<P> A drop goal, field goal, dropped goal, or pot is a method of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league and also, rarely, in American football and Canadian football . A drop goal is scored by drop kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the goalposts . After the kick, the ball must not touch the ground before it goes over and through, although it may touch the crossbar . If the drop goal attempt is successful, play stops and the non-scoring team (the scoring team in rugby union sevens) restarts play with a kick from halfway . If the kick is unsuccessful, the offside rules for a kick apply and play continues until a normal stoppage occurs . Because of the scoring attempt this is usually from the kicked ball going dead or into touch . Defenders may tackle the kicker while he is in possession of the ball, or attempt to charge down or block the kick . </P> <P> World Rugby, the international governing body of rugby union, refers to this method of scoring in its publications as a "dropped goal", but this is commonly abbreviated to "drop goal". </P>

How to do a drop goal in rugby