AO1 Games based sport

RUGBY UNION RULES

 

Although Rugby Union looks like a very simple game it has lots of rules, laws and tactics in order for it to be a successful game. Some Rules are very complicated some are a lot easier to understand but you need to know all of them when you are playing on the pitch. You don’t want to be penalized for something you did not know you couldn’t do. In Rugby there are two teams and you have to pass the ball backwards.

BASICS

Aim

The aim of the game is extremely simple; it’s to score more points than the other team by scoring try’s, conversions, penalties and drop goals. Also the aim is to prevent the opponents scoring points by tackling and preventing penalties.

Duration

The Game lasts 80minutes and consists of two 40minute halves with injury time added on the end of each half. In between the two 40minute halves there is a maximum time of 10minutes brake where players usually have a team talk and discuss tactics.

Kit

The rugby kit consists of shorts, a Jersey(top), socks and boots with the correct rugby studs. Although that is what players have to wear,  they can also wear upper body protection, head guards and mouth guards.

Pitch

The Pitch consists of two dead ball lines, two try lines, two 22metre lines, two 10metre lines, two side lines and one 50m line(halfway line).    

                            

Kick off

Before the match will begin the referee decides on who takes the kick off by tossing a coin the team that wins the toss decides on what end of the pitch they want or to have kick off. Once the team that had been chosen takes the kick the rest of the team has to stand behind the kicker that is on the halfway line. The ball must travel more than 10 metres from the kick off, if it does not go more than 10 metres the opposition get to decide whether to have a scrum or a throw in on the halfway line. Once the ball has been kicked the game begins and the opposition have to catch the ball. When a try or any other point is scored the team that did not get the point have to kick off, there is also a kick off at the beginning of each half. The team that did not kick off on the first half has to kick off on the second half.

BALL

The rugby ball is designed to be spun and is streamlined so it can glide through the air. The balls use to be handmade and stitched together but use to fill up with water in a match and get really heavy and hard to throw. Now balls are made differently and are waterproof so they are a lot easier to throw in wet conditions.

SCORING

Try

A try is scored when a member of the team places the ball down on to the ground with downward pressure in between the oppositions try line and dead ball line. A try is worth 5 points and is the maximum amount of points you can get. It is better to get a try close to the goal so it is a lot easier for your kicker to get the conversion in.

Conversion

The conversion is worth two bonus points after the try is scored.  To get the two points you have to kick the ball from the floor between the oppositions goal posts and above the cross bar. The ball is positioned exactly in line with where the try was scored.

Penalty

A penalty occurs when the opposition commit an offence once this has happened you have the choice of kicking at goal or kicking into touch. The kick is from where the opposition committed the offence  so if it is at a distance where you can kick at goal go for it and you will get three points if it goes between the posts and over the crossbar. But if you are too far away kicking into touch is a great way of making ground.

Drop Goal

A drop goal gets the team three points and is when a player kicks the ball from his hand and allowing it to bounce once whilst in play. The ball must go over the crossbar and between the posts.

Positions

Backs

Full Back (15)- The full-back is always in line with the ball and has to have very good handling abilities as he is the last man and is always ready to catch a kick to then make a break in attack. He is always the last man in defence so will have to make the last tackle. Percy Montgomery is South Africa’s full back.

Wing x2 (11)and(14)- The winger is very fast and needs speed, agility and strength. The winger also needs to be able to catch passes at speed to then score a try. They also need to make important tackles to stop the oppositions wingers. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) and Bryan Habana (South Africa).

Inside centre(12)- The inside centre helps the fly half and draws the players to make space for the outside centre. He also makes crucial tackles with the forwards.

Outside centre(13)- The outside centre makes breaks in small holes of the oppositions defence and drawing in the last defenders to offload it to a winger.

Fly half(10)- The Fly half has to have great understanding of the game and making passes that could win the game. You need power and understanding to be a fly half.

Scrum-Half(9)-The Scrum-half is a key player acting very quickly in hard situations. The Scrum-half has to have great passes and is strong and fast. He has to pass or run after every phase of the game.

FORWARDS

Loosehead Prop(1)-The loosehead prop is on the left of the hooker in the scrum and takes most of the impact in the scrum therefor will need a lot of upper body strength. They also need to ruck and maul and hit many tackles.

Tighthead Prop(3)- The tighthead is on the right of the hooker in the scrum they are also  in the front row with a prop and a hooker.

Hooker(2)- The hooker is in the middle of the front row in the scrum and has to hook the ball back to the back of the scrum to the scrum-half.

Second Row x2(4)and(5)- The second row are in the second row of the scrum and push really hard as they are usually tall and powerful. They also catch the hookers throw in the line out when they are thrown up by other forwards.

Openside Flanker (7)- Is on the end of the scrum and is usually smaller than the blindside flanker, he is fast and has to mark the oppositions fly-half.

Blindside Flanker(6)- Is a lot more physical and is usually bigger than the other flanker. He has to make lots of tackles and hits all phases.

