What is Rugby?

Rugby is a sport that started in 1823 when a boy in Rugby, England picked up and ran with the ball in a game of football, or soccer as it is called in the USA. The game developed as more English schools and universities began to play this interesting new sport. In 1871 the English Rugby Union was formed to standardize the rules and regulations of rugby.

A game of rugby, which is called a match is played with 15 players on each side, and is played on a field, called a pitch that is 100m long, and 69m wide. It begins with a kickoff, and the ball is progressed down the field by means of carrying and kicking the ball. The ball cannot be passed forward, only backwards. When the ball carrier is tackled, the ball is placed on the ground, and possession is fought for by means of a ruck. A ruck is where two or more players come together, and engage their heads and arms and try to push the opposing team over the ball, so that their team can gain possession. When a minor infringement of the rules or stoppage of the game occurs, restarting of play is done by means of a scrum. A scrum is where eight players on each side bind together in three rows. The first rows on each side interlock heads and then the scrum half throws the ball into the tunnel (the space between each sideÂ’s scrum). In the case of a severe infringement a penalty kick is awarded. Once the ball has progressed to one end of the field, the team can score what is called a Tri. To score a Tri, the ball must be touched to the ground in the Tri zone. After a Tri has been awarded, there is an opportunity to gain more points by a conversion kick. A Tri is worth five points, and a conversion is worth two points.