Rugby 101

By: Lisa Gartner

[Adapted by Danielle St.Onge]

First Check Out These Instructional Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQyCcageGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvGMDEOOp8k

Chapter 1 – History of the Game

     Rugby is a sport, a passion, an addiction. Rugby is a unique sport:  There is NOTHING like it.

     Some sports historians put forth the theory that in the olden days it was considered amusement for one town to try and carry a somewhat startled young pig to another town's village square. They would employ various methods of dodging, dashing, passing, or just plowing through en masse to achieve this. These primitive contests became refined over time and emerged as rugby, soccer, football, etc.

     There is also the legend of William Webb Ellis, “who with a fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time, first took the ball in his hands and ran with it, the originating the distinctive feature of the rugby game; 1823.”

     But wherever it came from, today's rugby is, at its best, a blend of strategy, strength, skill, speed, and instinct. The object is to, by carrying, passing, and kicking the ball, score more points than the other team. Simple enough . . .

Chapter 2 - The Pitch, Your Kit, and Other Prerequisites

     We play on a PITCH. It looks like a field , it is a field, but we call it a pitch. It is neatly lined, grassy, and utterly beautiful. All of the markings will someday make sense, but for now one important thing to store in your memory banks is that the lines are included in what is beyond them (i.e. the touchline is “in-touch” or out of bounds, and the goal line is in-goal).

     Your rugby KIT is what you wear on the pitch. It consists of a sturdy rugby jersey, a pair of rugby shorts, matching socks and cleats. Add in some optional accessories:  athletic tape, headgear, and a mouthguard, and you’re all set! Remember to leave the jewelry at home: rings, earrings, necklaces, are known to be lost in pockets and on the field.

     You'll also need a ball - a rugby ball, that is. It looks like a fat football with more rounded ends.

     Add one referee, two line judges, 15 of you, and 15 of them, and you're ready for a rugby match. Oh yeah, there are a few laws to learn . . .

Chapter 3 - STARTING the game

     Teams often line up on the 50 m line for cleat inspection and salutations, but the action begins with a kick-off. This is taken at center field. The game is divided into two halves, each 40 minutes long with extra time added for stoppage.

     Anyone may play the ball. You may run with it, pass it, kick it, provided that you are ONSIDE. If you are BEHIND THE BALL you are ONSIDE. If you are in FRONT of it you are OFFSIDE. You won't be in trouble if you're 50 meters away tying your shoe, but if you influence the play in any way from an offside position this is a penalty. The concept of offside explains a lot about game. For example: we CANNOT pass forward because that would mean that the receiver would be in front of us and thus, offside. Kicking forward is permissible (and desirable), but unless you are behind the kicker, she or someone behind her passes you, or you ARE the kicker, you cannot just go for the ball. In fact, if you are offside and within 10 meters of an opponent fielding a kick you MUST RETREAT beyond that 10 and only go ahead in your pursuit of the ball after she has moved 5 meters, passed, kicked, or dropped the ball.

    You also may NOT BLOCK in rugby. To do so, you would need to be in front of the ball!  And we know what that means!

    Now that you have some rules down, on to your position.

Chapter 4 – Positions

     While everyone on the field must be prepared to use a variety of skill and perform a variety of tasks, specific positions do demand some specialization.

THE FORWARDS:

    It is their responsibility to scramble, chase, heave and ho in effort to maintain or steal possession of the ball and then take it forward or present it very nicely to the backs to do something with. They are then expected to remain in support of whoever carries the ball. They are also referred to as the pack or the scrum.

    A SCRUM is also the name of the formal conglomeration of forwards who bind together in specific positions.  Scrums are the method of restarting play after minor infractions or when the ball becomes tied up.  It is a face-off of sorts and a favorite among forwards.  It is a test of strength and technique.  A birds-eye diagram might make things more clear:

1: Loose Head Prop

2: Hooker 

3: Tight Head Prop 

4,5: Second Rows (Locks) 

6,7: Wing Forwards (Flankers)

8: Number Eight

9: Scrumhalf: technically not a forward, but the link between forwards and backs

     The scrumhalf puts the ball straight into the space between the two front rows (the tunnel). By combining a DRIVING PUSH and a quick foot strike by the hooker, each team attempts to win the ball. It is then channeled back to the #8 who lets it out to the scrumhalf (who has moved to the back) or breaks off and picks it up. The team who gets to put the ball in has the advantages of timing and having their hooker closer to the put-in point (always to the left of the team putting in). By driving forward we not only win the ball, but give momentum to any subsequent offensive moves after the ball is out.

