Although the team sports of rugby and soccer have a common origin in Great Britain, their current rules of the game have little to do with each other. Rugby, or rugby football, is extremely popular in parts of the British Commonwealth and Southern Hemisphere countries. Rugby is one of the lesser known sports in this country.
History of rugby
According to legend, the game of rugby originated in the city of the same name around 1823. William Webb Ellis’ side were on the brink of defeat, so he grabbed the ball and put it into the opposition’s goal. Hence the Rugby World Cup trophy is after him (the Webb Ellis Cup). However, even before that there were many variants of playing with carrying a ball in your hand. The English football association Football Association (FA), founded in 1863, tried to develop a uniform set of rules from the still diverse football rules, but disputes arose and in 1871 the Rugby Football Union (RFU), a competing association, was founded.
The RFU gradually standardized the rules of rugby school and later that year organized the first international rugby match in Edinburgh between Scotland and England.
In 1895 there was another split within the RFU. The Northern Rugby Union (now Rugby Football League) established its own rugby league rules and allowed the sport to become more professional. The RFU (now Rugby Union) remained true to the amateur sport. Both variants of rugby still exist today and there are international matches between national teams under both regulations. Professional athletes have also been allowed to play rugby union since 1995 and it has been considered the world’s leading variant of rugby ever since. Also in German-speaking countries, the term rugby is usually understood to mean the regulations of rugby union. In mass sport and in schools, the low-contact variant touch rugby dominates, and in top-class sport there is also the variant 7-a-side rugby, which has meanwhile become Olympic.
Content of the game – rugby
Rugby is a team sport with physical effort (“tackling”) and tactical moves. In rugby, an “egg” is thrown instead of a ball, similar to American football. According to the Union rules, two teams of 15 players face each other on the field and try to get the “egg” into the opposing goal. The aim is to score more points than the opposing team. The winner is the team with the most points at the end of the game. A rugby union match lasts 40 minutes twice. Shorter seasons are common in youth games. The break between the two halves is ten minutes long.
The playing field
Rugby pitches may have grass, snow, clay or sand surfaces. There are no precise dimensions, but a playing field must not exceed a maximum length of 100 meters and a maximum width of 70 meters. The so-called in-goal at both ends of the playing field has a maximum length of 22 meters and a minimum length of 10 meters.
The touchline on the side edges of the field and the final line at the back end of the in-goal delimit the field of play. A ball is already out of bounds here.
The center line divides the field in two.
The 10-yard line is 10 yards from the center line.
The 22-yard line is 22 yards from the end of the field and delimits an area at the goal line, also known as “the 22”.
The 5-meter lines are six irregular stripes parallel to the center line, five meters from the ends of the field. To the
The 5-meter touchline is 5 meters from the sides of the field, parallel to the touchlines. There should be no more tackling maneuvers behind.
The rugby goal
The H-shaped rugby goal consists of two vertical goal-posts 5 to 6 meters apart and a crossbar 3 meters above the ground. There is a goal at the end of the field in the middle of the goal line. Padding is usually attached to the lower ends of these goal bars to protect against injury.
The rugby ball
The ball in rugby is not round but has an elliptical shape and is therefore usually known as an “egg”. In the past, rugby balls consisted of four panels of leather sewn together. Modern balls have a rubber surface with small knobs and come in five sizes. Size 5 for adult rugby is the largest at 280-300mm in length and 760-790mm in waist. The weight ranges from 400 to 440 grams.
Sportswear
The helmets and massive protectors of American football are known from the media. There is no such thing in rugby, only wearing a mouth guard is mandatory. The playing attire usually consists of a tight jersey, shorts, knee-high socks and cleated shoes. Some players also use a soft cap to protect their ears or a thin, foam-lined shoulder pad under the jersey.
The Rules of the Game of Rugby
In all variants of rugby, the goal is to get the ball past your opponent, such as passing a striker, to score points. This can be done in a number of ways: the egg can be carried, kicked with your feet, or thrown with your arms. The ball must go through the goal above the crossbar.
When throwing, the ball may only be played backwards. A forward throw, violating this rule, results in an ordered scrum. The scrum is sort of a power meter of the players numbered 1 through 8, who then “push around the ball”. The players stand head to head, crouched with a straight back, and try to push each other away in order to secure the ball.
The ball may be kicked in any direction with the foot without penalty.
The defending team may also pin the player in possession. Holding down and bringing the opponent down are also permitted and provided for in Rugby Rules.
If players in possession touch the ground with more than just the soles of their shoes, the cue ball is released. In this case, the player may not pick up the ball again. If he does, the opposing team gets the ball.
When the player is on the ground, players from either team may push and push others after the ball, but may not use their hands to do so. Hitting and kicking is also strictly forbidden.
Game start and game progress
At the beginning of the game, the kicking team takes a position on the center line. At the kick-off, the defending team stands at the 10-meter line. Since the ball must never be thrown forward, kicking the ball in all directions is allowed, gaining space can only be achieved by running with the ball and kicking the ball. Back passes are mostly oblique in order to achieve a free running position.
