HOW TO PLAY RUGBY UNION
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Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….3 Playing field………………………………………………………………………….3 Attire…………………………………………………………………………………4 Game structure…………………………………………………………………….…4 Player positions and their roles……………………………………………….4 Scrum…………………………………………………………………………6 Line-out…………………………………………………………………….…6 Restart kicks…………………………………………………………………..7 Goal scoring…………………………………………………………………...7 Tackles……………………………………………………………………...…8
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Introduction
Rugby union (often referred to as rugby) is a team sport played by two opposing teams with 15 players each on the field at a time. A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (two halves of 40 minutes each) and is controlled by a referee. The attacking team may score by kicking the ball between the posts and above the cross-bar. However the ball may only be kicked from the ground: either from a place kick following the award of a penalty or from a drop kick in open play. A successful kick at goal is worth three points. The area behind each set of goal posts is called the "in goal area" and the attacking team may also score by grounding the ball in this area. This is called a "try" and is worth five points. After scoring a try, the attacking team is awarded a free kick at goal (called a conversion) for an extra two points.
Playing field
A rugby union field consists of a maximum playing area of 144x70m on a grassy flat surface. Lines are painted on to the field at regular intervals; dead ball line, try line, 22 meter line, 10 meter line (broken line) and half way. This is mirrored on the other side of the field. Lines are also located 5 meters away from the try line and side line and 15 meters away from the side line. The length from try line to try line is always 100 meters; the only varying distances on a rugby field are the width of the playing field, and the distance from try line to the dead ball line.
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Attire
A basic rugby union kit consists of a collared shirt, shorts which have pockets, long socks and boots with studs. Some padding is allowed on the head, shoulders and collarbone, but it must be sufficiently light, thin and compressible to meet IRB standards. Players also have the option to use fingerless gloves which have been introduced to the game allowing players to better grip the ball.
A properly dressed rugby player (Picture from www.newzealandnz.co.nz)
Game structure
Player positions and their roles
1 Loosehead Prop 4 Lock 6 Blindside Flanker 8 Number 8 9 Scrum Half 10 Fly-half 12 Inside Centre 13 Outside Centre 11 Left Wing 15 Fullback 14 Right Wing 2 Hooker 5 Lock 7 Openside Flanker 3 Tighthead Prop
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15. Full back - The full back stands back to cover defensive options as a 'sweeper' behind the main line of defense removed from the other backs. As the last line of defense, they require good tackling skills. They have to catch the high kicks after which they may counter-attack or punt forwards, so speed and good kicking skills are required. 14. Right wing and 11. Left wing - The wings act as "finishers" on movements by scoring tries. They are often the quickest members of the team and need to be able to juke and side step to finish off scoring situations. They must also be good tacklers, if the other team gets past them a big gain or a try is on the cards. 13. Outside centre and 12. Inside centre – Centers are usually divided into outside centre and inside centre. The outside is typically the lighter, more agile of the two centers. When given the ball, they make breaks through the opposition backs before offloading to the wingers after drawing the last line of defense. The inside centre tends to be the larger of the two centers. In defense or attack, the inside centre always draws the opposition's defense, making the breaks to make the space for the outside centre and dishing out the tackles in defense along with the forwards. 10. Fly-half - The fly half is the person who makes key decisions during a game such as whether to kick for space move the ball wide or run with the ball. They should be a fast and deceptive runner, be able to make the right decisions and quickly, direct the backline on defense and attack, be able to kick with both feet, have brilliant handling skills, and operate well under pressure. 9. Scrum-half - Scrum halves form the all-important link between the forwards and the backs. They are normally relatively small and are often the first tacklers in defense and are behind every scrum to get the ball out and maintain movement. They put the ball into the scrum and collect it afterwards; they also are allowed to stand further forward than other backs at a line-out to try to catch knock downs from the jumper. 1. Loosehead prop and 3. Tighthead prop - The role of both the props is to support the hooker in the scrum and to provide effective, dynamic support for the jumpers in the lineout. Props provide the main power in the push forward in the scrum, and it is for this reason that they need to be exceptionally strong. 2. Hooker - The hooker uses their feet to 'hook' the ball in the scrum. They also normally throw the ball in at line-outs, partly because they are normally the shortest of the forwards, but more usually because they are the most skillful of the forwards. Hookers have more in common with back row forwards than props or locks as they have a roving role at line-outs and do not push as much in the scrum as other front row forwards. 4. and 5. Locks - Locks are almost always the tallest players on the team and so are the primary targets at line-outs. At line-outs, locks must jump aggressively to catch the ball and get it to the scrum half or at least get the first touch so that the ball comes down on their own side. They also stick their heads between the two props and the hooker in the scrums. They are also responsible for keeping the scrum square and provide the power to shift it forward.
