Cheerleading Rules: Here’s everything you need to know

The sport of cheerleading originated in the USA. The term is made up of the English word for “cheer” (applause) and “to lead” (to lead or lead) together. So the meaning is “lead the applause,” which was the original purpose of cheerleading. You can learn more about the cheerleading rules here.

Cheerleading is so much more than waving pompoms

Initially, the task of cheering on the audience was incumbent on the men alone. Cheerleaders were scattered among the spectators at a sporting event, cheering up the teams with loud shouts and pertinent gestures. The first organized crowd cheering took place in an 1898 American football final between the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University. It wasn’t until 1980 that the first female cheerleaders were accepted by the public.

Nowadays, female or mixed cheerleading teams are part of the picture of sporting events. In addition to American football and basketball, there are, for example, handball, volleyball, soccer and ice hockey, the cheerleading groups or squads to which they naturally belong.

In the meantime, cheerleading has even established itself as an independent competitive sport on a national and international level – so much more than looking good and waving your pom poms.

Cheerleading as Sports Art

Cheerleading as a sport consists of elements of gymnastics, acrobatics and dance, plus rhythmic cheers. For the competitions, which take place throughout the year, the organized squads have to follow a fixed set of rules. A squad’s program must provide certain mandatory elements within a 2 to 3 minute routine. The judges evaluate the performance according to the degree of difficulty and execution.

As a result, squads are now primarily working towards championships and align their program and training accordingly. Appearances at sporting events are no longer the main job of these cheerleaders.

Age groups

Cheerleading has different age divisions for each competitive category, with only slight differences between the two organizations.

Children/Peewees: CvD up to 12 years, CCVD up to 12 years
Youth/Juniors: CvD 12 to 17 years, CCVD 11 to 17 years
Adults/Seniors: CvD from 16 years, CCVD from 14 years

Styles

The styles of cheering in competition include

Cheerleading with acrobatics (stunts, baskets, pyramids), floor exercises (tumbling) and cheers.
Cheerdance or performance cheer focuses on the dance. There are various dance styles to choose from, such as freestyle (pom dance), theme dance (CVD) and also hip hop (CCVD).
competition categories
In addition to the division into cheerleading and cheerdance, competitions are also divided into all-girl (girls/women) and male-female mixed coed teams. These two variants also occur in all age groups. In addition, different levels are distinguished in the 3 age groups Peewees, Juniors and Seniors. These levels define the degree of difficulty of the programs.

Furthermore, a distinction is made between team categories (12 to 24 active or 16 to 24 active in the respective highest level except limited) and special categories (2 to 5 active).

Among the special categories are

Group Stunt (4 to 5 people) Allgirl and Coed
Partner stunt (1 woman and 1 man)
Double dance (2 people)
In open championships such as the GermanCheerMasters, Elite Beach Cup or the CCVS XMas Cup, there are other categories such as Individual or Hardest Group Stunt.

Cheerleading routine

The program or routine in cheerleading consists of certain movements, artistic elements and cheers.

Fall under

Motions: Specific arm movements used in cheers, chants, stunts and dances.
Chants: chants with mimic and gestural underlining of the content, usually repeated three times.
Cheers: Combinations of words and movements that last longer than chants and are not repeated. The cheer also occurs at the events and is only performed during the official game stoppage and after the game.
Stunts: Lifting figures involving at least two and up to five people (stunt group). A stunt group consists of the flyer, who performs artistic figures, and those who lift, support and catch the flyer (base). Such lifting figures follow strict cheerleading rules and are called, for example, 1 main base and 1 side base, 1 backscoop/backspot, 1 flyer/top or 1 front. Several stunts can also be put together to form a larger overall picture with top/flyer or high flyer (pyramid). The number of people involved is unlimited.
Basket toss or Basket: A flyer is thrown off base and caught. The bases enclose their wrists in such a way that a kind of basket is formed. The flyer also makes figures such as twist, back tuck, toe touch, pike, kick twist/double, x-out, lay-out and the like.
Jumps or leaps can be built into cheers, tumbling, and even dances. There are figures like Toe Touch, Pike, Double Nine or Spread Eagle.
Dance: A dance is part of every performance and every routine, but the pom-poms don’t necessarily have to be there. Many cheerleading teams already have dedicated dance teams dedicated solely to dancing.
Spotter: The word spot is an abbreviation for save person on top, because the job of the spotter is to secure a stunt and prevent injuries. Internal spotters can contribute to the program, but external spotters cannot.
Tumbling are elements of floor exercise such as handstand, flick flack, (extended) somersault, cartwheel, wheel turn or handstand rollover.
Props are tools for a performance, such as the famous pompoms or flags, signs and cardboard megaphones.

Appear

The sport of cheerleading is intended to attract and hold the attention of the audience in a huge and well-filled stadium. Therefore, traditionally, the cheerleading squads appear in flashy glittering and colorful costumes. Often they also use props with more glitter and glamor like from the carnival.

Cheerleading Requirements

If you now want to get started as a cheerleader, you will find the requirements for this great sport, which can also indirectly be called cheerleading rules, here.

Personal requirements

Ambition (Be willing to always improve)
Ability to work in a team (it doesn’t work without cohesion as a team)
Discipline (Don’t give up)
Loyalty (stand by your team)
physical requirements
Athleticism (or the will to become athletic)
extensibility
ideal: experience in gymnastics, ballet
Even if you think you have to be super slim and lean, cheerleading enthusiasts who have a little more on their ribs can also pursue their passion. Depending on this, it can be used as a base or flyer.

