What is Rugby?

Rugby is a sport that started in 1823 when a boy in Rugby, England picked up and ran with the ball in a game of football, or soccer as it is called in the USA. The game developed as more English schools and universities began to play this interesting new sport. In 1871 the English Rugby Union was formed to standardize the rules and regulations of rugby.

A game of rugby, which is called a match is played with 15 players on each side, and is played on a field, called a pitch that is 100m long, and 69m wide. It begins with a kickoff, and the ball is progressed down the field by means of carrying and kicking the ball. The ball cannot be passed forward, only backwards. When the ball carrier is tackled, the ball is placed on the ground, and possession is fought for by means of a ruck. A ruck is where two or more players come together, and engage their heads and arms and try to push the opposing team over the ball, so that their team can gain possession. When a minor infringement of the rules or stoppage of the game occurs, restarting of play is done by means of a scrum. A scrum is where eight players on each side bind together in three rows. The first rows on each side interlock heads and then the scrum half throws the ball into the tunnel (the space between each sideÂ's scrum). In the case of a severe infringement a penalty kick is awarded. Once the ball has progressed to one end of the field, the team can score what is called a Tri. To score a Tri, the ball must be touched to the ground in the Tri zone. After a Tri has been awarded, there is an opportunity to gain more points by a conversion kick. A Tri is worth five points, and a conversion is worth two points.

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Rugby Terminology

Advantage - a method of refereeing implemented to imrove the flow of the game. Following an infraction, the referee allows the game to proceed uninterrupted as long as the ball is in play by the non-infracting team and there are no additional major infractions. When the referee deceides that the non-infracting team has received appropriate "compensation" (i.e. terrority) for the infraction, advantage ends and play continues as if no infraction had ever occur.

Back Row - The three forwards at the rear of the scrummage. The Back Row consists of the 2 Flankers and the 8-man (see Player Positions for more details).

Blind Side - the side of the scrum nearest to the touch line.

Drop kick - a kicking technique where the ball is dropped to the ground and, as it bounces back up, it is kicked.

Dummy - a technique where the ball carrier pretends to pass the ball but does not. The goal is to "trick" the defender into defending your teammate, thus leaving the ball carrier free to advance.

Free kick - a free kick is awarded when a minor infraction occurs. The non-infracting team has the choice of kicking to gain territorial advantage or making a short kick (i.e. a tap with the foot) and then picking the ball up and carrying it forward. If the ball is punted directly off the field and not touched by the infracting team, the infracting team will "throw-in" at the line-out (see below).

Front Row - The three forwards in each team who directly interact during each scrummage. The Front Row consists of the two props and the hooker (see Player Positions for more details).

Grubber kick - A kick technique where the ball is kicked end-over-end along the ground. Due to the shape of the rugby ball, this type of kick bounces unpredictably and can be hard to retreive. As such, grubber kicks are often used to penetrate an defense when running attacks are not being successful.

Knock-on - an infraction where a player propels the ball toward the opponent's goal line from the hand (whether intentionally or accidentally).

Line-out - a method of restarting a stoppage in play after the ball leaves the field. Two single-file lines are formed by both teams. A player from the attacking team (the team that didn't cause the ball to leave the field) throws the ball back in from the side-line between the two lines of players.

Maul - a loose formation of players which forms around a ball carrier who has been stopped or held by the defense but has not been brought to the ground.

Obstruction - an infraction which occurs when a player without the ball gets in the way of an opponent who is chasing after the ball carrier.

Off-side - any position between the ball and the opponents goal line. Players cannot linger and/or interfere with play when in an off-side position. During a scrum, the offside line for the backs is marked by the back foot of the last man on each side of the scrum. During a lineout, the offside line for the backs extends 10 metres from the site of the line-out.

Penalty kick - a kick awarded to the non-infracting team after a penalty occurs. The non-infracting team has the choice of kicking for points (a place kick or a drop kick) or a punt to gain territorial advantage. If the ball is punted directly off the field and not touched by the infracting team, the non-infracting team will "throw-in" at the line-out (see above).

Place kick - a kicking technique where the ball is place on the ground before being kicked.

Punt kick - a kicking technique where the ball is dropped from the hand directly to the foot and kicked.

Ruck - a loose formation created around a free ball or a player who has been brought to the ground with the ball. At a minimumm, a ruck consists of two players from opposite teams on their feet over the ball. When the referee indicates that a ruck has formed, players in the ruck may not use their hands. The goal is to push the opposition away from the ball, and to heel the ball back to players at the back of the ruck where it can be picked up.

Scrum - Rugby's unique formation, the forerunner of the American football line of scrimmage, is the method used to restart the game after the referee has whistled a minor law violation. A bound group of players from each team form a "tunnel" with the opposition. The non-offending team puts the ball into the tunnel by rolling it into the middle and each team pushes forward until one player is able to hook the ball with the feet and push it to the back row players of his/ her team. The Scrum Half then retrieves the ball and puts it into play.

Touch-line - the lines which mark the sides of the field. A ball carried or kicked over these lines is said to have "gone into touch".

Try - a type of scoring worth 5 points by touching the ball down in the opponent's end zone.

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What is a scrum?

The scrum is the defining characteristic of rugby and is used to restart play following a minor infraction. It consists of the 8 forwards from each team bound together as one unit. Once bound together, each team pushes against the other while controlling the ball with only their feet. The team which pushes their opponents away from the ball and/or keeps contol of the ball will have possession of the ball and is said to have "won the scrum".

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