What can a team do with a penalty in rugby union?

• Where: at the place of the offence (with listed exceptions), never closer than five metres to the try line.
• Taken from: the mark, or anywhere behind it on a line through the mark.
• Without delay: "A penalty or free-kick must be taken without delay."
• The kick: "The kicker may punt, drop-kick or place-kick (other than for touch) the ball."
• Any direction: the ball must be kicked a visible distance. The kicker may then play it again.
• A scrum instead: "A team awarded a penalty may instead choose a scrum."
• At a lineout: a penalty there may instead be a lineout or a scrum at the same mark.
• At goal: a penalty goal is worth three points, kicked within 60 seconds of saying so.
• To touch: the kicking team throws in at the lineout.
• Ten metres: the opposing team "must immediately retreat 10 metres towards their own try line".
• Still retreating: opponents who have not got back may not take part, even if the kick is taken quickly.
• Delaying: a second penalty 10 metres further on for delaying the kick or throwing the ball away.
• A free-kick: opponents may charge as soon as the kicker moves to kick. A dropped goal cannot be scored from it until the ball next goes dead or an opponent plays it.

The glossary has the penalty, the free-kick, the penalty goal, the lineout, the scrum and the offside entry.

A penalty has to be worth something anywhere on the pitch, so the team is given a choice of points, territory or the ball in hand. Kicking to touch and keeping the throw is what makes a penalty near the opponents' line so valuable, since a driving maul from the lineout often follows.