How to Play Rugby

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  • How To Play Rugby

    • Whether it's rugby league or rugby union, people love to play the game of rugby. Extremely popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, and other parts of the world, it is gaining fans in the United States. Learn the positions and rules before you step foot on the rugby field.

  • How To Play Rugby Tips

    1. There are two main types of rugby rules: union and league.
    2. Players are expected to play offense and defense.
    3. There is no substitution of players unless for injury and during halftime.
    4. You may kick, throw, or pass the ball to any player.
    5. You can only pass or throw the ball backwards from your goal or sideways from the beginning placement of the ball.

  • How To Play Rugby Tips

    1. There are two main types of rugby rules: union and league.
    2. Players are expected to play offense and defense.
    3. There is no substitution of players unless for injury and during halftime.
    4. You may kick, throw, or pass the ball to any player.
    5. You can only pass or throw the ball backwards from your goal or sideways from the beginning placement of the ball.

  • How To Play Rugby

    • Whether it's rugby league or rugby union, people love to play the game of rugby. Extremely popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, and other parts of the world, it is gaining fans in the United States. Learn the positions and rules before you step foot on the rugby field.

  • Introduction

  • Step 1: Equipment and Playing Field

    • Just like most games, rugby can be broken down into equipment and players. For the purpose of simplifying the game, Rugby Union will be discussed in detail, with an additional section to show the differences between Rugby Union and Rugby League. In order to play the game, you will need:
    1. A playing field or pitch 100 meters (110 yards) long OMBAC.org: Rules of Rugby: Field
    2. At each end of the field there is a scoring zone known as the try zone. UW-P Men's Rugby: How To Play
    3. Goalposts sized like American football goalposts but shaped like an H OMBAC.org: Rules of Rugby: Field
    4. A rugby football OMBAC.org: Rules of Rugby: The Rugby Ball

  • Step 2: Positions and Players

    1. Loosehead Prop: The Loosehead Prop uses his shoulder to steer the scrum, a huddle-like formation that team members make at the beginning of each play. RugbyCoach.com:Loosehead Prop PlanetRugby.com: Law 20 -Scrum
    2. Hooker: One of the strongest players in the scrum.RugbyCoach.com: Hooker
    3. Tighthead Prop: The anchor that leads the offensive against the other team. RugbyCoach.com:Prop
    4. Two Second Row Players: Agile and powerful players that can move the ball quickly down the field.RugbyCoach.com:Second Row
    5. Blindside Flanker: The back row that works together to provide defense or offense.RugbyCoach.com: Blind Side Flanker
    6. Openside Flanker: Working with the back row, the Openside Flanker does the most tackling during offensive plays.RugbyCoach.com: Openside Flanker
    7. Number 8: The powerful player in the scrum that had the speed and strength to break the line of defense.RugbyCoach.com: Number Eight
    8. Scrum Half: This player passes the ball between forwards and backs.RugbyCoach.com: Scrum Half
    9. Fly Half: This player acts as the leader of the back half and calls the passes and plays.RugbyCoach.com: Fly Half
    10. One Left Wing and One Right wing: In addition to trying to keep the ball in play, wings kick balls toward the goal.RugbyCoach.com: Wing
    11. One Inside Centre and one Outside Center: The players responsible for setting the plays in motion.RugbyCoach.com: Center
    12. Fullback: Capable of being all positions, this player acts and an extra alternate player for all positions.RugbyCoach.com: Fullback

  • Step 3: Scoring

    • The object of the game is to score points by getting the rugby football into the opposing team's scoring zone. This can be done many ways.
    1. Try (5 Points) A try results in a score when the ball and player pass the try line and puts downward force on the ball to make it touch the ground in direct view of the referee. However, the player can contest the score by making a rectangle with their hands, signaling that the referee look at a video replay of the play. Creek Rugby.com: Scoring
    2. Conversion (2 Points) Following a try, the team that just scored is allowed to kick the rugby football through the goal posts at any spot at 10 meters from where the ball was touched down. Points are awarded if the ball makes it through the goal posts. OMBAC.org: Rules of Rugby: Scoring
    3. Penalty (3 Points) If a major penalty is called, the captain of the rugby team has the choice to "take the points" and have his kicker make an attempt at the place where the foul happened or on a straight line behind that point. Making it through the goal posts equates to points scored. Creek Rugby.com: Scoring
    4. Drop Goal (3 Points) At any given moment during regulation play, a player can attempt to drop kick the ball through the goal posts. If it fails, the ball can be recovered by the opposing team; however, it can be an easy way to get points if the defense proves exceptionally hard. Creek Rugby.com: Scoring

  • Step 4: Basic Rules

    1. The game is made up of two 40 minute halves. All players are expected to play offense and defense. There is either a five or ten minute halftime when players are allowed to switch out and in.UMaine.edu: Basic Rugby Rules
    2. Kicking the ball starts the game. It must go at least 10 meters. The defense must be behind the kicker when the ball is kicked.Liverpool Guild of Students: University of Liverpool Rugby League
    3. The ball can then be passed, kicked or thrown to other players.Rugby-Sidestem-Central.com: Basic Rugby Rules
    4. Although the ball can be kicked forward, the ball must be passed opposite or sideways to the direction of the goal. If moved forward, a scrum is called for.Realbuzz.com: The Rules of Rugby Union
    5. You can tackle players, but it must be below the shoulders.Rugby Union at RPI: Rugby Rules

  • Step 5: Differences Between Rugby League and Rugby Union

    1. The rugby union ball is a slightly different shape from a Rugby league ball. Malaysia Rugby Union: The Origin of the Rugby Ball BBC.co.uk: rugby league ball The Basics of Rugby League

  • Scoring Differences

    • Rugby Union London Business School: Rugby FAQ
      1. Points for a try: 5
      2. Points for a conversion (kick through goal after a try has been scored): 2
      3. Points for a field goal (kick though goal during play): 3
      4. Points for a penalty kick (through goals after a penalty has been awarded): 3
    • Rugby League London Business School: Rugby FAQ
      1. Points for a try: 4
      2. Points for a conversion (kick through goal after a try has been scored): 2
      3. Points for a field goal (kick though goal during play): 1
      4. Points for a penalty kick (through goals after a penalty has been awarded): 2

  • Tackling and Game Play

    • Rugby Union
      1. There is no limit to tackles, and the ball will only change sides if the offense drops it or if the ball goes out of play for rugby union.Nationmaster.com: Rugby Football
    • Rugby League
      1. Each team has six tries to score a goal and the ball is turned over if a try isnt scored. A tackled player can "play the ball" by rolling it under his legs to stop the play, where as in union the play is continuous.Nationmaster.com: Rugby Football

  • Conclusion

    • Now that you have the basics, pick which game you like better (league or union) and 13 or 15 of your closest friends. Some people switch the lineup by taking out some positions and adding more of one position, so there is no set correct position for everyone. While it has structure, rugby is open to the players best knowledge and strategy to win the game. Get ready to roll around in the mud and get dirty, but be assured that you will get a good workout as well. Rugby has been played in colleges and universities all over the world: isn't it time that you got hooked on the game?

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