She Knows The Rules: The Basic Rules of Rugby Union

The Basic Rules of Rugby Union
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SKTR Admin on 08/09/2009 17:51:00
 
Very quickly:
1. The rectangular field has two H-shaped posts at either end which serve as
goal
2. The goal posts rest on the goal line
3. A ball placed on or behind the opposing teams goal line is called a
‘Try’ and earns five points
4. A ball kicked through the uprights of the opposing teams goalpost is called
a ‘Conversion’ and is worth two points
5. A "Drop-goal" happens when the ball is kicked through the posts just after
touching the ground.  The ball is dropped and allowed to hit the ground before
being kicked.  A drop goal is worth three points.
6. A Penalty Goal can also earn points and occurs when the ball is drop-kicked
or place-kicked (when a ball is kicked off the ground) over the crossbar and
between the uprights. After the kick, the ball can touch posts but not the round
before it goes over and through.  A Penalty Goal is also worth three points.
Players are split into two groups which can be identified by number:
Forwards: jerseys #1 through #8
1.       Loose-head prop
2.       Hooker
3.       Tight-head prop
4.       Left second-row
5.       Right second-row
6.       Blindside flanker
7.       Open-side flanker
8.       Number Eight
Backs: jerseys #9 through #15
1.       Scrum-half (or Halfback)
2.       Fly-half
3.       Left wing
4.       Inside-centre
5.       Outside-centre
6.       Right-winger
7.       Fullback
Scoring and Play:
1. The game begins with a coin toss (no, really) and which determines whether
teams kick or receive.
2. The team that begins with the ball is referred to as the ‘attacking
team’.  They stand in a line on the halfway mark of the field and face the
‘opposing team’.
3. A designated player from the attacking team drop kicks the ball toward the
opposing team.  The ball must travel at least 10 metres and the player who kicks
the ball can choose whether to kick the ball a short distance or deep into the
opposing team’s territory.
4. If the ball does not travel more than 10 metres, the opposing team can
choose to either have the ball re-kicked or scrum at the centre line.
5. Players in each team must stay behind the ball, going ahead of the ball to
do so can land a player with an offside penalty.
6. After the ball has been kicked-off, players from each team will fight or
‘contest’ for the ball.  Once the ball is in possession of one of the
players, the goal of the opposing team is to tackle him.
7. Once a player has been tackled and goes to the ground, he must release the
ball.  This is the exact opposite of Rugby League, where the player must hold on
to the ball.
8. If a team is awarded a penalty, which is to say the other team committed a
penalty against them, they can either:
* Kick the ball out of bounds and receive a lineout where the ball ends up.
* Take a free kick.  Theoretically, the ball must be 'kicked' through the mark,
although most   teams will just toe-tap the ball over the mark.
* Take a penalty kick at goal.
* Either way, the guilty team must retreat 10 meters from the spot of the foul.
* The team that has been scored on always restarts play by kicking to the team
that scored the points.
9. The clock will only be stopped in cases of:
* Injury
* Substitution of players
* On the advice of a Touch Judge
10. A referee can signal with his arms a knock-on, an advantage, a throw or
whether the game will pause or engage.