Use the kicking instant as the reference
World Rugby’s open-play offside law identifies players in front of the teammate who last played the ball. After a kick, interference and retreat obligations matter; being nearby when the ball lands does not by itself show the player was entitled to chase.
Imagine two wings starting a kick chase. One is behind the kicking foot at contact; the other is several metres ahead. They may later arrive together, but their starting positions create different questions.
Trace how a player became onside
The law provides ways to become onside, with a specific exception regime for the ten-metre law. Avoid assuming that any opponent catch resets every chaser automatically. On a wide replay, mark the kicker, the chaser’s initial position and any onside teammate who later passes them.
The useful analysis is a route through the play, not a still of where the chaser stood at the catch. An apparently passive player can also interfere by affecting the opposition’s options. This narrow example explains why an official may penalise a chaser despite that player never touching the kick. It does not apply a universal reset to all offside situations.
Questions answered
Does arriving at the ball later prove the chase began legally?
No.
Does an opponent’s catch automatically cure every offside position?
No. The applicable offside provision matters.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.