Editing Drop kick (section)

== Rugby football ==
[[File:Pat O'Dea.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Pat O'Dea]]]]

=== Drop kick technique ===
{{See also|Drop goal}}
The drop kick technique in rugby codes is usually to hold the ball with one end pointing downwards in two hands above the kicking leg. The ball is dropped onto the ground in front of the kicking foot, which makes contact at the moment or fractionally after the ball touches the ground, called the ''half-volley''. The kicking foot usually makes contact with the ball slightly on the instep.<ref>[https://archive.today/20070623215626/http://www.coachingrugby.com/rugby/coaching/indskills/kicking/drop.htm "Kicking: The Drop Kick"], Archive.today. Retrieved 11 October 2007.</ref>

In a rugby union kick-off, or drop out, the kicker usually aims to kick the ball high but not a great distance, and so usually strikes the ball after it has started to bounce off the ground, so the contact is made close to the bottom of the ball.

=== Rugby league ===
In [[rugby league]], drop kicks are mandatory to restart play from the goal line (called a goal line drop-out) after the defending team is tackled or knocks on in the in-goal area or the defending team causes the ball to go dead or into [[Glossary of rugby league terms#touch in-goal|touch-in-goal]]. Drop kicks are also mandatory to restart play from the 20 metre line after an unsuccessful penalty goal attempt goes dead or into touch-in-goal and to score a [[drop goal]] (sometimes known as a field goal) in open play, which is worth one point.<ref name="league">{{cite book
|url=http://www.rlef.eu.com/rugby_laws_book2004.pdf
|title=The International Laws of the Game and Notes on the Laws
|chapter=Section 6: Scoring
|date=2004-03-11
|publisher=[[Rugby League International Federation]]
|access-date=2007-09-12
|page=14
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919201722/http://www.rlef.eu.com/rugby_laws_book2004.pdf
|archive-date=2007-09-19
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

Drop kicks are optional for a penalty kick to score a penalty goal (this being done rarely, as place kicks are generally used) and when kicking for touch (the sideline) from a penalty, although the option of a punt kick is usually taken instead.

=== Rugby union ===
{{main|Drop kick (rugby union)}}
In [[rugby union]], a drop kick is used for the kick-off and restarts and to score a [[drop goal]] (sometimes called a field goal). Originally, it was one of only two ways to score points, along with the [[place kick]].

Drop kicks are mandatory from the centre spot to start a half (a kick-off), from the centre spot to restart the game after points have been scored, to restart play from the 22-metre line (called a drop-out) after the ball is touched down or made dead in the in-goal area by the defending team when the attacking team kicked or took the ball into the in-goal area, and to score a drop goal (sometimes called a field goal) in open play, which is worth three points.<ref name="union">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/LawsRegs/0/070110LGLAW09red_662.pdf
 |title       = Law 9: Method of Scoring
 |work        = Laws of the Game
 |publisher   = International Rugby Board
 |year        = 2007
 |access-date  = 2007-09-12
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20071022213228/http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/LawsRegs/0/070110LGLAW09red_662.pdf
 |archive-date = 2007-10-22
}}</ref>

Drop kicks are optional for a conversion kick after a try has been scored.  As in rugby league this is done rarely, as place kicks are generally used.

=== Rugby sevens ===
The usage of drop kicks in [[rugby sevens]] is the same as in rugby union, except that drop kicks are used for all conversion attempts and for penalty kicks, both of which must be taken within 40 seconds of the try being scored or the award of the penalty.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dwyer |first1=Lexi |title=7 things to know about Rugby Sevens at the Summer Olympics |url=https://www.today.com/news/rugby-sevens-olympics-t101199 |access-date=12 March 2023 |work=TODAY.com |date=9 August 2016 |language=en |quote="in Sevens, drop-kicks replace place-kicks for all conversion attempts, and must happen within 40 seconds (instead of one minute)."}}</ref>