Another important thing

As with any other sport, you should be prepared to exercise a lot and adjust your diet. Cheerleading is a very demanding hobby in which the body works at peak performance – so it needs a good basis that you can’t achieve with fries and the like.

Cheerleading Risks

In addition, this sport is not without its dangers, no matter how well the cheerleading rules are followed. A study by the US National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury shows that about 65 percent of serious sports accidents in high schools occur while cheerleading.

A 2009 court ruling upheld cheerleading as a contact sport and associated injuries as an “occupational hazard.”

How much do Dallas cowboys cheerleaders make?

That is, if you’re a popular, well-known squad. For instance, Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, aka America’s Sweethearts, who happen to be one of the most popular groups in the NFL, earn about $15-20 per hour, or $500 per match. Therefore, their yearly salary comes out to about $75,000.

How much do NFL cheerleaders make?

Surprisingly, NFL cheerleaders do not earn as much as you might think. On average, the cheerleaders earn about $150 per game. This comes out to about $22,500 per year. They also receive anywhere from $50 to $75 if they are featured for a public appearance.

Is cheerleading a sport yes or no?

Today, cheerleading is popular and taken seriously by cheerleaders who consider it a sport, “an activity that involves physical exertion and skill and in which an individual or team competes against another for entertainment.”

Which NFL teams don’t have cheerleaders?

However, not all NFL teams have NFL cheerleaders. So what are NFL teams without cheerleaders? There are seven football teams without NFL cheerleading squads: the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, LA Chargers, New York Giants, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Is cheerleading sexist?

Is cheerleading a form of female objectification?

No. Objectification is something that is done to them. Even if women dress in a way that is particularly attractive to men, it is because they want to feel pretty, not because they actually want to attract men.

Is cheerleading feminine?

While female athletes have much more freedom to participate in athletics, cheerleading remains a feminized activity and continues to reflect a supporting role to masculine athletics.

Can a cheerleader be male?

As of 2005, overall statistics show around 97% of all modern cheerleading participants are female, although at the collegiate level, cheerleading is co-ed with about 50% of participants being male. Modern male cheerleaders’ stunts focus less on flexibility and more on tumbling, flips, pikes, and handstands.

How much do professional cheerleaders make?

Surprisingly, NFL cheerleaders do not earn as much as you might think. On average, the cheerleaders earn about $150 per game. This comes out to about $22,500 per year.

Is competitive cheerleading a sport?

But unlike football, cheerleading is not officially recognized as a sport — neither by the NCAA nor by U.S. federal Title IX guidelines.

Is cheerleading an olympic sport?

No

This is how the alpine skiing discipline “Super-G” works

Are you interested in winter sports, especially alpine skiing and its disciplines? Very good! Here we deal with the discipline and the Super-G rules! Find out everything you need to know about them from us and shine with your knowledge at the next competition!

What does “Super-G” mean and what is it?

The Super-G is an abbreviation. It stands for the English name “Super Giant Slalom”, which means “Super Giant Slalom” in German. The discipline in alpine skiing and grass skiing is similar to giant slalom and was introduced by the FIS around 1980. The goal was to offer an additional speed discipline and that the giant slalom should again have a narrower course of the gates and thus a more technically oriented direction.

After downhill, the Super-G is the second fastest skiing discipline on specially marked slopes. The route is shorter than the descent, but technically more demanding. Compared to the downhill, there are significantly more gates, which are also closer together. In addition to the right equipment, the strength, endurance, excellent skiing technique and courage of the runners count.

The first official Super-G World Cup race for men took place on December 12, 1982 in Val-d’Isère. The first official Super-G competition for women took place on January 9, 1983 in Verbier. The first world championship races in this discipline took place in 1987 in Crans-Montana and in 1988 there were already the first Super-G Olympic champions. The Austrian Hermann Maier is the most successful Super-G rider of all time with 24 wins in World Cup races, he won the discipline rating 5 times and became world champion and Olympic champion. Another Super-G specialist was Norway’s Kjetil André Aamodt, who won Super-G Olympic gold in 1992, 2002 and 2006.

Competition rules

The rules for Super-G are similar to those for downhill skiing. The difference in altitude in Super-G races in the World Cup, Continental Cups, World Championships and Olympic Games is a minimum of 500 meters and a maximum of 650 meters for men and a minimum of 400 meters and a maximum of 600 meters for women.

At least 35 or 30 goals must be scored. These gates must be at least six meters wide and a maximum of eight meters for open gates and at least eight meters and a maximum of twelve meters for vertical gates, with a minimum distance of 25 metres. The course of the piste is usually marked with colored snow.

In contrast to the downhill, however, there are no training runs. While race participants will be able to view the course on race day, they will not be able to drive it. Like the downhill, the Super-G is also held in a single run.

Super G Goals

The Super-G gates are built to flex flexibly when touched by the rider. They are also less firmly anchored in the snow than slalom gates. As a result, they offer less resistance when a racer drives into them and are swept along by it; this minimizes the risk of injury.

Start regulations

The regulation for downhill skiing has prevailed for the starting order in the Super-G. For the World Cup downhill races, the current ten best in the world rankings can choose an odd start number between 1 and 19. Those in positions 11 to 20 in the world rankings will be drawn on the even starting numbers between 2 and 20, starting positions 21 to 30 between those in positions 21 to 30 in the world rankings.

What gear do you need for Super-G?

