such player, until he has run five yards or taken his kick. But if any player when off-side tackles, or in any way interferes with an opponent who has the ball before such opponent has run five yards or taken his kick, the opposite side may claim either (1) a free-kick, such free-kick to be taken in accordance with Law 44; or (2) a scrummage at the spot where the ball was last played before the offence occurred.
24. Throwing Back. It is lawful for any player who has the ball to throw it back towards his own goal, or to pass it back to any player of his own side, who is at the time behind him, in accordance with the rules of on-side.
25. Knocking on, i.e. hitting the ball with the hand, and Throwing forward, i.e. throwing the ball, in the direction of the opponents' goal-line are not lawful. If the ball be either knocked on or thrown forward, the opposite side may (unless a fair catch has been made as provided by the next rule) require to have it brought back to the spot where it was so knocked or thrown on and there put down.
Unless it be knocked on from a throw out of touch, when vide Law 30.
26. A Fair Catch is a catch made direct from a kick or a throw forward, or a knock on by one of the opposite side, provided the catcher makes a mark with his heel at the spot where he has made the catch, and no other of his own side touch the ball.
A player who has on a claim been awarded a fair catch, must thereupon himself either take a drop-kick or punt, or place the ball for a place-kick; such kick in any case to be made in the direction of the opponent's goal-line. If the player retires behind his own goal-line for the purpose of taking such kick, the ball must be kicked across such goal-line in the direction of the opponent's goal-line.
After a fair catch has been made, the opposite side may come up to the catcher's mark, and the catcher's side retiring, the ball shall be kicked from such mark, or from a spot any distance behind it, in a straight line, parallel with the touch-lines.
27. Touch. (See Plan.) If the ball goes into touch, a player on the side other than that whose player last touched-in in the field of play must bring it to the spot where it crossed the touch-line; or if a player when running with the ball cross or put any part of either foot across the touch-line, he must return with the ball to the spot where the line was so crossed, and thence return it into the field of play in one of the modes provided by the following Law.
