In simple terms you must leave the ball alone with your hands and push the opposition of the ball so you can move forward and another player usually the scrum half picks the ball up at the back behind all of the other players. Another important rule is that if you come to join a maul you must come through an imaginary 'gate formed by the back feet of you team enter that way. Entering from the side of the ruck is illegal and a penalty will be awarded by the referee for this offense..

Maul In essence a ruck on your feet a maul is where a tackler is tackling a play who has remained on his feet and a supporting player has arrived and has bound on, now a offside line exists for both teams along the back foot of their team and as with a ruck players must join the maul through the gate. The maul is a potent attacking weapon, if sorted properly the ball is at the back away from the opposition shielded by a whole group of players the team in possession can move up the pitch at a snails pace with if they keep the ball at the back no risk of turning the ball over.