Since the Super-G is also primarily about speed, the equipment for this sport is almost identical to that for downhill skiing. With speeds of up to 130 km/h, the right equipment is a must to avoid serious injuries. The helmet in particular is indispensable – and that applies to both professional and amateur athletes.

• ski helmet
• sticks
• ski boots
• ski suit
• glasses
• gloves
• ski

In some Super-G races, athletes have to choose between the fast downhill skis or the slower giant slalom skis.

Suit and protections

Super-G racers wear skin-tight ski suits to minimize drag. However, the material must have a precisely defined air permeability. Each race organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS) only allows suits that have been previously checked by the FIS and provided with a seal on the left leg.

Ski helmets and back protection are also required for races, as well as goggles and gloves.

Ski poles

In the downhill and in the Super-G, ski poles are often only used to keep your balance, which is very important in the tight and fast curves and at high speeds. Ski poles are made from a lightweight material such as aluminum or carbon. A ski pole tube has a diameter of about 1 to 2 centimeters and is slightly curved, as it offers less air resistance. There are loops on the handles for a secure hold. At the bottom of a pole there is a plate that ensures that the ski poles do not penetrate the snow very deeply. The shape of the plates, the sticks and their length differ somewhat for the specific ski disciplines.

Ski boots

The right ski boots are necessary for optimal power transmission from the foot to the ski. Ski boots are of solid construction and are usually made of plastic and composite materials. Racers prefer hard to very hard ski boots that are narrow and narrow. In this case, comfort is of secondary importance, but the optimal individual fit counts. The flex index is used to indicate the degree of hardness, the higher, the harder the shoe. Ski boots for racers have a flex index of 150.
There are also differences between men’s and women’s ski boots: Due to women’s lower calves, the shaft of the ski boots is slightly lower.

Ski models for Super-G

The ski models used for giant slalom and super-G are longer and stiffer than slalom skis. A downhill ski is 30 percent longer than a giant slalom ski, providing additional stability. The radius is also important. A radius specification refers to the natural radius of the ski. For the measurement, the ski is placed on its edge and bent so far that the edge lies continuously on the ground. The natural curve radius of a ski can be calculated from this curved line. According to the FIS, the radius of a giant slalom ski must be 30 meters and the sidecut 35 meters. The minimum length is 193 centimeters for men and 188 centimeters for women.

Super-G and grass skis

The Super-G is the youngest and fastest discipline in grass skiing and was first held in 1987 as part of a world championship. Similar rules apply here as in alpine skiing. However, due to a lack of suitable slopes, there are no downhill runs for grass skiing. However, it is planned to carry out so-called sprint descents.

The difference in height of a Super-G slope for grass skis is 120 to 180 meters for men (at least 100 meters in exceptional cases) and 110 to 150 meters for women (at least 90 meters in exceptional cases). The starting order is based on the FIS points, with the 15 best-placed runners being allocated the top starting positions, all others start in the order of their FIS points. The course is inspected before the race and there is only one run.

What is the difference between downhill and super g in skiing?

The super-G stands for super giant slalom, an event that combines the speed of downhill with the more precise turns of giant slalom. There’s less of a vertical drop than the downhill and gates are placed closer together. Each skier makes one run down a single course and the fastest time wins.

Do you want to learn more about the high jump because you’re watching the Olympic Games, you’re hooked on the sport, or you have to do it at school? Very good, because then you’ve come to the right place. We explain the high jump rules to you and give you other useful information to help you shine with your knowledge.

Basic knowledge about high jump

High jump is one of the disciplines of athletics and is also part of the heptathlon and decathlon. The aim is to jump as high as possible over a bar without using any aids. This bar rests on two stands and falls down even with a light touch, so the jump must be performed with precision. Three attempts are allowed for each height, after a failed attempt there may be no lower height and one foot must be used to jump off.

The history of this competitive sport can be traced back to the Celts, but high jump was not one of the Olympic disciplines of antiquity. Very popular in England from the 18th century, the first men’s high jump competitions were held in 1865, where the current rules were also formulated. High jump competitions for women were held for the first time in the USA in 1895. The high jump has been an athletic discipline for men since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and for women since 1928.

Furnishing

Material

The modern high jump mats consist of different foam materials or so-called airbags, polyfoam blocks with air channels according to the hollow chamber system.

The jump obstacle uses materials such as glass composites and aluminum. High jump stands with automatic adjustment of the slat support surface are available in heights of 200, 250 and 300 centimetres. The batten can be fiberglass or polyester and is typically 4 meters long with a diameter of 30 millimeters.

Vertically under the crossbar, there is a white line marking on the sides and between the uprights, the front edge of which is exactly in line with the front edge of the crossbar.

It depends on the right sportswear

The athletics athletes compete in air-permeable T-shirts and shorts, which are mostly made of nylon and polyester. However, shoes that are also breathable and made with an upper made of nylon or other synthetic materials are important. There are special high jump shoes from renowned sports shoe manufacturers with spikes. These are also available as a fixed spike plate with different numbers of interchangeable spikes.

The high jump lives from the technology

Jumping technique

The jumping techniques in competitions have changed a lot because there are different techniques for crossing the bar.

The oldest technique in high jump is the frontal squat. From 1900 to 1912 the Olympic Games also featured a standing vault competition. Until 1936, the rule was that the feet had to be the first part of the body to cross the bar.

For a long time, the dominating jump was the shear jump, in which the jumper crosses the bar sideways with an upright upper body and throws up first one leg and then the other.

