Rugby Guide

Written by: Author Unknown
(courtesy of Fairbank Sundawgs)
Modified by: Heidi Willoughby

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - The general principles of rugby union matches:
Forward passes are not allowed. Dropping the ball forward is also prohibited and is called a knock-on.
The ball can only be advanced by running or kicking the ball forward.
No blocking, normally all supporting players must stay behind the ball carrier.
Every player on the pitch is eligible and responsible for advancing the ball.
A tackled runner must immediately release the ball, the tackler must immediately release the runner.
Play is continuous, all stoppage of play must be immediately restarted (unless there is an injury).
A scrum restarts play after a forward pass or knock-on, a scrum can also be awarded in other situations.
A lineout restarts play after the ball travels out to touch (out of bounds).
A Try is awarded when the ball is carried or kicked across the goal line and touched down to the ground. A try is worth 5 points
2 points is awarded for a successful conversion kick after a try.
3 points is awarded for a successful penalty or drop goal kick.
After points are scored, the ball is kicked back to the scoring team (except in sevens).
The game is governed by laws not rules, the referee is the sole enforcer of those laws. The best source for reading the current laws is the website.
The game clock is kept by the referee on the pitch and is stopped only for injury. The time spent attending to injuries is added to the end of each half and is called injury time.
Two additional judges are utilized on each touchline to signal when the ball has left the field of play.
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Chapter 2 - The playing field:
The field that rugby is played on is called a pitch. The pitch is expected to be 100 meters long by 69 meters wide. The sidelines are called touchlines and there are two in-goal areas which are expected to be 10 to 22 meters deep with a tryline marking the front and a dead ball line at the back. The goal posts are located on the try line and are 5.6 meters apart with a crossbar set at 3 meters. The height of the posts varys according to the club's wishes.
Other important lines on the pitch include the half way mark at 50 meters. A dashed 10 meter line set each side of the the 50 meter line which is used to judge kicks and a solid 22 meter line marked 22 meters from each tryline. Other lines include two dashed lines set at 5 and 15 meters marked parallel to each touchline. These lines are used mostly to identify the zones for lineouts.
Rugby union is played in different variations depending on the number of players on the field for each team. The typical game is played with fifteen players per side and lasts 80 minutes. A "three-on-three basketball" like version is also very popular but is played with seven players per team over two seven minute halves. A less often played version is called tens and is played with ten players per squad.

Teams in a fifteens match will consist of two groups of players, the forwards and the backs. Each position has a specific number and responsibilities during the two 40 minutes halves of a match. The players are as follows:
Forwards
#1 Prop
#2 Hooker
#3 Prop
#4 Lock
#5 Lock
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#6 Flanker
#7 Flanker
#8 Number 8
Backs
#9 Scrumhalf
#10 Flyhalf
#11 Wing
#12 Inside Center
#13 Outside Center
#14 Wing
#15 Fullback
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Chapter 3 - Game start:
A coin toss determines the team which will kickoff first. The kicking team will send their forwards to one side of the pitch at the 50 meter line. The opposing forwards will move in front of their opposites, but spread out behind the 10 meter line in preparation to receive the kick.
The kicker, who can be any member of the squad, will set the ball on the ground and start the match on the referee's whistle most often kicking the ball high and short to the opposing forwards (he can also kick it long and deep or away from the forwards if desired). The kick must travel at least 10 meters and land in bounds. The kicker's forwards will charge down the pitch attempting to catch the ball themselves. If a receiving team's forward successfully catches the ball, he will rush up to advance the ball normally running into a large amount of opposition. His supporting forwards will then often bind around him to prevent him being brought to the ground and losing possession of the ball.
The 2nd half of a match is started exactly the same way except the teams have switched ends of the pitch and the team starting the match kicking now receives the ball.
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Chapter 4 - Rucks and Mauls (Loose Play):
If the ball is held up off the ground, once more than any two players have bound together a maul is formed. If the ball has gone to the ground, then the group of bound players is called a ruck. The very important principle of rucks and mauls is that once they are set, two imaginary offsides lines become present at the back of each team's rucking/mauling players extending from touchline to touchline. Any player running into the zone who is not joining the ruck or maul before the ball leaves is considered offsides and a penalty can be awarded to the other team.

