[1] The ball often does not travel very far forward, giving the attacking team time to run ahead to where it is expected to land, providing the possibility of re-gaining possession amongst an un-set defensive line.
Bombs are often used when close to the try-line, so that the attacking team's best jumpers have a chance to leap for the ball and come down with it in the in-goal area.
However, by the 1980s,[citation needed] it became increasingly seen as a negative or unexciting tactic, and a rule change was made to lessen its effect: A bomb (or any type of kick) caught on the full in the in-goal area by the defending side now results in an automatic 20 metre tap restart, sometimes colloquially known as defusing the bomb.
It was a common feature of the Saints' play and, though it suffered criticism for its 'negative' quality (at the same time rugby union was under similar scrutiny for turning into a 'kicking' game), it was an extremely effective tactic.
In rugby union, the opposing team may choose to call for a mark if the ball is behind the opposition's 22 metre line and caught cleanly.
The standard punt formation has all other players ahead of the punter (and thus not eligible to recover a bomb kick) to provide protection.