This technique was superseded by the roller jump and later the tome or straddle, in which the jumper crosses the bar face down. The so-called flop style prevailed in 1980 with all leading jumpers. Other techniques include parallel back roll jump and shear flip jump. However, it is mandatory for all these techniques that only one leg is used to jump off.

Flop technique

Improved equipment and softer mats allowed for a new variation of jumping techniques. These days the head-first flop technique is used to cross the bar. The jumper turns on the run-up, rotates the torso on the take-off or during the climb phase and crosses the bar backwards.

With the flop, a further distinction is made between the speed flop, based on a high start-up speed, and the power flop, where flying height is gained from the bounce. The take-off is flatter with the speed flop at 45 to 55 degrees and a flatter and longer flight parabola. With the power flop, the jump is 55 to 65 degrees and the flight parabola is steeper and shorter.

The current flop jumping technique allows you to jump much higher heights than your own height. Many men reach over 2.40 meters, the world record is 2.45 meters, women jump over 2.05 meters (world record: 2.09 meters).

Due to the triumph of this flop technique, other jumping techniques took a back seat. However, tuck jump, shear jump, roller jump and roll jump or straddle are still found in school athletics.

Competition rules

For each competition, the starting height and increases (at least two centimeters) are announced in advance and the participants must state their starting height. There are three attempts per round, but not all of them can be performed over this height. A competitor can forego the third attempt even after two failed attempts. This means that he must make that third try at the next height and has only one try. After three consecutive failed attempts, there is no right to further jumps, so this results in elimination. If an athlete renounces a height in advance, he may not attempt a jump again until the next height. If only one participant is still in the competition and has won it, he can determine the further height increases himself.

The jump heights are measured in whole centimeters, the top edge of the bar counts. Since the batten sags slightly by a maximum of two centimetres, the measurement is taken in the middle of the batten exactly perpendicular to the floor.

The participant with the highest jumped height wins. In the event of a tie, the athlete with the fewer number of attempts over the last height jumped will have the advantage. If there is still a tie, the total number of failed attempts including the last jumped height counts and the one with a lower number gets the better placement. If there is still a tie for first place, there is a playoff.

Time restriction

The attempt time is half a minute for more than three competitors, and one and a half minutes for two or three athletes. If there is only one participant left, he/she may allow a maximum of three minutes for an attempt. If an athlete has to start the next attempt immediately due to a failed attempt, a maximum of 2 minutes are available for this.

Failed attempts

A failed attempt occurs if

• the athlete does not take off with only one foot.
• the athlete touches the bar during the jump and falls. If the bar falls due to a gust of wind or if it does
• not fall after being touched, it is not a failed attempt.
• touching the white floor marking with any part of the body before crossing the bar.
• touching the floor behind the floor marker or touching the mat with any part of the body before crossing the bar.
• the test time is exceeded.

What high jump techniques are there?

There is the squat, shear, roll jump as well as the straddle, flop and the Hay technique.

Where is the world record in high jump?

On July 27, 1993, the high jump world record was set at 2.45 meters. For women it was or is 2.09 meters since 1987.

Who holds the world record in high jump?

Javier Sotomayor for men and Stefka Kostadinowa for women.

Is high jump an Olympic discipline?

Yes, for men since 1896 (the beginnings in Athens), for women since 1928.

In order to play dodgeball correctly, you absolutely need the dodgeball rules at hand. We have summarized this – and some other information about the ball sport – for you and explained it in detail so that there are no misunderstandings.

History of dodgeball

Dodgeball is based on a ritual war game. As the name suggests, two peoples fight each other, with the ball symbolizing the weapon and each hit by a player leads to elimination.

However, in the “modern” version, as most of you may be familiar with from school, it is possible to bring yourself back into play. Many people are not aware that this game was actually a war game.

Basics about the game

The playing field

You play in a rectangular field. If you are lucky enough to be able to use a hall, you need the tennis or badminton court. Otherwise you stuck if you z. B. plays in the park, a field with about 13.40 m long and 6.10 m wide (badminton). The two fields for the groups are usually separated by a 60 cm wide “death strip”.

Around the field there is also the so-called outfield, on which a player of the generic team is placed (behind the field) or, in the course of the game, the eliminated players on the edge.

The ball

Since you have to throw your players: inside, you take a soft ball made of a soft or foam material so that there are no injuries if you hit the back, head, kidneys or stomach, for example.

That’s how you play dodgeball

At the beginning, the referee, who is always on the center line to have a full overview, places 3 balls in the middle, which can only be picked up by 3 players. When the whistle starts, the players try to throw the opponents off with the ball.

Headshots are strictly forbidden! As well as intentional hard hits in the kidneys or soft tissue. This cannot always be avoided, but there are also players who make fun of it.

The opponent is “out” if you hit them without the ball touching the ground first. The player must then leave the field. The game continues without interruption. If a player catches the ball, nothing happens – now he can try his luck throwing it.

Discarded players go to the area around the opponent’s field and from there they can try to discard others – and thus get back into the game.

Everything comes to an end

If a team has no more players in its infield, the opposing team has almost won. Then it’s up to the “King:in”. He or she has to go to the infield and can now be discarded – if this happens for the third time, the game is won unless another player makes it back into the field and thus substitutes him.

How do you play dodgeball?

Two teams compete against each other, located in two fields. Separated by a center line, they now try to shoot down the opposing team’s players with a ball until none are left. Downed players can bring themselves back in if they hit a player from the enemy team’s perimeter. Finally, the “King:in” remains, who can be “done” with three hits.

Which ball is suitable for dodgeball?