A simple representation of this concept is as follows:

|
| All other attacking players must be here
|
| - - - -imaginary offsides line- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
| Attacking players
| set into a maul/ruck
| Defending players
| bound to stop
| the maul/ruck
| - - - -imaginary offsides line- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
| All other defending players must be here
|
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Chapter 5 - Penalties:
Offsides is the most common penalty during a match. If a penalty is awarded within goal kicking distance of a team's kicker, the team captain may elect to have the kicker take an uncontested place kick at goal for three points from a spot determined by the referee called a mark. If the kick is successful, play is restarted at the 50 meter line with a drop kick back to the scoring team. After an unsuccessful penalty kick, play is usually restarted by a drop kick (a kick executed by allowing the ball to hit the ground before kicking it) to the kick attempting team from the 22 meter line. This restart is called a 22 meter dropout.
Other common penalties include violent play, barging, not releasing the ball, obstruction (blocking) and diving over a collapsed ruck. Other options available to a team awarded a penalty include restarting play by a tap kick through the mark with the opposing team ten meters away or an uncontested kick to touch which is awarded back to the team receiving the penalty award.
For minor infringements such as a foot up in the scrum, a free kick can be awarded. A free kick is just like a penalty kick except it cannot be taken directly at goal and if it goes to touch, the other team is awarded the ball for the lineout.
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Chapter 6 - More on running and trys:
If and when the ball is produced from a ruck or maul without penalty, usually by the scrumhalf, the ball will most often be passed to a forward charging back through the defense or to the flyhalf who has pre-determined a course of action.
The flyhalf is the person normally determining all plays which the backs will run. Once he has received the ball he will then start a run, make a pass to start a play, or kick the ball. All of this must be done very quickly as the opposing backs and forwards will be quickly rushing up to tackle whomever has the ball.
The plays backs run will include a number of different maneuvers and ploys to put the backs into open running space. Common running tactics include switches, dummies, and skips. A switch is where two players will cross paths allowing the ball carrier to pass behind himself to a runner running a different direction. A dummy is a fake pass to another runner freezing or decoying the defender. A dummy switch is a switch where the ball carrier does not pass the ball to the crossing runner. A skip pass is a pass which is thrown past the first immediately available supporting player to runners further past him.

When the ball is being run, a player tackled to the ground must immediately release the ball (the defender tackling the runner must release the runner after the tackle) making it available to both teams. Typically the tackled player will attempt to place the ball closest to his own supporting players. Those supporting players will make a decision to pickup the loose ball or drive over the ball and tackled player to bind together into a new ruck. The defending team will do the same thing in an attempt to push the attacking team backwards. If the ball is picked up and advanced again by either side, a maul can quickly ensue if the advance is checked by the defense and the ball does not go to the ground. Each time a successive ruck or maul is set, it is described as a phase of play.
Once a player makes a break over the tryline, he must touch the ball down to the ground to be awarded the 5 points for the try. If he loses the ball in the end goal, the ball will come out and play restarted with a 22 meter dropout. Often a player will cross the tryline close to one of the touchlines and will turn back towards the posts before touching down. This is done to provide a better angle for the person kicking the conversion points. The kick for extra points must be taken from a mark perpendicular to the spot where the try was touched down. Thus the kicker's job is typically made much easier when the try is awarded centered between the posts.

