penalties operate in roughly the same manner as in union, but with some slight differences. firstly, the implication is that a side either takes a tap kick or a shot at goal. they can kick for touch, but, if the ball makes it into touch, the side then takes a tap kick 10m infield (20m infield in the nrl as of 2007) from the point where the ball went into touch (except where it goes into touch inside the opposition's 10m line, in which case the tap is taken from the 10m line), as opposed to a scrum. they can also tap the ball from where the penalty was awarded. in both instances, the defending side must remain 10m from the ball until the tap kick is taken.