Use a ball made of a soft or foam material to minimize the risk of injury.

What is the difference between dodgeball and dodgeball?

For a round of dogdeball you need more balls, but fewer players. Furthermore, the “rest” field is omitted.

Criticism of dodgeball

A few years ago there was a discussion about banning dodgeball from school sports. Canadian researchers had studied the game, which had upset many students for decades, and argued that it shouldn’t be played anymore.

One reason for this was or is the name, which would be reminiscent of a war scenario: two peoples compete against each other and have to eliminate each other to win. This association is nothing new, as Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, the inventor of German gymnastics, already believed that German youth would be prepared for battle in order to defend themselves against Napoleon’s occupation. This was over 200 years ago. This can be countered by the fact that dodgeball has adapted over time and players are no longer eliminated entirely, but continue to play from the sidelines.

Other points of criticism are possible bullying and humiliation. The choice of the team, the concentrated shooting of a certain person, exploiting and displaying a lack of evasive ability.

Everyone has to decide for themselves how heavily these points should be weighted, but it is important to question “traditions”.

Where to watch dodgeball?

Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+

Who invented dodgeball?

The official rules of the game of dodgeball were created by Philip Ferguson who witnessed some games at St. Mary’s using the rules that Carlisle created. Furgeson would change the game to include two teams playing on opposite sides of the field and he created his new rules for the game in 1905.

Where did dodgeball originate?

The History and Growth of Dodgeball as a sport. Dodgeball was originally played in Africa over two hundred years ago, but instead of the fun, jocular game that it is today, it was in fact a deadly game.

How to play dodgeball

Is dodgeball banned in America?

Due to its “aggressive” nature, dodgeball has been banned in schools across North America, as it’s frequently named the cause of injuries and fights.

A bullfight, called toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia in Spanish, is a highly controversial sport. It is about the ritual killing of a fighting bull in front of spectators in a bullring (Plaza de Toros) specially designed for this purpose. If you would like to learn more about the rules of bullfighting, you can find out more here. We have summarized for you what it is about and what the attempt at a ban looks like.

About bullfighting

The most famous bullfights take place in Spain, but there are also bullfights with regionally modified rules in Portugal, southern France and in the former Spanish colonies and the Spanish-influenced regions of Latin America. There is also a non-lethal version on the Tanzanian island of Pemba.

Bullfights in various forms have a long tradition that can be traced back to ancient Rome or the Minoan culture. In the Middle Ages, a kind of corrida de toros developed as a knight’s game. The oldest Spanish reference to bullfights dates from 1215, the oldest prose text from around 1280. Elements of the medieval Corrida are still preserved in the bullfighting variant Rejoneo. Bullfighting as we know it today emerged in the early 18th century and the first stone bullring was built in 1711-1714. In 1796 the matador José Delgado wrote down the rules for bullfighting for the first time, which Spanish bullfighting essentially follows to this day.

Bullfighting in Spain is a billion-dollar business with around 200,000 jobs and annual sales of around 1.5 billion euros. There are over 400 bullfighting arenas with one to two bullfighting events per year organized by 75 corridas organizers.

The bullfighters

The term torero is a generic term for all fighters in a corrida (matador, novillero, banderilleros, picadores). The bullfighters use numerous instruments to tease and kill the bulls. The picadores, for example, got their name from their spears.

The focus is on the “matador de toros” or bull killer, whose career as a novillero (novice) begins with young bulls. After reaching a certain level, a novice becomes a matador de toros in a special ceremony (alternativa, “change”) and from then on fights adult fighting bulls.

The picadores or spearmen are mounted bullfighters and a “corrida de rejones” or “rejoneo” for short is fought entirely on horseback. Here the bull horns have been ground down to avoid injuring the horses.

There are about a hundred students per year for training as a torero, the minimum age is 16 years. In Mexico, torero students are allowed to be younger and there are also female matadors. Toreros are highly paid athletes with fees of 50,000 to 100,000 euros or even 180,000 euros for a performance.

The bulls

Fighting bulls for bullfighting are specially bred. There are around 1500 farms in Spain, mainly in Andalusia, Castile and León and Extremadura. An adult bull can weigh from 500 to 700 kg. A good fighting bull aged four to five years can fetch around 25,000 euros for the breeder. The close-to-nature rearing of fighting bulls in the so-called dehesas (breeding farms) also plays a major role.

It costs around $4,000 to raise a bull, but not all animals become fighting bulls. Animals that are either temperamentally unsuitable or physically flawed are sold either to smaller provincial bullrings or to slaughterhouses.

An arena broodmare only fights once in its life. This is vital for the torero, because only an inexperienced bull is more likely to respond to the muleta, the staff with the red cloth, than to the bullfighter himself.

In Spain there are about 1700 corridas per year with about 6 animals per event. That means the number of bulls killed in an arena amounts to about 10,000 a year.

The bullring

The battlefield or arena (ruedo) is between 45 and 60 meters in diameter. The floor is covered with sand and surrounded by the barrera, a 1.60 meter high wooden plank barrier. This has several gates, usually four: the main gate (puerta grande), a gate for the fighting bulls (puerta de toriles), a gate for the picadores on horseback (puerta de caballos) and there is a special gate through which the dead bulls are brought out to be pulled out (puerta de arrastre). There are also four open passageways with a plank wall (burladero) in front of them. This is used by the bullfighters to flee from the bull. If it is also necessary to jump over the barrera, there are foot bars at a height of 40 centimeters.

