LEARN RUGBY RULES
THE BASICS IN 80 SECONDS |
Kicking |
RUGBY RULES |
How do we win?
Rugby is played in two 40 minute halves. The refs keep track of time during any stop in play and extend play the end of each half ensure a full 40 minutes of play. The result is 80 minutes heart pounding, blood clotting competition. The goal is for your team to score more tries, conversions, and penalty kicks, than the other team.
What do the teams look like?
Immagine a team comprised almost entirely of Linebackers, running backs, and tightends. The average Rugby player is 230lbs and 6' tall. While there are variations from the lineman built variety down to the occasional 5'5" sprinter, one thing cannot be denied: rugby players are some of the toughest athletes on the planet.
Do they use any safety equipment?
Rugby players use mouth guards, cleats, and athletic and electrical tape. Some players wear a head covering that mostly protects their ears.
How many players are on a Rugby team?
Each team fields 15 players at a time. Most teams generally keep 7 or 8 players on the bench for substitutions.
What are the different positions?
Each team has 8 forwards and 7 backs. We'll describe the positions in greater detail below.
How does the game start?
The game starts with a kick off just like in football.
How does scoring working in Rugby?
Like in American Football the main goal is get the ball from one of the field to the end zone on the opposite side. When you get across the goal line, you must touch the ball to ground while maintaining control of the ball. That is considered a "Try". After each Try is scored, you have the opportunity score 2 extra points by kicking a ball through the uprights, just like in football.
You can also score a dropped goal worth 3 points. This is earned by drop kicking the ball through the uprights (like punting a field goal). There are penalty Goals and Tries that are worth more points, we'll discuss those in greater detail in the penalties section.
What happens when a ball carrier is tackled?
The ball carrier must release the ball, generally trying to push it back towards their teammates. The ball carrier and tackler must let go of each other and roll away once the ball carrier has released the ball. Now if the ball carrier is brought to the ground but is able to immediately get back up and keep running (i.e. the tackling player tripped up the ball carrier but didn't maintain a hold on them to keep them from getting back up) the player can continue to run forward towards the goal line.
Is there any forward lateral motion?
The only forward later motion in allowed in the game is via kicking the ball. All other movement the ball between players must be done by pitching or handing the ball off to another player that is behind them.
How do they determine the location of the Conversion Kick?
The location of the "Conversion Kick" (extra points) kick is perpendicular to where the try was scored. More plainly put, you must draw a straight line backwards from the point where the ball touched the ground in the end zone. The kicker is allowed to determine the distance of the conversion kick. So the closer to edge of the field a try is scored, the farther back a kicker will want to take their kick from.... we're working on visual aids for you and should have them soon.
What is a Line Out?
A "Line Out" is how they restart play when he ball has gone out of bounds on either side of the field. Both teams gather their forwards in a line across from each other. The Hooker then throws the ball down the middle of them and both teams try to catch it. Both teams will then lift one player into the air to try to catch high throws. Sort of like a jump ball in basketball. The header picture above is a great visual.
What is a Knock On?
A "Knock On" is when a player drops the ball or allows it to rebound off their hand or arm and the ball travels forward. When a knock on occurs the ref will stop play and award a scrum to the opposing team.
What the hell is is Scrum?
When there is a stop of play, the referee may decide to restart play using a scrum. Basically each side locks lines up across from each, the guys in the front row lock arms with on player (the Hooker) in the middle. Then the rest of their teams lock arms three layers deep behind their respective front lines and to provide support. At this point the the ball is thrown in the middle and both sides slam into each other and try to push each other away from the ball so their hooker can kick or rack the ball back to their side. If the ref awards a scrum to a particular team (based on who the penalty or stop in play is against), that team's Scrum Half throws the ball towards the side of their team, and then races into position.... Just watch this...
Ok, so what is Maul?
In football if a ball carrier is stopped in forward motion they call the play dead. Rugby doesn't back down from that challenge. A Maul is formed when player is stopped in forward motion while still on their feet and three or more players from either team gather and bind together to try to push the ball carrier in the direction of their respective goal lines.