Number 8(8) – The Number 8 is at the back of the scrum and is in the middle of every ruck or maul. This is a very physical position and you need to be strong.

Substitute

The substitutes (subs) start the match on the bench and come on if a replacement is made or someone is injured. Temporary subs come on if a player has been hurt, but if the player comes on within 15 minutes the temporary sub comes back off, but if he doesn’t come back on within 15 minutes the temporary sub is made perminant. 

LAWS

Rucks

Once a player is tackled and goes to ground they must immediately release the ball or present it to their team and then tackler has to role away. The opposition will want to get the ball as soon as possible so they will try to, but to stop them forwards have to bind and ruck them off by pushing them away making the ball available to the scrum half or backs. When a player joins the ruck they must join on from the back or behind the line of the ball. Only players that are standing can handle the ball. If someone joins from the side the opposition will be awarded a penalty. If the ball does not come out of the ruck the team that got tackled get a scrum.

MAUL

A maul occurs when a player is still standing and the oppositions are bound with their team mates pushing forward towards a try line. If the maul is stopped more than three times then the team going forward is awarded a scrum. If the man in the centre of the maul goes to ground ten a ruck is formed.

KNOCK ON

Rugby is one in very few games where you have to pass the ball backwards and you are not allowed to pass forward. A knock on is when a player taps the ball forward when he is catching it or by accident. The opponents are awarded a scrum.

Forward Pass

You are not allowed to throw the ball forward in rugby so when a team does this a scrum is awarded to the opponents.

22metre drop out

A 22m drop out is a way of resetting play if it has gone past the dead ball line. If the ball does go past the dead ball then the defending team kicks it from their 22m line.

 5metre Scrum

A 5 metre scrum is given when a player places (grounds) the ball between their own dead ball line and their own try line and then the attacking team are awarded the scrum 5metres away from
the defending teams try line. A 5m scrum is also given when the attacking team are within 5metres from the try line but are held up by the opponents defence.

TACKLE

Once a tackle is made then the tackler must roll away and the player who got tackled must instantly release the ball. Tackles must be bellow shoulders as it can be dangerous above. If the tackler does not attempt to roll away then the referee will award a penalty to the other team. Also if the man who got tackled does not release straight away then the opposition get a penalty, penalties are also awarded if the tackle is dangerous eg. Lifting a player up from the side of the maul in a tackle or tackling above the shoulders. The referee may give you a red or yellow card depending on the danger of the tackle.

OBSTRUCTION

In rugby union it is legal to tackle your opponent whilst they are in possession of the ball but tackling a player without the ball is called obstruction. It is called obstruction as you are blocking their path when they do not have the ball. Some players do this on purpose so they can make space for their team mates who are attacking. If they are caught doing this they well get sin-binned.

SIN-BIN

 When a player gets a yellow card for committing a dangerous tackle or anything that is dangerous they are sent off to the sin-bin for 10minutes. If the player gets a red card the player is off for the rest of the match.

 Scrum

A scrum is a way of resetting play because of:

·         Accidently offside

·         A knock on

·         The ball has gone forward

·         The ball is stuck in a ruck or maul and doesn’t come out

In the scrum there is the eight forwards, number 1-8but also involves the scrum-half(9).

The referee will shout “Crouch touch pause engage” once the referee has said “engage” then the scrum half can feed the ball into the scrum and then the two sides can start to push and attempt to hook the ball back to the back of the scrum where the scrum half will pass, run, kick or the number 8 can pick it up and create the next phase. When the scrum-half feeds the ball but goes straight out the other side the scrum will be retaken. The scrum will also be retaken when it rotates more than 90 degrees, if it collapses or does not come out quick enough.

Lineout

A lineout occurs when the ball goes out into touch and the team that did not touch it last get to take the lineout. The hooker usually takes the lineout by throwing it in straight allowing the other seven forwards to catch the ball. The second row get thrown up as they are the tallest but they can only be lifted up once the ball has been thrown. The forwards can tap it to the scrum half or can hold it and set up a maul or run. Players are not allowed to push or grip the opposition and anyone not in the lineout must stand 10metres back apart from the scrum-half.

Offside

When a player is running with the ball and a team mate is in front of him the team mate is offside. There are also many offside rules in scrums, rucks, kicks or lineouts.

Lineout offside-If a back other than the scrum-half is less than 10 metres back from the lineout then they are offside.

Scrum offside-For the scrum-half the offside line is the tunnel of the scrum therefor they cannot go past that but for the backs the offside line is the back foot of the number 8.

Kicking offside-When a player kicks the ball you must be behind him if you are not then you cannot get the ball until he has run passed you.

Ruck and maul offside-The offside line of a ruck is the back foot and you must come from behind as you would be offside from the side.

Training

 Rugby training usually includes being at the gym to train but also involves many different exercises. Sometimes in training there are different exercises depending on the position for example:

·         Practising a scrum

·         Passing

·         Agility test

·         Strength

·         Tackling

Before they do any exercise they will have a warm up run and do some dynamic stretches.