Basic Rugby Rules Positions>>
According to rugby lore, the game of rugby was invented in England in 1823 ago by William Web Ellis, a student at Rugby School who disregarded the rules of football (soccer) by taking the ball in his arms and running with it. It began as a variation on what is today soccer football and has since spawned American Football. Rugby can be a very complicated game to understand when coming from a football background. This short tutorial should give a good background on the basics of rugby.
Rugby is played with a ball many have described as a pregnant football. The field is 100 meters long and up to 70 meters wide. Rugby players score tries (not touchdowns.) This is done by running into the end zone and touching the ball to the ground . This try is worth five points. Following the try the team that scores is given a chance to kick the ball through the posts for two points. This is called a conversion. The conversion kick is taken from a spot on the field where the try was touched down at. This is the reason why many times a player will try to touch the ball down between the posts. A final way to score is to kick the ball through the posts either on a penalty or a drop kick, each one being worth three points. |
The ball may not be passed forward (though it may be kicked forward) and players must always remain behind the ball. (Failure remain behind the ball is called an offside). Players may not be tackled unless they have the ball. Players do not “block” or “hit” like they do in American football. Play only stops when a try is scored, or if the ball goes out of play, or an infringement (such as an offside or forward pass) occurs.
To restart play, the teams gather into two groups to form a scrummage or scrum. The ball is rolled between the two sides and the hookers try to kick the ball back to their side. Play also stops whenever the ball is put out of bounds. To restart play the teams form a lineout. Again the ball is tossed between the two teams, this time in the air. The two sides jump and try to gain possession of the ball. When a player is tackled to the ground he must release the ball. The two sides then try to push over the ball and the tackled player. This is known as rucking . Only the acting scrumhalf can dig the ball out with his hands. The others can only push or try to kick the ball out. Sometimes a tackled player does not make it to the ground. When this happens a maul is formed . Now the players will try to rip the ball away from the ball carrier. |