And what is a Ruck?
A ruck occurs when the ball is on the ground and one or more players from each team who are on their feet close in around it. When a ruck occurs, players must use their feet to move the ball or push the opposing team forward so that ball appears behind their line, at which point the ball can be picked up and run again.
Did that dude really throw a punch in the Ruck?
Yes he did. While officially fighting is not considered to be an appropriate part of the game, it is an accepted reality, kind of like in hockey. That having been said, the players will receive at least a yellow card (think penalty box) or a red card (ejected from the game) if they're caught. We explain yellow and red cards in greater detail in the penalties section below.
POSITIONS
What are the positions?
There are 8 forwards and 7 backs. Forwards tend to have to be immense in size and strength, while Backs often are smaller in size and much quicker.
What is a Hooker?
A Hooker is a forward position that hooks or racks the ball back with his foot. When you watch a rugby scrum (that moment when both sides lock arms and try to push each other across the field) the Hooker is in the middle trying to kick the ball backward to his teammates .
What is a Prop?
These are the big guys on other side of the Hooker. They literally prop up the hooker in the scrum, providing support and keeping him vertical so he can hook the ball back. The left Prop is known as the Loose Head Prop while the Prop on the Right is called the Tight-Head Prop.
What is a Lock?
A Lock is a forward player. There are two Locks on a Rugby team. These two bind behind the Props and Hooker.
What is a Flanker?
There are two Flankers on a rugby team. They are forward players. They make up the two of the final 3 players in the bind for the scrum. The one of the left is known as the Blind-Side Flanker and the Flanker on the right is Known as the Open-Side Flanker.
Who the hell is Number 8?
Number 8 is the final forward position on a Rugby team. Number 8 takes the center position in the back line of a rugby scrum.
Who are the backs?
The remaining 7 players on a rugby team are the backs. Their positions are Left Wing, Scrum Half, Fly Half, Full Back, Inside Center, Outside Center and Right Wing.
Check out this link to see how these positions line up for a scrum.
PENALTIES
How do red and yellow cards work?
If a referee judges that a player has willfully violated the rules (usually fighting, illegal hits, illegal contact - often referred to as dangerous play, unfair play, or misconduct) they may choose to pull a yellow card on that player which benches the player for 10 minutes. For the length of that penalty that players team must continue with one less player. If the player is given a red card, that player is ejected from the game and their team must play the remainder of the game down one player.
How does offsides work?
Rugby is a dynamic game and players often find themselves behind the opposing team's line. A player will only be called for offsides if they engage the opposing team prior to getting back onside. Basically, if you're offside (in front of the line) You can't make contact with an opposing player or make contact with the ball.
What are the major penalties?
There are a few major categories that nearly all penalties fall under: Obstruction, Unfair Play, Dangerous Play, and Misconduct.
Obstruction includes things like tripping opposing players, pushing a player who's about catch a kick, or screening/blocking for the ball carrier.
Unfair Play is pretty simple, this is used for things like intentionally knocking the ball out of bounds, delay of game, or taking a dive (we're looking at you, soccer hooligans).
Dangerous Play is self explanatory. There is no tackling above the shoulders or trying to take someone's head off. No spearing someone who is in mid air (both feet of the ball carrier must be not he ground when contact occurs). It's not thunder dome guys, when you tackle someone they have to have the ball and there's certainly no biting, kicking, punching , etc. (at least when the ref's looking).
Misconduct is a where the referee has the most discretion. Basically players must exhibit good sportsmanship and obey the referee's instructions at all times.
Just like in all major sports, players can incur personal penalties for misconduct. A first major offense could get a player a yellow card which results in a 10 minute suspension from the game. A red card will get a player ejected from the game.
Additionally, if a team repeatedly incurs the same penalty, the referee may enhance the penalty by temporarily suspending the guilty party for a period of time.