The conversion kick is a place kick taken immediately after the try. The defending team must retreat to the end goal area but can rush the kick once the kicker makes a move towards the ball to kick it through the uprights.
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Chapter 7 - Tactical kicking:
Most tactical kicks by the flyhalf will be to advance the ball upfield and out to touch. He will take this option most often to clear the ball during heavy pressure. He can also kick the ball forward expecting a fast charging back to recover the ball before the opposition. Any person chasing a kick must have started the chase from behind the kicker or have been previously overtaken by the kicker or someone who was behind the kicker. Thus anyone in front of a kick is offsides until put onsides by the kicker or someone who was behind the kicker.
Another important aspect of tactical kicking is that a kick to touch from behind the 22 meter line is marked at the point the ball left the pitch. A kick taken in front of the 22 meter line must touch the field or a player on the field before going out to touch, otherwise the line-out is awarded at the location of the kick not where it went out. A penalty kick in front of the 22 is allowed to be kicked directly to touch.
Other tactical kicks include a drop goal kick, an up-and-under, and pop kicks. When a team is putting good pressure on the opposing side's tryline, a player can decide to attempt a drop kick at goal for three points. The ball must be dropped and touch the ground before being kicked through the goal posts to be awarded. An up-and-under is a ball, kicked very shallow but very high. The idea is to put the receiving opposition players under incredible pressure by giving your own forwards the time to get underneath the descending ball. A pop kick is best utilized in an open field by a runner who is about to be stopped. As a player cannot be tackled without the ball in hand, a runner can kick the ball just over an on rushing defender allowing the runner to go past untouched hoping to recover his own ball.
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Chapter 8 - Scrums:
Very often a player will lose the ball forward during a tackle or just while running and receiving a pass, thus knocking-on. If the ball is quickly picked up by the other team, the referee will let play continue to allow the recovering team to take advantage of the drop. If no advantage occurs, then the referee will whistle for a scrum to be set at a spot he indicates on the pitch also called a mark. The team that did not lose the ball is awarded the ball for the scrum. A scrum is also awarded anytime a pass is made in which the ball goes forward.

The typical procedure of scrummaging involves each set of front row players binding and the hookers calling for the locks to join the formation. The flankers join on each side of the locks setting their shoulders below a prop's outside buttock. The No. 8 joins at the back between the hips of the two locks. While this is occurring the captain of the forwards can be calling a play while the backs are shouting out code words signalling what play they will be running. The forward pack with the ball feed is then allowed the courtesy of initiating the coming together of the scrum. Upon a prearranged signal between the hooker and scrumhalf, the scrumhalf will roll the ball into the tunnel underneath the two locked together front rows. Each of the hookers will then attempt to push the ball behind him with a sweep of his foot. All of this is occurring while each pack is attempting to push the other backwards driving themselves over the ball.
If the ball is won cleanly, most often the scrumhalf will run to the back of the scrum to retrieve the ball from in front of the No. 8's foot and pass it to the backs, to a breaking loose forward, or make a run or kick of his own. The opposing scrumhalf will follow looking for a chance to snap up any loose ball. Very often, the No. 8 will decide to pick up the ball himself to start a forward's play from the back of the scrum also.
Following is a simple representation of how player's will line up at the start of a scrum awarded on the left side of the pitch:|opposing team formed up here in defense
|
| 9 1 2 3
| 6 4 5 7
| 8
|
| 11 10
| 12
| 13
| 14
|
|
|
| 15

One exciting aspect of scrummaging is the pushover try. A pushover try is scored when a scrum is set close to the attacking tryline. The attacking scrum will keep the ball under the pack driving the defending pack backwards across the tryline. Once the ball has been drug across the tryline, the No. 8 or scrumhalf will touch the ball down for the points while it is still under the scrum.
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Chapter 9 - Lineouts:
A scrum is called a setplay. The other common setplay in rugby is the lineout. After a ball has been kicked or run out to touch (out of bounds), the forwards of each team will line up at the spot indicated by the touch judge as the touch mark. Normally, the hooker of the team being awarded the ball will be the person throwing the ball back into the lineout. The other forwards will lineup at least 5 meters away from him but no further than 15 meters. The opposing team will lineup to match their counterparts. Someone on the team with the throw-in will call a coded signal indicating who the ball will be thrown to and any subsequent play. At the same time the flyhalf should also be calling a play. The hooker will then throw the ball to the intended receiver who has jumped into the air. Most often the throw is to the locks who are jumping in the 2nd and 4th positions in the lineouts supported by the players on either side of them. Once a jumper does jump, these supporting players are allowed to boost him higher into the air and hold him there. Once the ball is secured, most often many of the forwards on both sides of the ball bind together and a maul will ensue until the ball is produced for another phase.
The most typical positioning of attacking players during a lineout on the left side of the pitch is as follows:

