[A] (The touch and goal lines must not be marked by a V-shaped rut.)
Duration of Play.—Choice of Goals.—The Kick-off.
2. The duration of the game shall be ninety minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. The winners of the toss shall have the option of kick-off or choice of goals. The game shall be commenced by a place kick from the centre of the field of play in the direction of the opponents' goal line; the opponents shall not approach within ten yards of the ball until it is kicked off, nor shall any player on either side pass the centre of the ground in the direction of his opponents' goal until the ball is kicked off.
(If this law is not complied with the kick-off must be taken over again.)
Changing Ends.—The Interval.—The Re-start.
3. Ends shall only be changed at half-time. The interval at half-time shall not exceed five minutes, except by consent of the referee. After the goal is scored, the losing side shall kick off, and after the change of ends at half-time, the ball shall be kicked off by the opposite side from that which originally did so; and always as provided in Law 2.
How a Goal is Scored.—If Bar is Displaced.—If Ball Rebounds or Goes Out of Play.
4. Except as otherwise provided by these laws a goal shall be scored when the ball has passed between the goal posts under the bar, not being thrown, knocked on, nor carried by any player of the attacking side. If from any cause during the progress of the game the bar is displaced, the referee shall have power to award a goal if in his opinion the ball would have passed under the bar if it had not been displaced. The ball is in play if it rebounds from a goal post, crossbar, or a corner flagstaff into the field of play. The ball is in play if it touches the referee or a linesman when in the field of play. The ball is out of play when it has crossed the goal line or touch line, either on the ground or in the air.
(The whole of the ball must have passed over the goal line or touch line before it is out of play.)