Rugby Rules

The game of Rugby, has had its rules changed and evolved so many times  through out the years that it now is very different from what it started out as  but if you do decide to come out and ever watch a game of Rugby you will be  wondering what the hell is going on…so here are the basics of Rugby.

Rugby is a game played in 2, 40 minute halves, with a 10 minute halftime  break. Each team has 15 players and is allowed 7 substitutes. The positions are  as follows:

* 2 Props

* Hooker

* 2 Lockers

* 2 Flankers

* 8th Man

* Scrum-half

* Fly-half

* 2 Side Wings

* 2 Centers

* Fullback

The field that rugby is played on is called the Pitch. It is a grassy field  70 meters wide by 100 meters long and separated equally into two equal halves by  a white line.

The rules of rugby

Scoring is done in one of 5 ways.

* Try

When a player touches the ball to the ground in the opponents in-goal area  his team is awarded 5     points.

* Penalty Try

A player can attempt a penalty when a player would have scored a Try but was  stopped by an opponents penalty. This is worth 5 points.

* Conversion Goal

Conversion goal is attempted after a team scores a Try, a conversion goal is  worth 2 points.

* Penalty

Whenever a penalty is called the team who the penalty was called on gets to  try for a penalty kick. If the kick is made that team gets 3 points.

* Dropped Goal

A dropped goal is when a players runs the ball back after a drop kick during  the games general play.

General Game Play

Just like in American Football rugby starts off with kick off which is  referred to as a drop kick.

Unlike American football however, their are no downs, no 10 yards to get, the  game is continuous. The play does not stop when the ball hits the ground it is  fair game. passing is allowed but it must either be done laterally or backwards,  forward passing is not allowed. However any player may kick the ball at any  time, and once the ball has been kicked it is up for grabs from either side.  players often use this method to get the ball down field to team mates. Players  may also run the ball until 1 of 2 things happen either they are tackled or they  step out of bounds.

When a player steps out of bounds it is brought back into play by a method  called “line out”, both teams line up 1 meter from each other in parallel lines  and a player from the side that didn’t put the ball out of play throws it in a  straight line between the two teams.

When a player is tackled the other method of bringing the ball back into play  is called “scrum”, this is done by each team forming a tunnel and the ball is  placed in between them, each side must battle for the ball against the other  teams line until a player is able to push the ball backwards with his feet to  his teammates behind him in the “tunnel”. If you’ve been thinking this sounds a  lot like American football, well it is, it was the forerunner to the American  Football’s “line of scrimmage”.

And thats it, the basics of rugby, so go out there and play!!

Taken Directly from [http://www.rugby-rules.rugbyplayers.net]