The rules of bullfighting

Bullfighting involves specific rules, colorful costumes, music, cheering and flying roses, but also a lot of drama, blood and death. Therefore, the bullfighting ritual is highly controversial nowadays, especially in the context of animal welfare. Usually three matadors and six bulls compete in a corrida and each fight lasts about 20 minutes.

Course of the Corrida

The course of a bullfight is a predetermined ritual that takes place like a play in three acts. A torero can achieve fame and popularity in the bullring, but he also immediately and relentlessly senses the displeasure of the spectators if they don’t like a fight.

In a fight, for example, three toreros compete against two bulls that have been drawn for them. After the drawing of lots, the animals remain in separate, dark boxes in the fighting area until the fight.

First, the bullfighters and their entourage (peones) move into the arena. The fight begins as soon as a bull rushes into the arena. First, the so-called Capeadores tease the animal with a large cloth (capa). The torero with his entourage uses his red and yellow coat to test the bull’s aggressiveness and condition. After that, the first act of the actual fight begins.

The first act

In Act I, two picadores ride into the arena and pierce the animal’s neck an inch with the tips of their lances, weakening the bull and lowering its head. This posture is necessary for the killing blow in the final with the torero’s sword. The first act is particularly dangerous for the horses because, despite the protective padding on their bodies, they can suffer serious internal injuries from the bulls’ attacks.

The second act

The second act introduces the banderilleros (suerte de banderillas). They run up to the bull without protection and jab three pairs of “banderillas” into the muscle in his neck. Banderillas are 75 cm long rods with barbs. This is said to further weaken the animal. The second act lasts only a few minutes.

The third act

In the third act called “suerte de matar” (luck to kill) the matador can show his skills. First with the red cloth, the muleta, and the more daring he goes about it, the better. The fight ends when the matador thrusts his slightly curved thrusting sword (estoque) between the bull’s shoulder blades. If the bull dies immediately, the torero is sure to receive frenetic applause. If this doesn’t succeed, the final act becomes a bloody slaughter, which the bullfighting audience doesn’t like either and acknowledges with boos.

A successful torero receives the bull’s ears, claws or tail tassel as trophies and is celebrated with a lap of honor in the bullring and a shower of flowers.

Subspecies Becerradas

The becerradas are a subspecies of bullfighting. The fight itself is equally cruel and unfair, although young calves up to two years old and young toreros enter the arena.

So to speak, these fights form the training for the prospective toreros.

Bullfighting pros and cons

Bullfighting has also been controversial in Spain for many years. However, there are arguments on both sides that speak for or against bullfighting from their respective perspectives.

The arguments of the proponents

• Bullfighting is an art form
• it is not cruelty to animals because the animals do not suffer long in the arena
• bullfighting ensured the continued existence of the fighting bull race
• and the survival of the ecologically valuable dehesas
• Fighting bulls spend their entire lives in the wild, appropriate to their species

Opponents’ arguments

• Bullfighting is animal cruelty to the bulls (shaving off the horns, locking them up in the dark before the corrida, death in the arena)
• Death does not come quickly, but slowly and painfully – sometimes not directly in the arena but when bleeding out behind the scenes
• Animal cruelty to the picador horses: in addition to the danger in the arena, they are often blindfolded to prevent their natural instinct to flee
• During the hunt, the animals often break their bones and suffer excruciating physical and mental pain
• Risks for the spectators, there are always injuries and even deaths when bulls can overcome the barrera and jump into the audience
• Risks for toreros: although fatalities are rare, serious injuries do occur
• Less and less interest: A Gallup survey shows that 76 percent of Spaniards reject bullfighting and that tourists in particular enjoy it.

Prohibition and modification of the rules of bullfighting

So far, there is only (still) a complete ban on the Canary Islands.

Since 2019, bullfighting in Spain and Mallorca has been allowed to take place again after a two-year break because it has been an “intangible cultural asset” since 2013. This also lifted the ban on injuring and killing, because this was an “inalienable part of the spectacle,” the court ruled.

However, some rules in bullfighting of the old resolution have remained:

• Minors are not allowed in the arena on Fridays
• alcohol ban
• Bulls must be free of doping and tranquilizers

Anyone who wants to speak out against this cruel tradition can do so, among other things, at the animal protection organizations. Boycott bullfighting trips, do not participate in them and ask organizers to remove this offer from the program.

Why hasn’t bullfighting been banned so far?

There have been bans in the past, but these have been lifted. The last problem was general participation in 2007, when the EU parliamentarians did not find enough supporters. Another problem is that by the end of 2013, bullfighting is part of the intangible cultural heritage. This tradition, which unnecessarily costs lives, is thus under legal protection that can hardly be overturned.

Why do bulls react the way they do in bullfights?

Taurus is in a highly stressful situation and in fear of death. Add to that the loud people, the many movements around him and the pain. Some animals also have their testicles bandaged to make them even more aggressive.

How does a bullfight work?

When animal and torero meet, a life-and-death struggle begins. The torero mauls the animal with barbed daggers and spears with the aim of killing it. At the beginning of the fight, to get the bull going, he gets a barb on his neck, which hurts him a lot. Due to the increasing injuries, the animal loses strength because organs are hit instead of the carotid artery. When the bull can’t move anymore, the torero heralds the end and stabs him in the carotid artery.

How long does a bullfight last?

Such an event usually lasts around 20 minutes.

Can the bull win?

No Even if he stays calm in the arena and an exchange occurs, he dies. Then his way leads him to the slaughterhouse. Should the audience wish for a “pardon”, the animal stays alive and is used for breeding purposes – although this happens very rarely.