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6. Blindside flanker and 7. Openside flanker - They are the players with the fewest set responsibilities and are always involved in the game as they are the real ball winners in broken play. Flankers are also involved in the scrum but do less pushing in the than the tight five. They need to be fast as their task is to break quickly and cover the opposing half-backs if the opponents win the scrum. 8. Number eight - The number eight packs down at the rear of the scrum, controlling the movement and feeding the ball to the scrum-half. The number 8 is the position where the ball enters the backline from the scrum and hence both fly half and inside centre take their role from the number 8 who as the hindmost player in the scrum can choose to pick and run with the ball like a back. They can also be used as an option to win the ball from the back of the lineout. Like flankers they do less of the pushing than locks or props, but need to be quick to cover opposition half-backs. A number eight should be a key ball winner in broken play. The first 8 players are collectively known as the forwards while the other 7 are called the backs.
Scrum
A scrum is a way of restarting the game after an accidental infringement and is formed by the forwards binding together in three rows. The scrum then 'engages' with the opposition team so that their 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 between the two sets of front rows. Both teams may then try to compete for the ball by trying to hook the ball backwards with their feet.
A scrum (Picture from www.orgs.bucknell.edu)
Line-out
A line-out occurs when a player puts the ball out of the field of play. The opposing team is then awarded a line-out. An exception is that if the ball is kicked into touch from a penalty kick, the team that was awarded the penalty gets the line-out.
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A typical line-out (Picture from www.herefordrfc.co.uk)
Restart kicks
At the start of each half, one side kicks off. One side, determined following the toss of a coin, takes a drop kick from the middle of the centre line to start the first half. The ball must travel at least 10 meters into the opposition half. The other team kicks off the second half. Similarly, there is also a 22 meter drop-out. This is awarded if the attacking side is responsible for sending the ball into the in-goal area, but instead of their player grounding the ball and scoring a try it is first grounded by a defender. If the ball is kicked into the in-goal area by the attackers and instead of being grounded there by either side it continues, under its own momentum, through the in-goal area and crosses the dead-ball line, then the defenders have the option of choosing either a 22 drop out or a scrum at the place where the attackers kicked the ball. The 22 meter drop out is taken at any point along (or behind) the 22 meter line.
Goal scoring
The aim of rugby union is to score more points than the opposition. Teams score in several ways: Touching the ground over the opponents' goal line with the ball using the hand, hands, arm or arms. Also by pressing the ball down (with controlled downward pressure) with any point on the body from the waist to the neck, over the opponents' goal line which includes the base of the posts. Doing either of these results in a try, worth 5 points. A penalty try can be awarded if, following any infringement of the laws, in the judgment of the referee a try would have been scored had the infringement not occurred. After scoring a try, the scoring team attempts a conversion: a player takes a kick at goal in line with where the touch-down occurred. Scoring the goal earns 2 points. Kicking the ball above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goal posts. This may either occur from a penalty kick or kicked from the hand during play. In 7
the latter case, the ball must strike the ground before being kicked (a drop goal). Both types of goal score 3 points.
Tackle
A player may tackle an opposing player who has the ball by holding him while bringing him to ground. If a ball carrier is held by an opposition player but still has forward momentum he may continue to slide over the goal-line and score a try. One knee touching the ground, or the ball touching the ground, is sufficient for a ball carrier to be deemed to be grounded. A tackled player must release the ball, either by passing to a team mate or placing it on the ground and the tackler must release him and move away, allowing the ball to become available. If the ball-carrier is not brought to ground, then it is not a tackle and a maul may form. Players often deliberately go to ground rather than allow a maul to form. The tackler however, cannot tackle above the shoulder (the neck and head are out of bounds), and the tackler has to attempt to wrap his arms around the player being tackled to complete the tackle. It is illegal to trip a player using feet or legs, but hands may be used. References www.wikipedia.com www.uidaho.edu
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