Only a ball-carrying player may be attacked, anything else is a violation of the rules. Permitted are clasps and tackles, obstructions below the shoulder line and falling. A player who has been tripped must release the ball and stop grabbing it. All attacks and moves, both defensive and offensive, are always aimed at gaining points.
Typical game elements in rugby are
- arranged (English scrum) and open scrum (English ruck),
- the package (English maul) – one or more players hold or block the ball-carrying opposing player,
- the alley – the throw-in from the sideline (English lineout)
- and the running and passing game of the so-called three-quarter series (English three quarters).
Further technical terms:
- Attempt (English Try): It is possible to put the ball on the ground in the opponent’s in-goal.
- Increase (English conversion): After a successful attempt, the attacking team may kick the stationary ball between the H-shaped goal bars over the crossbar. This may be done from any position on an imaginary line parallel to the touchline, but through the point where the try was made.
- Jump kick (English dropkick): From the running game, a player kicks the ball, which must have previously touched the ground, between the goal bars and over the crossbar.
- Penalty kick (English penalty kick): From a point where a more serious violation of the rules by the opposing team took place, the ball is kicked onto the goal bars and over the crossbar.
Scoring
Rugby’s scoring system is complex and extensive. The most important regulations are:
- Try: Five points are awarded if a team manages to put the ball in the opposing team’s in-goal. The ball can be carried there with the arms or kicked. The condition is that the ball must be touched by hand by one of the attackers after lying down.
- The raise after the try – kicking the rugby ball through the goal – earns the attackers two more points if they succeed.
- A successful raise after a penalty kick earns the attackers three points.
- The penalty attempt occurs when an unfair attack by the opponent thwarts a try. Such a successful penalty attempt results in five points for the attacking team.
- The scrum does not bring any points itself, but can quickly lead to a direct try or other point.
- The jump kick, if successful, can earn the attacking team three points. The egg must have touched the ground beforehand.
Rugby variants
In addition to the two variants of the sport of rugby due to its history, there are other popular variations.
- Rugby 7s: While the original rugby sport was designed for 15 players, there is now a variant with seven players on the pitch.
- Beach rugby: Rugby can also be played in the sand on a beach, since the ball is mainly played by hand.
- Touch Rugby and Tag Rugby: These almost non-contact versions of rugby are common in recreational sports and schools, if only to reduce the risk of injury.
- Indoor rugby is the indoor variant of rugby and is mostly based on the rules of touch rugby.
- Wheelchair rugby makes use of wheelchairs.
- Underwater rugby is similar to water polo in a sports pool.
- Special forms: Variants with twelve and ten rugby players are possible, but the rules of the 15-man rugby union apply here.
- American Football, Canadian Football, Australian Football: These are sports that are based on the basic rules of rugby and have developed their own sport from it.
Advantages and disadvantages of the game
Advantages
- Rugby is an internationally popular sport for which there are many variants of the game.
- The basic equipment for the game is inexpensive.
- It is a team sport and helps develop team spirit.
- Rugby is practiced regularly in many schools and sports clubs.
- It’s not just height that counts, but also ability and skill.
- If you want to take the sport seriously, you will find many active sports clubs and training opportunities.
Disadvantages
- Rugby is not as popular and well-known in German-speaking countries, which can make it more difficult to form teams and for a beginner to learn the rules.
- Pitch and rugby goals are not found everywhere in every sports hall or school.
- So you have to join a club or school team to play rugby.
- Fitness and training are important because this sport is physical and there is always a certain risk of injury.
Our verdict on rugby
Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the English-speaking world and is slowly spreading around the world. It is physical and promotes team spirit. If you want to practice this sport, you have to join a sports club. Exercising and fitness are important as it is a physical sport.
Find out more about rugby
Rugby World Records
A normal rugby game is not enough for the extreme athletes, which is why some world records have been set over the years:
1932 – longest drop goal in the world: between South Africa and England. 77.7 m distance from Gerald Hamilton.
2003 – The biggest points difference in a World Cup game: 142-0 between Australia and Namibia
2011 – Longest Rugby game: 24 hours, five minutes, and twelve seconds with 1,604 points during the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
2019 – Rugby at 6331 meters on Mount Everest.
What is the difference between Rugby and American Football?
While the AF team consists of 11 players, the R team consists of 15 players. Furthermore, in AF you can throw both backwards and forwards and there are differences in terms of the field and the ball.
How dangerous is rugby?
It is not just a ball sport, but above all a contact sport. To outsiders, the moves may seem very harsh and dangerous – and sometimes there are injuries – but the players are specially trained for them. That’s why we don’t recommend emulating the game if you don’t have any experience.
In which countries is rugby celebrated?
The game is most popular in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, but also in England, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy. Contact sport is also a national sport in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
Who has the most rugby players?
France registers the most players in the world.
Where can I watch rugby?
On TV and the Internet, for example, this can be done via (paid) sports streams. If you’re lucky, there’s a bar or pub near you that’s broadcasting a game.