Which bulls participate in bullfighting?

Special breeds are bred for bullfighting, which are considered particularly aggressive. The generic term is called “Spanish fighting bull”, but includes several breeds.

When did bullfighting start?

Bullfighting in Spain has origins as early as 711 AD, when a bullfight took place to honor King Alfonso VIII.

Where did bullfighting originate?

Francisco Romero, from Ronda, Spain, is generally regarded as having been the first to introduce the practice of fighting bulls on foot around 1726, using the muleta in the last stage of the fight and an estoc to kill the bull.

Is bullfighting a sport?

Bullfighting is a traditional bloodsport that is thought to have existed in Spain since Roman times. The sport has evolved and varied over time and, today, bullfighting typically involves a professional performer (known in Spain as toreros or matadors) ceremoniously fighting a bull in a sand bullring.

Where can i see a bullfight when im in spain?

With a capacity of 12,000+ spectators, it is considered the most traditional bullring in Spain with aficionados naming it “la catedral del toreo” (“the bullfighting cathedral”).

Where is bullfighting legal?

Although legal in Spain, some Spanish cities, such as Calonge, Tossa de Mar, Vilamacolum and La Vajol, have outlawed the practice of bullfighting. There are only a few countries throughout the world where this practice still takes place (Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador).

Is bullfighting legal in the us?

Bullfighting as it is practiced in Spain and Mexico, in which the bull is killed at the finale, is outlawed in the United States. California banned bullfighting of any kind in 1957, but after lobbying by citizens in Gustine, the site of the state’s oldest and largest bullring, lawmakers eventually permitted Portuguese.

Where is bullfighting still legal?

From an original form of hunting at least 14,000 years ago and a long-distance weapon, the bow and arrow has also developed into a piece of sports equipment. Target shooting with a bow and arrow is already described in the legends surrounding Robin Hood. The oldest European school of archery dates back to England in 1545. In the early 19th century in Brabant (Belgium) archery had the status of a popular national sport. Archery also became a very popular sport in Great Britain, mainly for women. In Germany, however, it was not established as a sport at that time, despite the German gymnastics movement by gymnastics father Jahn.

Archery is one of the precision sports and uses standardized targets as a shooting sport with bow and arrow. It has been an Olympic sport since 1972 and was part of the Olympic Games program in 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1920. In 1904 it was the only sport in which women were allowed to participate. World Archery Championships have been held since 1931. In addition to sports, archery is also used in the meditative and therapeutic fields.

Archery technique

The mechanical principle of archery uses an elastic stick or bow that is stretched with a bowstring. By tightening the string, the bow acts like a spring. The potential energy built up is released as the kinetic energy of the arrow when the string is released. Therefore, the stronger the tension of the bow and the further the string is drawn, the faster, further, straighter and more penetrating the arrow will act.

The tension of the bow is traditionally defined as the draw weight on the string in pounds (1 pound = 0.453 kilograms) at a draw of 28 inches (71.12 centimeters). Bow draw weights vary from a few pounds for children’s bows to over 60 pounds (27.22 kilograms) for experienced archers.

Depending on the bow class and association, there are restrictions on the firing speed. Field and Forest are 300 feet per second, World Archery and Target have a draw weight of 60 pounds.

A special feature of archery, however, is to achieve a consistent shooting sequence through calmness and concentration.

Gear

Safety comes first. In addition to the right equipment, certain behaviors reduce the risk of injury.

Recurve bows with sights and stabilizers are the most common sports equipment in archery. This technologically advanced piece of sports equipment is often referred to as the Olympic bow. This allows accurate hits to be achieved over long distances.

Compound bows with a pulley-like mechanism have far greater draw energy. The pull force used by the shooter is approximately evenly high from the beginning until just before the full draw, which gives the arrow a higher impulse. The draw length depends on the shooter’s arm length and shooting technique. This includes the choice of the anchor point of the drawing hand for the maximum drawout of the string.

Quiver

In addition to the bow with or without an arrow rest and the arrows, the equipment includes a quiver, carried on the back or on the side. Some models can also be attached to the bow.

Clothing and protection

Are important for the archer

• tight-fitting clothing, as the tendon shoots tightly along the body
• Leather arm protection, which prevents bruising on the forearm
• a finger protection in the form of a “tab”
• or an archery glove
• or releases for the hand that pulls the string
• if necessary, a chest protector
• In “Olympic” archery, an arrow rest is used for shooting and a bow stand is often used to store the bow.

Bow equipment

The extension of the bow equipment by technical additions to the bow and the string is possible – depending on the type of shooting. These include various designs of arrow rests, bow sights, clickers, overdraws, peepsights, stabilizers for limbs and bows as well as accessories for the bowstring, such as silencers, kisser buttons and nock point aids (made of metal or “D-Loops”).

https://youtu.be/5U53PllOWvU

Shooting at targets

Target faces with a ring rating serve as targets, the ring number ranges from 10 to 1. These targets are divided into colors from the inside to the outside. Each color is in turn divided into 2 rings and stands for a certain number of points. Yellow (also called gold) = 10 / 9 points or rings; Red = 8/7 points; Blue = 6/5 points; Black = 4/3 points and White = 2/1 points. If you hit neither the target nor the target, this is rated as an M (miss).

The area of ​​ten for compound shooters in the hall is 18 meters smaller than that for recurve shooters and is also marked separately. Such an X marking is also available outdoors. Here, however, the score counts as an inside ten. A hit counts when the arrow shaft touches the black stripe surrounding the ring. Rings 1 and 2 are dropped and in the event of a tie, the shooter with the most inner tens wins.