For more information on the rules of rugby visit the World Rugby site by clicking on the logo below.
Rugby is played in two 40 minute halves. The refs keep track of time during any stop in play and extend play the end of each half ensure a full 40 minutes of play. The result is 80 minutes heart pounding, blood clotting competition. The goal is for your team to score more tries, conversions, and penalty kicks, than the other team.
What do the teams look like?
Immagine a team comprised almost entirely of Linebackers, running backs, and tightends. The average Rugby player is 230lbs and 6' tall. While there are variations from the lineman built variety down to the occasional 5'5" sprinter, one thing cannot be denied: rugby players are some of the toughest athletes on the planet.
Do they use any safety equipment?
Rugby players use mouth guards, cleats, and athletic and electrical tape. Some players wear a head covering that mostly protects their ears.
How many players are on a Rugby team?
Each team fields 15 players at a time. Most teams generally keep 7 or 8 players on the bench for substitutions.
What are the different positions?
Each team has 8 forwards and 7 backs. We'll describe the positions in greater detail below.
How does the game start?
The game starts with a kick off just like in football.
How does scoring working in Rugby?
Like in American Football the main goal is get the ball from one of the field to the end zone on the opposite side. When you get across the goal line, you must touch the ball to ground while maintaining control of the ball. That is considered a "Try". After each Try is scored, you have the opportunity score 2 extra points by kicking a ball through the uprights, just like in football.
You can also score a dropped goal worth 3 points. This is earned by drop kicking the ball through the uprights (like punting a field goal). There are penalty Goals and Tries that are worth more points, we'll discuss those in greater detail in the penalties section.
What happens when a ball carrier is tackled?
The ball carrier must release the ball, generally trying to push it back towards their teammates. The ball carrier and tackler must let go of each other and roll away once the ball carrier has released the ball. Now if the ball carrier is brought to the ground but is able to immediately get back up and keep running (i.e. the tackling player tripped up the ball carrier but didn't maintain a hold on them to keep them from getting back up) the player can continue to run forward towards the goal line.
Is there any forward lateral motion?
The only forward later motion in allowed in the game is via kicking the ball. All other movement the ball between players must be done by pitching or handing the ball off to another player that is behind them.
How do they determine the location of the Conversion Kick?
The location of the "Conversion Kick" (extra points) kick is perpendicular to where the try was scored. More plainly put, you must draw a straight line backwards from the point where the ball touched the ground in the end zone. The kicker is allowed to determine the distance of the conversion kick. So the closer to edge of the field a try is scored, the farther back a kicker will want to take their kick from.... we're working on visual aids for you and should have them soon.
What is a Line Out?
A "Line Out" is how they restart play when he ball has gone out of bounds on either side of the field. Both teams gather their forwards in a line across from each other. The Hooker then throws the ball down the middle of them and both teams try to catch it. Both teams will then lift one player into the air to try to catch high throws. Sort of like a jump ball in basketball. The header picture above is a great visual.
What is a Knock On?
A "Knock On" is when a player drops the ball or allows it to rebound off their hand or arm and the ball travels forward. When a knock on occurs the ref will stop play and award a scrum to the opposing team.
What the hell is is Scrum?
When there is a stop of play, the referee may decide to restart play using a scrum. Basically each side locks lines up across from each, the guys in the front row lock arms with on player (the Hooker) in the middle. Then the rest of their teams lock arms three layers deep behind their respective front lines and to provide support. At this point the the ball is thrown in the middle and both sides slam into each other and try to push each other away from the ball so their hooker can kick or rack the ball back to their side. If the ref awards a scrum to a particular team (based on who the penalty or stop in play is against), that team's Scrum Half throws the ball towards the side of their team, and then races into position.... Just watch this...
Ok, so what is Maul?
In football if a ball carrier is stopped in forward motion they call the play dead. Rugby doesn't back down from that challenge. A Maul is formed when player is stopped in forward motion while still on their feet and three or more players from either team gather and bind together to try to push the ball carrier in the direction of their respective goal lines.
