summary

Rugby

The Game
Each side attempts to touch the ball down beyond their opponents’ goal line while the opponents attempt to gain possession of the ball. Play begins with a kickoff, and from then on a player may run, kick, or pass the ball down the field, hopefully moving closer to the opposing team’s goal. Each side has 15 players: 8 forwards and 7 backs. Generally, the forwards deliver the ball to their backs who advance it with speed and cunning. Play is continuous until someone scores, breaks a law, or propels the ball out of bounds ("in touch" as they say).
Rugby is similar to both football and soccer. Like football, an opponent may tackle the ball carrier at any time. However, blocking for the ball carrier is not allowed and tacklers must wrap the ball carrier with their arms. The ball carrier may run or kick the ball forward but can only pass the ball laterally or behind him or her. Like soccer, the game is free flowing. Similar to the off-sides rule in soccer, a rugby player is off-side anytime that he or she is in front of his/her team-mate that has control of the ball or the team-mate that last played the ball. However, being off-side is only illegal if the player who is off-side attempts to participate in the game at that time.
There are basically two major ways to score points in rugby: the try and the kick (like football, kicks must be through the uprights of the goal posts).
To score a try (five points), a player must ground the ball in his/her opponent’s end zone. This may be done by running or kicking the ball into the end zone and then touching the ball down for a score. After a try, the scoring team attempts to kick the ball through the goal posts and above the cross bar. This is like an extra point in football except it’s worth two points. The kick is taken at any point straight out from the try zone where the ball was touched down.
A team is awarded a penalty kick if its opponents commit a major penalty. Any of three types of kicks may be taken in response to a penalty. The ball may be kicked through the goal posts, kicked out of bounds, or tapped and run with. If it is kicked through the goal posts, three points are awarded. If a team is too far from the goal to try for points, the team will kick down field to gain territorial advantage. If a team is in close, they may choose to tap the ball and run a play. Most penalties are for off-sides or dangerous play.
A drop goal may be attempted at any time during a match by drop kicking the ball through the opponent’s goal posts. The ball is literally dropped on the ground and then kicked when it bounces. It is worth three points, but must touch the ground before being booted.