     More spontaneous versions of this type of formation are the RUCKS and MAULS which can occur at any time. A ruck is when at least one player from each team binds over the ball when it is ON THE GROUND. A maul is when at least one player from each team binds around a player STANDING WITH THE BALL in her possession - (remember, a maul is tall). The essential aspect is to position yourself low and drive FORWARD when engaged in these odd sounding activities. Another essential to keep in mind is that when there are people bound over the BALL ON THE GROUND (a scrum or ruck) there are NO HANDS ALLOWED! You may not touch the ball with your hands until it is clearly in daylight. Rucks and mauls basically give everyone a chance to collect themselves and rally together for the next play. Once a ruck or maul forms, players not participating (by being fully bound - with at least one whole arm) MUST REMAIN BEHIND THE LAST PERSON'S FOOT. This gives players not involved some time and space in which to set up and look for defensive holes. A really great team will be able to do this so quickly that their opponents will be caught off guard.

THE BACKS:

     Although required to ruck and maul when necessary, tackle and do whatever to advance the ball, the backs play in a lot less traffic than the forwards. After the forwards have won them the ball, they are expected to run, pass, kick, and score tries. A typical line up looks like this:

  9: Scrumhalf

10: Flyhalf

11: Wing

12: Inside Center 

13: Outside Center 

14: Wing 

15: Fullback

     The back line puts its strength on the open side of the field (STRONG SIDE). The other side is, in turn, referred to as the WEAK SIDE. The wings remain on the same side of the field and thus play both weak and strong. If the ball is in the middle the backs can then split.

     Once in possession of the ball, the backs have many options. They might quickly pass it out to the wing, who has fewer obstacles. The ball might be kicked in various ways and pursued. One of the ways to extending the back line is by LOOPING, which is when an inside player (often after passing the ball out) sprints behind the line bursting through to receive it again somewhere. The backs may SKIP a player along the line in order to get it our quickly or ADD an extra player like the fullback who might come crashing through. You can catch everyone off-guard by changing the direction of movement by REVERSE passing back to the person you got it from, CUTTING back against the grain or SWITCHING with another player. A switch happens when instead of passing to the person outside you, she suddenly cuts back behind you to receive a handoff as you angle a bit. You can also DUMMY the defense by faking a move to a teammate and keeping it yourself. When running downfield, backs want to run STRAIGHT to leave room for outside players to make their plays. 

     The basic idea of DEFENSE is to come at them hard in a FLAT line. The faster you can come up together, the less time they have to think. You must come up as a unit or a good team will take advantage of the holes created.

Chapter 5 - Necessary Rugby Skills

     Backs and forwards alike need to develop certain rugby-specific abilities. These skills are the foundation of all play.

     Starting with the PASS. You already know that you can't pass forward. Lateral passing is OK, but can be a close call. All the remains is the pass BACKWARDS. This explains the diagonal line-up of the backs. Technique may vary, but the important concept is CATCHABILITY. Using both hands, the ball is passed in an underhand fashion and should arrive in the receiver's hands upright and somewhat steady. You should lead the receiver so that she is BURSTING on to it and gaining yardage even though she starts behind you. Waist high is ideal. The distance between passer and receiver varies depending on how skilled they are, the particular play, and the weather. The receiver stays at an angle sufficiently deep to receive the ball running at top speed. The passer should always turn her body toward the receiver. 

     KICKING is another name of this game. It opens up a world of options to you - so we'll briefly explain the range of kicks The POP KICK is used most frequently. It is a short up-in-the air kick that you can field yourself. If there is no one to pass to, you can just pop it over your opponent and run onto it. You've got the momentum and they'll have to turn around to chase it and you, since they cannot touch you if you don’t have the ball.

The GRUBBER is kicked along the ground and pursued. Because of the shape of the ball, the grub kick will take a few hops, making it hard to handle. All kicking should be done STRATEGICALLY and not in a panic. It is important to place kicks in a spot where your team can regain possession.

     Longer kicks may be used too, where the ball is kicked to a part of the field that your teammates can get to first. The ball may also be PUNTED INTO TOUCH (out-of-bounds) for long yardage. If you are BEHIND YOUR OWN 22 METER line and kick it directly to touch on a fly, the ball is brought back in at THE POINT THAT IT CROSSES THE LINE. Thus a long kick for touch can get you a long distance from your own goal line. This is also true when you have been awarded a penalty kick anywhere on the field. However, if you kick it directly out when you are AHEAD OF YOUR 22, the ball comes back in from the POINT IT WAS KICKED - meaning no yardage gained. You can dribble the ball or give it a good whack with your foot anytime its loose on the ground, but possession is 9/10th of the law in rugby. It's always best to secure the ball for your side.