opposing team formed up here in defense
|
|2 1 4 3 5 6 8 7
| 9
|
| 10
| 12
|
| 13 | 11 14
|

15
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Chapter 10 - Completion of play:
As previously mentioned, any time lost due to injury will be added to the end of each half. Once the referee observes that injury time has expired, he will whistle the end of the half or match upon the next stoppage of play.
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Chapter 11 - Terminology:
Backs - the group of players normally numbered 9 through 15 who do not participate in scrums and lineouts, except for the scrumhalf .

Binding - the careful method players grip and grasp each other to form a secure scrum, ruck, or maul. This is a critical skill to ensure the safety of players.

Blindside - see weakside

Breakaway - see flanker

Center - either of the the backs wearing No. 12 (inside) or No. 13 (outside). Powerful runners they are the heart of the back running attack and defense. The inside center can also be called the 2nd 5/8th.

Charge Down - the blocking of a kick by an opposition's player.

Chip - see pop kick

Clearing Kick - a kick of the ball to touch which relieves pressure on a side under heavy attack by the opposition.

Conversion Kick - a kick at the posts after the awarding of a try scoring two points if successful. The kick must be attempted directly from a spot perpendicular to the spot where the try was awarded. Usually taken with a place kick, it can be rushed when the kicker makes a move towards the ball. If taken as a drop kick it is uncontested.

Drop Goal - a kick at the posts taken at anytime a side is close to their own try line. If successful it scores three points but the ball must hit the ground before being kicked.
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Eagles - the national team of the United States of America

Feed - the rolling of the ball into the scrum by the scrumhalf. Must be straight down the tunnel.

Fifteens - the name of the most common game of rugby union featureing fifteen total players per side. Each team consists of 8 forwards and 7 backs playing two halves each 40 minutes long.

First 5/8th - see flyhalf

Fixture - another name for a rugby match.

Flanker - either of the two forwards wearing No. 6 or No. 7. Also called wing forwards or breakaways they bind to the scrum outside of the locks just behind the outside hip of the props. They can play always on the same side of the scrum or can specialize on either the weakside or strongside. The players with the fewest set responsibilities, their job is to aggresively pursue the ball, gain possesion, and take off running.

Flyhalf - the back wearing No. 10 who normally recieves the ball from the scrumhalf. Also called the Outhalf, Outside half or 1st 5/8th, he/she will call plays for the backline, pass the ball to other backs, or provide most of the tactical kicks.

Forward Pass - an illegal pass to a player ahead of the ball causing the ball to be awarded to the other team in a scrum.

Forwards - the group of players normally numbered 1 through 8 who bind together into scrums, lineup for lineouts, and commit themselves to most rucks and mauls.

Free Kick - a uncontested kick awarded to a team usually for a minor penalty by the other team. The kick cannot be taken directly at the posts except by a drop goal.

Front Row - the common name for the Prop/Hooker/Prop combination at the front of a scrum.

Fullback - the back wearing No. 15 who normally plays deep behind the backline. In offense the fullback is a dangerous attacking position hitting holes unexpectedly at pace, in defense the fullback has primary responsibility for covering all tactical kicks down field by the opposition.

Grubber - a kick of the ball which cause the ball to bounce and roll along the ground.

