What you need to know before we begin

Before I start explaining the rules and regulation of a Rugby game, let me tell you the basics of rugby:

This game consists of 2 teams in a field (Number of players can be 7, 10 or 15 per team depending on the type of tournament).

The dimension of the field is :

The photo "rugby field dimensions diagram" (SportsKnowHow.com, 2011)

To start the game, one of the team will perform a “drop kick” at the center line of the field to their opponents. The players will carry, pass, kick or do grounding to enter the in-goal of their opponent’s side. The defending players will try to prevent their opponent players from going in to their in-goal.

Note : In-goal is an area where the attacking player can score

The photo "England vs France tackle" (WhatIsRugby, 2008)

An example how the defending players can tackle their opponents but it must follow the regulation of the IRB Law.

Two ways to successfully score in this game is by:

The Photo "Israel Dagg scored a try" (Reuters, 2011)

·      Try – the attacking player must ground the ball in the in goal area. (5 points)

The photo "Rugby Conversion Kick" (MensHealthUK, 2011)

·      Penalty Try – Only given when the player who could have scored but was fouled by the defending player. The referee will award the attacking team a penalty try. (5 points)

Types of Goals:

·      Conversion Goal – The team who successfully scored a try will be allowed to kick the ball between the goal posts. It can be a place kick or a drop kick. (2 points)

·      Penalty Goal – This is when the attacking player scores between the goal posts from a penalty kick. (3 points)

·      Dropped Goal – The attacking player scores a dropped goal from a drop kick during general play. ( 3 points)

Now I will explain the position of players in the field. It can be divided by 2 parts, FORWARDS and BACKS

The photo "Rugby Position" (BBC Sport, 2012)

Forwards (8 players):

·      Prop (No. 1 & 3)

·      Hooker (No. 2)

·      Locks (No. 4 & 5)

·      Flanker ( No. 6 & 7)

·      No. 8 (No. 8)

Backs (7 players):

·      Scrum – half (No. 9)

·      Fly – Half (No. 10) -- Note: This position may also be called Standoff in different parts of the world.

·      Centre (No. 12 & 13)

·      Wing ( No. 11 & 14)

·      Fullback ( No. 15)

The following are few types of technique’s forms used by the players as winning strategies in the game:

The photo "Beaudet and Derek Handrahan show off the kind of textbook rucking" (Hanstein, 2009)

The photo "Rugby Scrum" (MRFU)

The photo "Mauling" (IRB Laws, 2012)

The photo "Rugby Line Out Technichal" (Rucking Ball)

For me to explain everything is going to be extra long. So if you are interested about the law you can check it out here. 

Cheers.

 References

SportsKnowHow.com. 2011. Rugby field dimensions diagram [image] retrieved from http://www.sportsknowhow.com/rugby/dimensions/rugby-field-dimensions.html 

WhatIsRugby. 2008. England vs France tackle [image] retrieved from http://www.whatisrugby.com/2008/02/25/despite-loss-to-england-french-showcase-the-players-and-style-of-rugby%E2%80%99s-future/

Reuters. 2011. Israel Dagg scores a try [image] retrieved from http://ca.ibtimes.com/articles/232862/20111018/canada-s-ander-monro-russia-s-denis-simplikevich-romania-s-stefan-eugen-ciuntu-scotland-s-simon-dani.htm#page5 

MensHealthUK. 2011. Rugby Coversion Kick [image] retrieved from http://www.menshealth.co.uk/cm/menshealthuk/images/KX/rugby-conversion-skill-sets-14112011.jpg

BBC Sport. 2012. Rugby Positions [image] retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/rules_and_equipment/6332057.stm 

Hanstein, Bobbie. 2009. Beaudet and Derek Handrahan show off the kind of textbook rucking [image] retrieved from http://www.dailybulldog.com/db/sports/mens-rugby-umf-49-st-anselm-22/  

MRFU. Rugby Scrum [image] retrieved from http://www.mrfu.mn/userfiles/images/rugby/rugbyscrum.jpg 

IRB Laws. 2012. Mauling [image] retrieved from http://www.irblaws.com/EN/laws/4/17/157/during-the-match/maul/offside-at-the-maul/ 

Rucking Ball. Rugby Technical Lineout [image] retrieved from http://www.ruckingball.com/tag/rugby-lineout-technical/

Step into the world of Rugby!

First and foremost, a preface of what the blog posts to come will contribute is the knowledge that you might already know about Rugby football game or otherwise some new facts that you have yet to discover. This blog is meant for study purposes thus any material to be found in this blog breaching any copyright content is totally unintentional. 

Question : How did i get involved in Rugby? 

Answer

Well, it was always an impression given by people that Rugby is a very rough game and that bones will be broken by the end of the game. I had no intention of getting into the game up until i got involve with a particular circle of friends, who happen to be very enthusiastic with Rugby (eat, live, fight, sleep for rugby kind of situation). It was pretty intense. Thus since year 2006, i have been around the Ruggers a lot, and they somehow sucked me into the world of Rugby. 

Did you know? 

The term Rugby came from a name of a leading co-educational boarding school situated in Rugby, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, named Rugby School.

The Legendary Tale of Rugby

It was said that Willam Webb Ellis, a pupil from Rugby School had breached the rules of football in one of the matches whereby he took the ball in his hands and ran for the post. Although the rules of football was then rather complicated because there are times that you can hold the ball in hand but it then need to be released immediately, the act pulled by W. W. Ellis had the crowed going. Therefore the game Rugby was born in year 1823 (Trueman, 2007). 

Or so told by many.

There has been numerous debates be as it on a personal level, state, country, union, even internationally, people have been debating on the origins of the Rugby game. Some say that Webb Ellis was demonstrating the legendary "Caid" game played by the Irish or the "Harpastum" back in the Roman Empire era or to bring it all back to the Ancient Greek it was a favorite pastime namely "Episkyros"(Bath, 1997). 

To educate people of where the origin of the game was from is arguable as there are so many versions of the legendary story. There is no way that i could clarify this fact other than inventing a time machine and have an interview with Matthew Bloxham, the sole source of the William Webb Ellis myth (Shortell, 2004). Thus the origins of Rugby could not be authenticated. 

RWC

The International Rugby Board however took into account of the Webb Ellis tale and honored him with the "Webb Ellis Cup" used for the Rugby World Cup tournament. 

Nowadays, Rugby has grown into an internationally credited game recognized by countries around the world, hence the Rugby World Cup. 

I hope you find my findings useful and educational. 

Cheers.

Reference

Trueman, N. (2007). Origins of Rugby. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from Rugby Football History: http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/originsofrugby.htm 

Bath, R. (1997). The Origins of Rugby (a legend deflated). In The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Rugby. Carlton Books.

Shortell, P. (2004, July 29). Bloxam. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from The William Webb Ellis Myth: http://www.pshortell.demon.co.uk/rugby/ch1.htm