Shooting sequence

A traffic light or traffic light control regulates the shooting process, with a distinction being made between single and double row shooting. The length of the shooting time depends on the competition and is defined in the regulations.

After shooting, the hits are recorded by the shooters. The results are recorded by two people separately on so-called shooting slips. This includes the value of each individual arrow and the sum of all rings reached.

The most famous competitions

• WA outdoors (championships and Olympic Games): 2 times 36 arrows at a distance of 70 meters, then continue in the knockout process
• FITA Round or Great FITA: Shooting 144 arrows at different distances and targets (depending on competition class, age and gender). At the 30 meter distance, the target can also be replaced by so-called spots. For schoolchildren and youth classes, there are sometimes different regulations regarding distances and print runs.
• A FITA round is usually shot in one day, but the double FITA is shot in two FITA rounds on two consecutive days
  Small or half FITA: 50 and 30 meters distance on an 80 cm target, 36 arrows each
  900 round: 30 arrows each at 60, 50 and 40 meters on a 122 cm target
• FITA Halle: Here there are two 2 rounds of 30 arrows at a distance of 18 meters on 60 centimeter faces (traditional bows and student class A recurve), 40 centimeter faces (bare bow and youth class recurve) or on 3 spot faces (Olympic recurve and compound bow)
• Bogenliga Halle: In a DSB league, eight teams with three shooters per match usually compete against each other. Each team shoots one match against the remaining seven teams on a competition day. A match consists of three to five ends (shots) of six darts each, two per contestant within a two minute time limit. A league season consists of 4 days of competition, in the final the four best teams from the 1st Bundesliga North and the four best teams from the 1st Bundesliga South compete against each other.
• Outdoor archery league: Here, too, there are teams with three archers each and everyone shoots 3 arrows at 50 meters on 80 centimeter targets. All shooters must shoot their arrows within 3 minutes. Each shooter shoots 3 times 3 arrows per competition, i.e. 27 arrows per team. Each team shoots against every other team and the winner gets 2 points each, ties get 1 point each. If the sum of all points equals a tie, the ring numbers also count.
  At the DBSV, a team consists of four shooters and they shoot at 70 centimeter targets.

Archery disciplines

The term field archery or field shooting combines different disciplines of archery and is based on traditional archery. However, target devices or other additional equipment are also common here.

Field archery

In the narrower sense, field archery set up the targets in the terrain along a circular course. In contrast to the FITA target, these are black with a yellow inner circle. On a field course, the distances for at least half of the targets are not known and you can shoot uphill and downhill up to a firing angle of 45 degrees.

3D shooting

3D shooting uses foam animal figures as targets, usually on an archery course. In addition, the shots are not only made in flat fields, but also up and down. 3D shooting is similar to hunting without hurting animals. The aim is to place the arrow in the kill of the stylized animal, i.e. where the heart and lungs would be. A course consists of around 28 targets at which a maximum of 3 arrows can be shot. In small parcours and the so-called hunter rating, only one arrow may be fired from a peg. The shooter must be behind and touching this stake when shooting.

4D archery

4D archery uses large screens and a projector to enable training with moving targets. A special sensor registers the flight of the arrow and its impact on the canvas. Special polymer foams are used for these and the arrows can be reused as desired. There is hunting 4D and 4D where the target is clearly marked. With Jagdlichen-4D, on the other hand, nature scenes or animated content are used and the shooter has to guess where the so-called kill is.

Clout shooting, roving and flight shooting

• Clout Shooting: Aimed at a flag planted in the ground 165 meters away.
• Roving: The checkered flags are at different unknown distances
• Flight shooting or long-distance shooting: The aim is to shoot as far as possible.

Traditional archery

Traditional archery (instinctive or intuitive) uses bows without technical accessories such as sights or stabilizers on forest courses. In addition to the recurve bow in its form as a bare bow, there is the long bow, the rider bow and the primitive bow. Homemade bows are also used.

Mounted Archery

Mounted archery uses short horseback bows from horseback, mostly at a gallop, modeled on Mongolian warriors. This shooting technique is similar to traditional instinctive archery.

Kyūdō

Kyūdō is traditional Japanese archery, based on the ancient warfare technique of the samurai. Under the influence of Zen Buddhism, an art form of its own emerged. Both the design of the bow and the technique of shooting are completely different from sport archery.

Yabu seeds

Yabusame is an older traditional Japanese style of archery practiced from horseback.

Therapeutic Archery

Archery is offered as part of the treatment in many psychosomatic clinics, in therapy for children and adolescents and in rehabilitation.

Paralympic sport

Blind and partially sighted archers are currently fighting for recognition of this blind and partially sighted sport as a Paralympic sport.

Archery Organizations

The officially recognized international association for archery is the World Archery Federation (WA), represented in Germany by the Deutscher Schützenbund (DSB). Qualification for European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games is only possible via the DSB. However, 3D field archery and 3D championships are not planned in the DSB. Therefore, the WA 3D World Championship took place in recent years without German participation.

In addition to DSB, other associations in Germany include the German Archery Association (DBSV) and the German Field Archery Association (DFBV). This is internationally connected to the International Field Archery Association (IFAA). This organizes qualification-free world and European championships of the incorporated national associations every year. Since field archery is becoming more and more popular as a mass sport, there has recently been cooperation between the DFBV and the DSB.

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.