Understanding The Game Of Rugby

Brief History and some rules of the game

Ahhhh the exciting game of rugby. The origins of the game of rugby are known across the international globe simply as rugby, and can be traced back over 2000 years. The Romans played a ball game called harpastum, a word derived from the Greek word “seize”, the implication of the name being that somebody actually carried or handled the ball. 

More recently, in medieval England, documents record young men leaving work early to compete for their village or town in games of football. Laws were passed, in Tudor times, forbidding the “devilish pastime” of football, as too many injuries and fatalities seriously depleted the available workforce. The participants of this devilish pastime are recorded thus… “The players are young men from 18-30 or upwards; married as well as single and many veterans who retain a relish for the sport are occasionally seen in the very heat of the conflict…” A description that some might say is as applicable today as it was all of those years ago. 

Take A quick look at some highlights

Shrove Tuesday became the traditional timing for such conflicts. Rules differed from one part of the country to the next, from Derbyshire to Dorset to Scotland, records reveal many regional variations to the game. The games often took place over an ill-defined pitch – the ball being kicked, carried, and driven through town and village streets over fields, hedges, and streams. 

The roots of the modern game of rugby can be traced to a school for young gentlemen in the Midlands of England, which in 1749 finally outgrew its cramped surroundings within the town centre and moved to a new site on the edge of the town of Rugby in Warwickshire. The new Rugby School site had “…every accommodation that could be required for the exercise of young gentlemen.” This eight-acre plot became known as the Close. 

The game of football, which was played on the Close between 1749 and 1823, had very few rules: touchlines were introduced and the ball could be caught and handled, but running with ball in hand was not permitted. Progress forward towards the opposition’s goal was generally made by kicking. Games could last for five days and often included more than 200 boys. For fun, 40 seniors may take on two hundred younger pupils, the seniors having prepared for the event by first sending their boots to the town cobbler to have extra thick soles put on them, beveled at the front to better slice into the shins of the enemy! 

It was during a match on the Close in the autumn of 1823 that the face of the game changed to the one which is recognizable today. A local historian described this historic event as follows: “with a fine disregard for the rules of the game as played in his time, William Webb Ellis first took the ball in his arms and ran with it, thus originating the distinctive feature of the Rugby game.” Ellis had apparently caught the ball and, according to the rules of the day, should have moved backwards giving himself enough room to either punt the ball upfield or to place it for a kick at goal. He would have been protected from the opposing team as they could only advance to the spot where the ball had been caught. In disregarding this rule Ellis had caught the ball and instead of retiring, had run forward, ball in hand towards the opposite goal. A dangerous move and one that would not find its way into the fast-developing rule book until 1841. 

The rules and the fame of the game spread quickly as the Rugby School boys moved onwards and upwards, first to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The first university match was played in 1872. From the universities, the graduating teachers introduced the game to other English, Welsh and Scottish schools, and overseas postings for the Old Rugbeians who had moved through to the army officer class, promoted its growth on the international stage. Scotland played England in the first International game at Raeburn Place, Edinburghin 1871. 

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A Few Rules of The Game

According to legend, rugby was born in 1823 when William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School in England, was playing soccer and picked up the ball and ran with it down the field.

American football, as well as basketball, owes many of its characteristics to rugby. In fact, basketball was invented by James Naismith as an indoor alternative to Rugby when the New England winters required an indoor game. Some of rugby’s characteristics such as quick switches between attack and defense, ball handling and committing defenders to attack space are all found in basketball. Some people liken rugby to tackle basketball on grass.

Today rugby is played in over 100 countries around the world.

Duration 

Standard 15-a-side rugby consists of 40-minute halves and a 10-minute half-time.

Field & Equipment 

Rugby is played on a field approximately 100 meters in length (excluding two try zones) by 70 meters wide. Players wear a pair of boots (cleats) and a mouth guard. Helmets and hard padding are not allowed, but some players opt to wear soft-padded headgear.

Object 

The object of the game is to carry the ball over the opponent's goal line and touch the ball down to the ground to score a try.

Scoring 

There are four ways to score points in a rugby game.

• Try – Grounding the ball on or over an opponent’s goal line is worth 5 points.

• Conversion – A successful kick at goal after scoring a try is worth 2 points. It is taken from a point straight back from where the ball is grounded in the try zone.

• Penalty – A successful kick at goal after a penalty is worth 3 points.