You've got to TACKLE. When you do, your opponent has no choice but to release the ball, leaving it fair game for either side. Tackling well and decisively is key. You should hit them low, squeeze their legs together, and twist them so you land on top. The technical definition of a tackle is when a player is held by an opposing player and at least one knee is touching the ground (falling down unassisted doesn't count). Remember, if you are tackled you MUST release the ball or it is a PENALTY. You may pick up the ball immediately upon gaining your feet. You are allowed a split second to place the ball to your team's advantage when tackled.

Chapter 6 - Scoring

     The main objective of the game is a TRY. It has similarities to a touchdown (in football), but with a significant difference. A try is accomplished by bringing the ball into your opponent's in-goal and TOUCHING IT TO THE GROUND. Control, downward pressure, and simultaneous hand/ball/ground contact are essential. A try is worth 5 points. The priority is to get the ball over and down, but if possible, you want to place it near the middle. The reason for this is that after a try, you have a chance to make it 7 points by kicking the ball through the posts (uprights). This is called a CONVERSION. The kick is made from any distance back, but in line with where the ball was touched down. It is far easier for a kicker to make a conversion when she is in front of the posts as opposed to at an angle. The kicker may use a PLACE KICK or DROP KICK (a drop kick is where she drops it first and kicks it on the rebound).

     The game starts up again with a kick off (a drop-kick) to the TEAM WHO HAS JUST SCORED. In either case its back to the 50 meter line a quickly as the kicking team can collect itself. There is no official game stoppage.

     The other way to score is by PENALTY KICK (kicking a field goal). This is worth 3 points. It is made when a penalty is called within the range of your team's best kicker. It may be place kicked or drop kicked from the point where the penalty was awarded (the MARK). Also, a spontaneous drop kick may be put through the posts during play for points.

     If a team should touch the ball down in its OWN in-goal, two things can happen. If your team is responsible for bringing the ball in, a scrum, 5 meters back from the try line will be awarded to the other team. If the ball traveled into the in-goal by the other team, your team will be awarded a 22 meter DROP OUT. A drop out means that your team may drop-kick the ball from any point behind the 22 meter line. The other team must RETREAT IMMEDIATELY to the other side of the 22.

Chapter 7 - A Few More Laws

     If the ball is kicked, carried, or otherwise taken into touch, its re-entry onto the field is by way of a LINE OUT . A line out is a little like a jump ball in basketball. Two columns of forwards (one column per team) line up 5 meters in from the touch line and perpendicular to it. A player from the team who DIDN'T touch it last before it went onto touch gets to throw the ball down the tunnel. It must be thrown STRAIGHT between the columns, and at least 5 meters. Teams use signals to let their players know where the thrower intends to throw it. Certain players in the line out are designated as JUMPERS. The rest support and protect them in a variety of ways. The line out can extend out to 15 meters. During a line out the backs line up in much the same way as during a scrum, with one notable exception- In a scrum they must only remain behind the last person's foot. In a line out they, along with anyone not participating directly, must remain 10 METERS back until the line out is completely over. Going closer than 10 meters from the line out will result in a penalty. There are a variety of line outs- short line outs, quick line outs, and plays off line outs that will vary by team.

     Now onto a little more about PENALTIES. For minor infractions, a scrum down will result. A forward pass is an example. The KNOCK ON- when the ball is dropped or fumbled forward and hit with any part of your body besides the foot or leg, is another. The scrum is awarded to the non-offending team. A scrum may also be called when a ruck or maul goes too long without the ball coming out or if the sir judges it to be dangerous.

Learning the signals a sir uses to indicate what they have called may be beneficial. After the whistle the sir will usually give the MARK with their foot and indicate, with their arm angled DOWN toward one team or the other, indicating who gets to put the ball in. The hookers then line up at the mark and the rest of the pack comes in around them.

     A FREE KICK is awarded for slightly less serious infractions than a penalty kick (hooker striking too early for the ball, for instance). The difference is that you are not allowed kick for points. The referee indicates a free kick by extending a bent arm toward the team who gets to take it.

     For a PENALTY KICK, the referee extends their arm UPWARD toward the team to whom the kick is awarded. A penalty kick is given for obstruction, offsides, hands in a ruck, play deemed dangerous by the referee, or any number of things that are deemed more serious. A penalty kick is awarded at the place the infraction occurs. A mark will be given and that is the point at which the kick MUST be taken. To execute a penalty kick you must move the ball visibly through the mark with your foot. This could mean anything from a short tap (after which it may be picked up and moved in any legal way) to a long punt (the space directly above the mark counts as the mark). The opposition must RETREAT 10 meters immediately when a penalty kick is awarded. If you ever hear your teammates saying “get back 10" it is probable that the other team has just been awarded a penalty kick.