Rugby is without a doubt one of the most thrilling games in the world. With so many twists and turns this sport is the fourth most popular sport behind football, cricket and baseball. It was founded by a student of Rugby School in Rugby, England named William Webb Ellis who is known to be the first person to pick a soccer ball and run with it.
There are two types of rugby; Rugby Union (a fifteen a side game) and Rugby League (a thirteen a side game). This article will focus on the more famous and professional version that is Rugby Union.
RUGBY UNION
Rugby Union is when two teams of fifteen players battle it out for two periods of 40 minutes each, to gain points through tries, conversions, drop goals and penalties. This is played on a grass pitch with H-shaped posts at both ends of a pitch 100m long and 65m wide. Behind the goal line (known as the try line) is the dead ball line which is 5m apart. The game is played with an oval shaped ball 30cm long.
POSITIONS
Rugby Union Shirt Numbers and Positions
Forwards
- Loosehead Prop
- Hooker
- Tighthead Prop
- Second row (lock)
- Second row (lock)
- Blindside Flanker
- Openside Flanker
- Number 8
Backs
- Scrum Half
- Fly Half (Outside Half)
- Left Wing
- Inside Centre
- Outside Centre
- Right Wing
- Full Back
SCORING
Scoring as in any game is the main part of rugby. There are four types of scoring in rugby.
Tries: This is where a player runs with the ball and touches it down between the opponents try line and dead ball line. 5 points are scored for this.
Conversions: This is given after a team scoring a try. A player that is known as the kicker kicks the ball from the 22yard line and tries to kick the ball between the posts to gain two points for the team.
Penalty: This is given if a foul is committed. The referee stops play and allows the kicker to kick the ball from the place of the foul between the posts. 3 point is awarded for this.
Drop goals: this is when a player kicks a ball in play over the posts. The team receive 3 points.
RUCKS AND MALLS
If a player is holding the ball, he can be anywhere below the waist. Tackles anywhere above the permitted areas are considered dangerous and may involve sending offs. Once the player is down he must immediately release the ball whether it goes to a teammate or not. The players from both sides can bind on to each other and pile in from behind to keep or gain possession. If a player is not binded on or comes from the sides it is considered a foul and a penalty is awarded. A Ruck always involves the ball being on the ground it can only be won by the player pushing the opposition backwards to secure the ball and kick back to the scrum half. The ball cannot be handled.
A Mall resembles a fast moving, fast forming scrum, with the ball still being held (so not touching the ground). They form when a tackle holds the ball up rather than slamming the opposing player to the ground. As with Rucks, players can only come in from behind the ball. A Mall can collapse or touch the ground and become a Ruck in this case the referee will stop play and award a penalty or scrum, depending on the circumstances.
SCRUM
A scrum is formed by the players who are designated forwards binding together in three rows. The scrum then ‘engages’ with the opposition team so that the players’ heads are interlocked with those of the other side’s front row. The scrum-half from the team that did not infringe then throws the ball into the tunnel created in the space between the two sets of front rowers’ legs. Both teams may then try to compete for the ball by trying to hook the ball backwards with their feet. In rugby union both sets of forwards try to push the opposition backwards whilst competing for the ball and thus the team that did not throw the ball into the scrum have some chance of winning the possession. In practice, however, the team with the ‘put-in’ usually keeps possession.
OFFSIDES
Offsides take place in many forms of rugby, but in open play it occurs when a player is in front of their teammate with the ball. It’s all to do with the fact that they must not obstruct an opposing player.
LINE OUT
Line Outs are a way of restarting play, like a throw in. It is when the ball is played out of play passed the touch lines. Whichever team didn’t pass the ball out of play get to restart throwing the ball in between the two lines of forwards. The throwing team usually win the line out and play is carried on as usual.
Rugby as I said is a very popular sport. Big tournaments are held every year which add the spice. Tournaments such as the Heineken Cup (a tournament where Europe’s biggest clubs go head to head in a league and knocked out tournament), the Six Nations (where 6 countries England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy play a round robin tournament) and the domestic seasons come every year.
And then every 4 years there comes Rugby’s richest prized world cup. 20 teams play in this trilling tournament and it comes down to two teams in the final playing for this amazing achievement. Current holders South Africa will be looking to retain their title in a few weeks time as the World Cup warm-ups have already begun. Big guns such as William Servat of France, Australia’s Nathan Sharpe and Kiwi Mills Muliana will play in this competition.
As you can see rugby is such a great sport it has so many twists and turns which make it so exciting. The fast flowing game gains crowds of 45000 per match. It is truly one of the best sports invented.