When a try is scored an opportunity is given to the scoring team to make a conversion kick which is worth 2 points. The other way of gaining extra points for Your team is with penalty kicks, this is awarded when a member of the opposing team breaks a rule or if the play of the game is stopped by more than one member of that team. a Penalty kick is worth 3 Points. The last method of gaining points is with a drop-goal attempt, the ball is played backwards to a back-row player who then attempts to place the ball in between the uprights during ongoing game play, this is also worth 3 points.
You have to touch the ball down to score in rugby. That means after you’ve entered the try zone the ball must be placed on the ground to score. [1] X Research source You can also kick the ball through the uprights during free play (with a drop-kick only) or after the referee awards your team a penalty (place kick) for 3 points.
Dropping or bobbling the ball counts as a forward pass if it hits your hands then hits the ground in front of you. You can, of course, carry the ball forward. However, any passes by the hand cannot be forward.
Players can even kick it to themselves, chipping it over an opponent and running around to pick it up. You cannot kick the ball to a teammate who is already further down the field than you unless you run past them at some point. If a player was behind you at any time after your kick they can touch the ball. If not, they are offside. [2] X Research source
You must tackle someone below shoulder height. You must wrap your hands around the player, not just spear them with your shoulder. You cannot pick up and drop players, especially on their head or neck. Once down, you must return to your feet before trying to win the ball from someone you’ve tackled. [3] X Research source
Stay on your feet. A ruck is when at least two players lock shoulders above the ball and try and push the opponent away from the ball. You cannot reach in to grab the ball or push off the ground with your hands. Enter through the center. For safety reasons, you must enter a ruck straight up and lock in with the other team. You must be perpendicular to the end line, and your body must be straight over the ball. You cannot run into a ruck diagonally or from the side. Stay behind the back foot if not in the ruck. Once a ruck is formed, you must stay behind the back foot of your final teammate until the ball comes out, no matter what team gets it. The entire space of the ruck is a “neutral zone” that no players can enter it. [4] X Research source
In a scrum, one team throws the ball in the center of the two teams and they push and hook each other to try and win the ball. Scrums suck all the biggest players to one area of the field, leaving the other seven players with much more free space. If your team wins it, you’re often off for a big gain. Scrums are perhaps the most dangerous aspect of rugby, and you should not try them without a coach and well-trained, athletic players. [5] X Research source
Teams often use signals and codes to win their own line-outs. Basically, a thrower will signal to their team when they will throw it, and their teammates will hoist a player into the air, out of reach of the other team, to grab the ball quickly.
Forwards/Packies: These are the big guys – the bruisers and muscle-men who power the scrums and win most of your rucks. Forwards generally take short, powerful runs with the ball, pass less, and do the majority of tackling and defense. Generally thicker and stronger. Backs: The runners and speedsters. Backs form a long diagonal line on offense and pass the ball quickly down the line, to the outside of the field, where they can take on a defender 1v1. On defense they form a wall across the field to prevent enemy backs from breaking through. Generally quicker, backs are good kickers, have solid passing skills, and tons of speed/endurance. [6] X Research source
There are a lot of small rules, specific situations, and intricacies to rugby that are impossible to learn without playing or watching. Ask questions of fans and/or the referee when confused, and keep learning each game each time you play.
Start with the ball horizontally in front of you. Place your right hand on the back third of the ball, so your palm faces down and your thumb towards your target. Place your left hand on the bottom left half of the ball, thumb pointing left. Bring the ball to your right side, keeping the point of the ball still roughly pointing at your target. Using your left hand for aim and right for power, bring the ball across your body and towards your target. As your hands are almost extended, curl your right hand back towards you, spinning the ball. Release the ball with both hands simultaneously, rotating your wrist completely over on the follow-through. Both arms should be fully extended and pointed at your target, and your arms should stay low, around belly height. the whole time. [7] X Research source
Set up on the balls of your feet. Make sure you are in a good athletic position for the hit – knees bent, muscles relaxed, on your toes. Keep your head up and aim for their thighs/stomach. Keep your head up to see contact coming and line up the hit. This is a crucial step for safety. Aim to make contact with your shoulder right at their upper thigh. Slide your head next to their butt to keep it safe and drive in with your shoulder. Wrap your arms around their thighs and pull back. Pull their thighs into a deep hug – this causes them to lose balance easily. Drive with your legs to bring them down. Once you’ve got your head in place and your arms wrapped, you want to push with your legs to bring them down.
