The Va. Beach Falcons Rugby 101
Tuesday, December 9th, 2008To the uninitiated, a rugby game looks like semi-organized mayhem. Bodies crash, the ball is kicked and passed in ways that seem mysterious or even illegal to football fans, and plays with unfamiliar names like 'ruck', 'maul', and 'scrum' continuously form and break up without rhyme or reason. There's no question that it looks rough out there on the field, yet the injury rate in rugby is about the same as in basketball. There are plenty of rules - yet you need only know some basic ones to understand the fundamentals of the game. This guide should explain enough about rugby to help when watching a match.
RUGBY VS FOOTBALL
One easy way to understand some of the basics of rugby is to be aware of three major differences between rugby and football:
· In rugby, the ball cannot be passed forward, - rather, the ball moves laterally from player to player. There is no quarterback in rugby that passes the ball downfield to a receiver - every player on the field is eligible to run with the ball and can pass laterally to any teammate, who then continues downfield.
· There is no blocking in rugby. No player can shield or protect the ball carrier, and only the player with the ball can be tackled.
· Play in rugby is continuous. The game does not stop when the ball hits the ground or the player with the ball is tackled.
THE TEAM
Each team consists of fifteen players: The forwards (8) tend to be the larger, stronger players on the team. The backs (6) are the smaller, faster players. The scrumhalf is the link between the forwards and the backs; once the forwards gain possession of the ball, it is the scrumhalf's job to pass the ball to the backs.
SCORING
Try: Similar to a touchdown, except that the ball carrier must not only get the ball into the opponent's try zone (end zone), they must then touch the ball to the ground. The ball must be placed on the ground in a controlled manner. (5 points)
Conversion: After a try, the scoring team attempts to place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball through the opponent's uprights and above the crossbar. Unlike football, this kick does not originate from the center of the field. The location of the kick is based on where the ball touched the ground in the 'end zone.' (2 points)
Drop goal: At almost any time during the game, and from any point on the field, any player can attempt to drop-kick the ball through the opponent's uprights and above the crossbar. To drop-kick, the kicker drops the ball on the ground and kicks it on the first bounce. (3 points)
Penalty kick: After certain penalties, the team that did not incur the penalty can choose to try for a penalty goal. The kicker either drop-kicks or place kicks from the point where the penalty occurred. Again, the ball must pass between the uprights and over the crossbar of the opponent's goal. (3 points)
TACKLING: RUCKS and MAULS
Once the ball carrier is tackled and on the ground, they must immediately release the ball and make an effort to get away from it. The ball then becomes fair game for either team, just as it is in football when someone fumbles. But rather than scramble madly after the loose ball, the players must try to win possession by pushing the other team away from the ball.
The mass of shoving bodies that forms around the ball is known as a ruck - During a ruck, players cannot reach down and pick the ball up off the ground. Like horses pawing at the turf, the players must use their feet to move the ball back to their own scrumhalf.
Sometimes the ball carrier manages to stay on their feet after being stopped by an opponent. In this case, both teams again try to gain possession of the ball. The ball carrier's teammates will try to protect the ball and get it to their own scrumhalf, while the opposing team tries to wrestle the ball away from the ball carrier. This formation is known a maul - it differs from a ruck in that the ball is up off the ground, and players can use their hands in trying to win possession of the ball.
RESTARTING PLAY: SCRUMS and LINEOUTS
Occasionally a player will break one of the myriad of rules that govern the game: they may accidentally pass the ball forward, or forget to release the ball when tackled, or get caught with their hands in the ruck. In these cases play is re-started with a scrum, which is formed by the forwards from each team. Each set of forwards binds together into the scrum formation. When the opposing scrums come together, squat down and lock shoulders, the whole formation resembles a 32-legged spider maneuvering for position. The scrumhalf from the team that did not incur the penalty then puts the ball into the middle of the tunnel formed between the opposing front rows. While the opposing scrums shove against each other, the hooker from each team tries to hook the ball back with their foot through the legs of their own scrum, and the scrumhalf from the team that wins the ball then picks it up and passes it to the backs.
If a player from one team kicks or carries the ball into touch (out-of-bounds), the other team then gets to throw the ball into a lineout (like a throw-in in soccer).