Haka - a cultural ceremony display with a chant performed by many Southern Pacific teams as a challenge before a match at the center of the pitch.

Halfback - see scrumhalf

High Ball - a ball kicked very high into the air placing any player attempting to catch it under extreme pressure by on rushing opposition players.

Home Nations - England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland

Hooker - the frontrow forward wearing No. 2. The player is supported on either side in the scrum by props and is required to gain possesion of the ball in the scrum by hooking or blocking the ball with one of his/her feet. The hooker will normally also be the forward throught the ball into the lineout.
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Injury Time - during a half, the clock is stopped by the referee while any injury is attended to. After the normal half's time has expired (eg. 40 minutes) the continued play afterwards equal to the amount of injury stoppage is called injury time.
Inside Center - the back wearing No. 12. See centers

Jumper - a common name for a rugby jersey. Also the name of a player in a lineout, usually at the 2,4, and 6 positions, jumping to chatch or intercept the throw.

Knock On - losing, dropping, or knocking the ball forward from a player's hand resulting in the ball being awarded to the other team in a scrum.

Knock Forward - same as Knock On

League - a version of rugby played normally with 13 players under different laws than Rugby Union. The two codes deviated over professionalism and are usually contentious towards each other.

Leg Up - an offense where a hooker brings his foot into the scrum's tunnel before the ball is fed by the scrumhalf.

Lifting - the act of lifting the lineout jumper into the air in order to more easily catch or intercept the throw.

Lineout - the setplay restarting play after the ball has been taken out or kicked to touch. Both sets of forwards will line up opposite each other with the side with throw calling a play. The throw must be directly down the middle of the two lines.

Lock - either of the two forwards normally wearing No. 4 and No. 5. Typically the largest players on the field, they have primary responsibility for being the power in scrums and securing the ball in lineouts. Due to their size, they are also normally powerful forces in all loose play, rucks, and mauls.

Loosehead - the No. 1 prop in a scrum due to his head being outside the opposition's tighthead prop's shoulders. See prop

Loose Forwards - common names for the flankers and No. 8 in a forward pack.

Mark - a location on the pitch designated by the referee as the location a scrum should come together. Also a word a player will call while catching a kicked ball within his own 22 meter line. If awarded by the referee, that back is awarded a free kick.

Maul - typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball is still being held by a player once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a maul has been set. The primary difference from a ruck is that the ball is not on the ground.

Number 8 - the forward who wears the jersey with the No. 8. This player binds into the scrum normally at the very base between the two locks. His/her responsibility is to initiate attacks by the forwards from scrums or to provide a stable ball from the scrum for the scrumhalf.

Offsides - during rucks, scrums, lineouts, and mauls an imaginary line is present over which any player crossing before the set piece is completed committs a penalty.

Outhalf - see flyhalf.

Outside Half - see Flyhalf
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Outside Center - the back wearing No. 13. see center

Pack - another name for all the forwards usually when they are bound for a scrum

Penalty - any number of infractions or violations which award the other team a kick.

Penalty Kick - an uncontested kick awarded to a team for a major infraction by the other team. The kick can be taken directly at goal and scores 3 points if successful. If the ball is kicked to touch, then the ball is awarded back to the team which kicked the ball out of bounds.

Penalty Try - the awarding of a try due to a flagrant violation by an opposing side that prevents an obvious try from being scored.

Pitch - the field upon which a rugby match is played.

Place Kick - a kick of the ball resting on the ground, placed in an indention in the ground, from a small pile of sand, or from a kicking tee. Place kicks are used to start each half, for penalty kicks at goal, or for conversion kicks after a try has been awarded.

Pop Kick - a short shallow kick usually delivered over the head of an onrushing defender to be quickly retrieved or caught by the kicker or one of his/her supporting players.

Prop - either of the two forwards normally wearing No. 1 (loosehead) or No. 3 (tighthead). Responsibilites are to support the hooker during scrums and 2nd rows during lineouts.

