point of Possession.
- apply Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play at Point of Possession or PBD (Note 1).
- 3. After possession gained
- apply penalty at PBH (Note 4).
- apply Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play at PBH or PBD.
Note 1: Exception to item 2: Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play against the kicker may be applied at the PP, PBD, or at the PLS, at the option of Team A. Interference with the kicker behind the neutral zone will be applied at the PP, and is not additive to any other penalty except those in .
Contacting the kicker shall be applied at the PLS.
Note 2: If possession is gained in the end zone, the penalty shall be applied from the 10 yard (10 metre) line or from PBD or PLS if applicable (see article 5).
Note 3: If a kicked ball lands and is loose in the end zone before possession is gained by B, and a B foul occurs in the end zone, Team A shall be awarded a rouge (1 point) or option.
Note 4: As soon as the ball is touched by the receiving team, the line of scrimmage and the neutral zone lose any significance with respect to the interference rules.
Note 5: If the foul occurs in the end zone, with the PBH in the end zone, Team A shall be awarded a rouge or a safety touch (1 or 2 points), as applicable or option.
b) The kicker shall not be interfered with behind the neutral zone, until the receiving team has touched the ball.
Exception: On a quick kick, the kicker does not receive this protection.
1.2.3D - L10 PP.
Article 2 – Receiving Team – Return Kick
Players of the team receiving a return kick may interfere with any opponent, including the kicker, from the time the ball is kicked, provided that the initial contact is made at or above the waist, until the ball is declared dead.
- Ball in flight
- apply penalty at Point of Possession.
- apply Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play at Point of Possession, or PBD.
Note: If the PP is in the end zone, the penalty will be applied from the 10 yard (10 metre) line or PBD if applicable.
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- After possession gained
- apply penalty at PBH.
- apply Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play at PBH or PBD.
Note 1: If the PBH is in the end zone, the penalty shall be applied from the 10 yard (10 metre) line or PBD if applicable (see Article 5).
Note 2: If the foul occurs in the end zone, with the PBH in the end zone, the non-offending team shall be awarded a rouge or safety touch (1 or 2 points) as applicable, or option.
Note 3: If a kicked ball lands and is loose in the end zone before possession is gained, and a foul occurs in the end zone, the non-offending team shall be awarded a rouge (1 point) or option.
Article 3 – Kicking Team
Players of the kicking team may block any opponent up to the limit of the neutral zone, may use their hands and arms to ward off blockers interfering with their approach to the ball carrier, while proceeding downfield, and may use their bodies in blocking against players protecting the ball carrier provided that the initial contact is made at or above the waist. Any other interference is illegal.
Ball in possession of A - L10 PLS DR.
Ball in flight - L10 PP.
Ball in possession of B - L10 PBH.
Note: If the point of application is the PP or PBH, and these points are in the B end zone, the point of application shall be from the B 10 yard (10 metre) line (see article 5).
Article 4 – Recovery of Kick
If the kicker or onside player legally recovers the kick, all players of that team may legally interfere with the opponents after such recovery, provided that the initial contact is at or above the waist.
Article 5 – Point of Scrimmage
In the above articles, when a penalty is applied from the 10 yard (10 metre) line, Team A may scrimmage the ball at any point on or between the hash marks, on the line where the ball is placed after the penalty application.