Get underneath the opponent and push up and out. If you can get your shoulders or head under their chest, you can push them up to throw them off balance, then back to remove them from the ruck. Push teammates from behind to win contested rucks. If it looks like your team needs a boost, push your ruck through like a minor-scrum. Remember, however, that committing more than 2-3 people to a ruck leaves a lot of holes in the defense if you lose. Keep your feet moving through the ruck. To really crush rucks, chop your feet and push forward with every step. Imagine running straight through the player to the other side. This is called “clearing” a ruck, and it opens up a lot of space. If you’re on defense and you can clear a ruck, even if you can’t win the ball immediately, you’ll throw the other team into disarray. [8] X Research source
On defense, you need to be in a horizontal line with your teammates, sliding left and right to close up any holes the opponent might try to push through. Once a teammate makes a tackle, you should either jump in the ruck if it is open or winnable or slide to either side of the teammate to make sure the other team doesn’t exploit the gap while he is down from the tackle, On offense, you need to spread out, forcing the other team to cover many angles. When a teammate is running, make sure you are always behind them and they have 1-2 people in passing range. If they get tackled, they may try a quick pass to you as they go down, leaving you plenty of time to run. [9] X Research source
As long as you can mark out try-zones for each team, any rectangular patch of grass should be fine. Though the dimensions are slightly different, an American football field can fill in for a rugby field in a pinch.
Athletic shoes, preferably with cleats in the bottom. Light, breathable clothing. Mouth guards and/or head protection, if desired. Water.
First row. The first row contains three players: the loose head prop and the tight head prop, who grip the hooker in between them. The role of the hooker is to gain possession of the ball during scrums and usually throw the ball in at line-outs. The role of the loose and tight head props is to support the hooker during scrums, support other players during line-outs and provide strength during rucks and mauls. The props are your two biggest players. Second row. The second row consists of two locks. These are the tallest players in the team and are generally used in line-outs to gain possession of the ball. They drive their shoulders into the props and are the engines of your scrums and rucks. Back row. The back row of forwards consists of three players: two flankers and the eight-man. They clasp onto the two sides and back and control the direction of the scrum, as well as the ball if it squeezes out. Generally these three are your fastest forwards, as they can quickly dart off the scrum when play restarts.
Scrum-half: They start the ball from a ruck or scrum, pulling it out and determining the first player to get the ball. They must be light, small, and have considerable endurance to reach every ruck or scrum first. Most importantly, they need to see the whole field and distribute the ball accordingly. Fly-half: The quarterback for the backs. They run most of the kicking and run plays, like skipping a pass or fake passes, to try and break down the opponent’s defense. Centers: There are two of them, and they are good overall players who can tackle well on defense, run and pass well in the middle, and kick if need be. They get the ball often and challenge the opponent’s back line. Wings: Two wings that stay on each side-line, these are usually the fastest players. Your goal is to get them the ball on the outside, where they can hopefully outrun the opponents wing for massive gains. Fullback: She/he sits 15 meters or so behind the line, ready to get an opponent’s kick, make a last-second tackle, or sprint forward to unexpectedly join the offense and overload a team. Must be versatile, able to kick and catch, and fast.
Common offenses include incorrect tackling, collapsing a scrum or ruck by leaving your feet, holding the ball when on the ground, and entering rucks incorrectly. The team awarded the penalty has several options. They can take a kick or punt, which will allow them to gain field position. They can take a penalty kick at the uprights for a chance at 3 points, or they can take a scrum, all in the location of the penalty.
10-minute light jog. Running is an excellent way to warm up for rigorous physical activity. Begin by walking briskly for 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of light jogging to prepare yourself for running. [11] X Research source Dynamic stretching. Run with high knees, kick your ankle with your heel with each step, do some lunges, jump in place, swing your arms, and skip. These exaggerated, mobile stretches loosen your muscles more effectively than static stretching. Warm up rugby skills. Pass with a partner, take some kicks, and do some light rucking. Get used to rugby specific actions, even tackling at half-speed. Your forwards should do some practice scrums and lineouts, and your backs should get used to passing in a line. Drink water and eat at least 2 hours before playing. Hydration is essential in physical activity. In order to combat the loss of and increased use of water during exercise, it is important to stay well hydrated throughout the day but especially right before activity. The other essential nutrients used and expelled by your body during exercise are salt and potassium, eating lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and sports drinks/food. [12] X Research source
Most rules state that this must be a drop-kick. It needs to go 10-meters before the ball can be played. If you are on the kicking team, you cannot pass the kicker until the ball has left his foot. After your team scores a try, the other team must kick it off to you again. [13] X Research source