• Drop Goal – A drop kick over the goal during open play is worth 3 points.

• Penalty Try – awarded to a team when the opposing team commits a penalty that prevented a probable try and is worth 7 points

Number of Players 

Standard rugby consists of 15 players on each side, with substitutions limited to 7 additional players. Generally, once a player leaves the game he may not return.

Moving the Ball

1. Running & Passing: In order to move the ball forward in rugby, players may run or kick the ball. The ball may be passed only laterally or backwards. No forward passes allowed. A forward pass is an infringement and may result in a scrum awarded to the other team. Likewise, if a player accidentally drops or knocks the ball forward to the ground—known as a “knock-on”—a scrum may be awarded to the other team.

2. Kicking: The rugby ball may be kicked at any time during a game. Generally, a kicker’s teammates must be behind the ball when it is kicked.

3. Tackling: Rugby is a continuous, full-contact sport. When a tackle is made, play continues. A tackle occurs when the ball carrier is taken to the ground by an opponent. Once a player makes a tackle,                 she must roll away or get to her feet before playing the ball. Once tackled, a ball-carrier must release the ball.

4. Ruck: When a ball carrier is tackled to the ground, a ruck may form when one or more players from each team close in around the ball to contest possession.

5. Maul: A maul forms when the ball carrier is held up by a member of the opposition as well as a member of his own team.

6. Scrum: A scrum is used to restart play after a minor infringement (e.g., knock-on). A scrum consists of 8 of a team’s 15 players, who bind together to face 8 players of the opposition. The ball is thrown into the middle of the scrum, and the players work with their feet to hook the ball to the back of the scrum, making it available again for open play.

7. Lineout: When the ball goes out of bounds, play is restarted with a lineout. Two lines are formed by the opposing teams. The ball is thrown between the lines, and teams may lift players to contest for the ball.

8. Offside: The offside law restricts where players may be on the field, to ensure there is space to attack and defend. In general, a player is offside if that player is ahead of a teammate carrying the ball or who last played the ball. Being in an offside position is not, in itself, an offense. But an offside player may not take part in the game until onside again, at risk of being penalized.

9. Advantage: The advantage law allows the game to be more continuous. If an infringement occurs where stoppage in play would deprive the non-offending team of opportunity to advance the ball, the referee may “play advantage” and allow the non-offending team to play on. If no advantage occurs, the referee may go back and award the penalty, scrum, etc. for the original infringement.

Common Penalties

Forward pass or Knock-on-- If a pass has gone forwards, or a handling error has resulted in a knock-on, the referee may award a scrum to the non-offending team.

Joining a ruck or maul from the side -- When joining a ruck or maul, players must join from behind the last player on their side. Joining from the side may result in award of a penalty to the other team.

Failure to roll away-- Players on the ground when a ruck is formed must immediately roll away from the ball, which allows for continuity of play. Failure to roll away may result in award of a penalty to the other team.

Failure to release player or ball – After a tackle, the tackler must immediately release the ball-carrier, and the ball- carrier must release the ball. Failure to release limits fair contest for possession, and may result in award of a penalty to the non-offending team.

Advantage being played – After an infringement, the referee may play advantage to the benefit of the non-offending team. If no advantage occurs, the referee may go back and award the penalty or scrum for the original infringement.

Penalty Consequences

Penalty Kick: Awarded after a serious infringement of the law. Offenders are required to retreat 10 yards while the opposing team is given the opportunity to restart play unopposed. Teams will often kick the ball upfield and out of bounds to gain field advantage. When they do this, play is restarted as a lineout where the ball goes out of bounds. If in range, they may attempt a kick at the goalposts, worth three points. Finally, they may simply tap the ball with their foot and run with it.

Free Kick: A kick is awarded to the non-offending team for an infringement by its opponent. Unless a Law states otherwise, a free kick awarded of an infringement is awarded at the place of infringement. Also, a free kick may not be kicked at goal for three points.

Sin Bin: On occasion, the referee will send a player behind one of the in-goal areas (the Sin Bin) for serious and/or repeated infringements for a specified period of time. The team is required to play short-handed until the referee permits the player to return. This penalty is fairly rare, but used by the referees to maintain control of the game.

Send-Offs: In extreme cases a referee may send a player off the field for dangerous or reckless play. A player who has been sent off is banned from that game and is not permitted to return or be replaced.

THE END, ENJOY WATCHING A MATCH!

Sources: Historic UK and Websites