And what is a Ruck?
A ruck occurs when the ball is on the ground and one or more players from each team who are on their feet close in around it. When a ruck occurs, players must use their feet to move the ball or push the opposing team forward so that ball appears behind their line, at which point the ball can be picked up and run again.
Did that dude really throw a punch in the Ruck?
Yes he did. While officially fighting is not considered to be an appropriate part of the game, it is an accepted reality, kind of like in hockey. That having been said, the players will receive at least a yellow card (think penalty box) or a red card (ejected from the game) if they're caught. We explain yellow and red cards in greater detail in the penalties section below.
POSITIONS
What are the positions?
There are 8 forwards and 7 backs. Forwards tend to have to be immense in size and strength, while Backs often are smaller in size and much quicker.
What is a Hooker?
A Hooker is a forward position that hooks or racks the ball back with his foot. When you watch a rugby scrum (that moment when both sides lock arms and try to push each other across the field) the Hooker is in the middle trying to kick the ball backward to his teammates .
What is a Prop?
These are the big guys on other side of the Hooker. They literally prop up the hooker in the scrum, providing support and keeping him vertical so he can hook the ball back. The left Prop is known as the Loose Head Prop while the Prop on the Right is called the Tight-Head Prop.
What is a Lock?
A Lock is a forward player. There are two Locks on a Rugby team. These two bind behind the Props and Hooker.
What is a Flanker?
There are two Flankers on a rugby team. They are forward players. They make up the two of the final 3 players in the bind for the scrum. The one of the left is known as the Blind-Side Flanker and the Flanker on the right is Known as the Open-Side Flanker.
Who the hell is Number 8?
Number 8 is the final forward position on a Rugby team. Number 8 takes the center position in the back line of a rugby scrum.
Who are the backs?
The remaining 7 players on a rugby team are the backs. Their positions are Left Wing, Scrum Half, Fly Half, Full Back, Inside Center, Outside Center and Right Wing.
Check out this link to see how these positions line up for a scrum.
PENALTIES
How do red and yellow cards work?
If a referee judges that a player has willfully violated the rules (usually fighting, illegal hits, illegal contact - often referred to as dangerous play, unfair play, or misconduct) they may choose to pull a yellow card on that player which benches the player for 10 minutes. For the length of that penalty that players team must continue with one less player. If the player is given a red card, that player is ejected from the game and their team must play the remainder of the game down one player.
How does offsides work?
Rugby is a dynamic game and players often find themselves behind the opposing team's line. A player will only be called for offsides if they engage the opposing team prior to getting back onside. Basically, if you're offside (in front of the line) You can't make contact with an opposing player or make contact with the ball.
What are the major penalties?
There are a few major categories that nearly all penalties fall under: Obstruction, Unfair Play, Dangerous Play, and Misconduct.
Obstruction includes things like tripping opposing players, pushing a player who's about catch a kick, or screening/blocking for the ball carrier.
Unfair Play is pretty simple, this is used for things like intentionally knocking the ball out of bounds, delay of game, or taking a dive (we're looking at you, soccer hooligans).
Dangerous Play is self explanatory. There is no tackling above the shoulders or trying to take someone's head off. No spearing someone who is in mid air (both feet of the ball carrier must be not he ground when contact occurs). It's not thunder dome guys, when you tackle someone they have to have the ball and there's certainly no biting, kicking, punching , etc. (at least when the ref's looking).
Misconduct is a where the referee has the most discretion. Basically players must exhibit good sportsmanship and obey the referee's instructions at all times.
Just like in all major sports, players can incur personal penalties for misconduct. A first major offense could get a player a yellow card which results in a 10 minute suspension from the game. A red card will get a player ejected from the game.
Additionally, if a team repeatedly incurs the same penalty, the referee may enhance the penalty by temporarily suspending the guilty party for a period of time.
For more information on the rules of rugby visit the World Rugby site by clicking on the logo below.