Pushover Try - a try scored by the forward pack as a unit in a scrumdown by pushing the opposition's scrum pack backwards across the tryline while dragging the ball underneath them. Typically scored from a 5 meter scrum, the try is usually awarded when the No. 8 or scrumhalf touch the ball down after it crosses the try line.

Referee - the sole judge and timekeeper of the game.

Restart - the kick restarting play after a half or after points are scored.

Ruck - typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball has been delivered to the ground once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a ruck has been set. The primary difference from a maul is that the ball is on the ground.

Rugby - a football game in which the ball is kicked or carried forward down a field to score points either by touching the ball down beyond a tryline or kicking the ball through posts. The primary rule governing the game is that no pass to a player forward of the ball is allowed. Two codes of rugby are played, Rugby Union and Rugby League. All information at this site concerns Rugby Union. Union is normally played with fifteen players, but versions of the game featuring only seven or ten players is also popular. Football is quite ancient and has existed in most every cultural group through time. The current form of Rugby Football was first developed at Rugby School in England and thus the school provided the name for the sport.

Rugger - another name for a rugby player

Scrum - the formation used in the setplay restarting play after a knock-on or forward pass. The forwards from each side bind together and then the two packs come together to allow the scrumhalf with the feed to deliver the ball to the scrum. A scrum can also be awarded or chosen in different circumstances by the referee.
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Scrumdown - the coming together of the scrum.

Scrumhalf - the back wearing No. 9 who normally feeds the ball into a scrum and retrieves the ball at the base of scrums, rucks, and mauls. Can also be called the halfback.

Scrummaging - the process of setting and completing a scrum

Second 5/8th - see center

Second row - another name for the two locks in a forward pack. see lock

Sendoff - after flagrant, numerous or a malicous foul, the referee can elect to expel a player from the match. The player cannot be replaced causing the side to play one person short. Normally the sent off player is banned for at least one match after the sendoff and depending on the severity of the offense can be banned for more than one match to life.

Take - a well executed catch of a kicked ball.

Tens - a form of rugby union played with only ten total players. Each half typically last only 10 minutes but can be longer. Games are almost always played during tournaments.

Tight Five - a common name for all of the front (props and hooker) and second row (locks) forwards.

Tighthead - the No. 3 prop in a scrum due to his head being between the opposition's hooker and loosehead prop's shoulders. A scrum can also win a tighthead by taking possession of the ball in a scrum fed by the other pack.

Touch, touchline - the out of bounds line that runs on either side of the pitch. The non-contact version of rugby is also commonly called touch.

Touch judge - an official posted on each side of the pitch to mark the spot where balls go out of touch and to judge kicks at goal. The touch judge is also instrumental in pointing out any serious violence infractions not seen by the referee.

Try - a score of 5 points awarded when the ball is carried or kicked across the tryline and touched down to the ground by a player.

Tryline - the goal line extending across the pitch.

Tunnel - the gap between the front rows in a scrum or the gap between the two lines of forwards in a lineout.
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22 Meter Dropout - the kick which restarts play after a missed penalty or drop goal passing the end goal line or touched down by a defending player. The ball is kicked back to the original attacking side.

Union - another name for the most popular form of rugby featuring either 15, 10, or 7 players per side. The local, provincial or national organizing body for rugby competition is also often called a union.

Up and under - a tactical kick which is popped very high and shallow allowing the kicker and supporting players to easily run underneath it for recovery. The kick is intended to put heavy pressure on any opposition player attempting to catch the ball. Also called a Garryowen due to the Irish club which originated the play.

Weakside - from a set piece, ruck or maul, the short side of the field. Also called the blindside.

Wing - see winger

Wing forward - see flanker

Winger - either of the two backs wearing No. 11 or No. 14. Each will normally stay on the same side of the back line they are on throughout the match and are typically expected to be the fastest sprinters in the side. Wingers also have key duties during defense helping the fullback cover kicks and counterattacking.
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