Brief History
According to legend, rugby was born in 1823 when William Webb Ellis, a student at Rugby School in England, was playing soccer and picked up the ball and ran with it down the field.
American football, as well as basketball, owes many of its characteristics to rugby. In fact, basketball was invented by James Naismith as an indoor alternative to Rugby when the New England winters required an indoor game. Some of rugby’s characteristics such as quick switches between attack and defense, ball handling and committing defenders to attack space are all found in basketball. Some people liken rugby to tackle basketball on grass.
Today rugby is played in over 100 countries around the world.
Duration
Standard 15-a-side rugby consists of 40-minute halves and a 10-minute half-time.
Field & Equipment
Rugby is played on a field approximately 100 meters in length (excluding two try zones) by 70 meters wide. Players wear a pair of boots (cleats) and a mouth guard. Helmets and hard padding are not allowed, but some players opt to wear soft- padded head gear.
Object
The object of the game is to carry the ball over the opponents’ goal line and touch the ball down to the ground to score a try.
Scoring
There are four ways to score points in a rugby game.
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Try – Grounding the ball on or over an opponents’ goal line is worth 5 points.
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Conversion – A successful kick at goal after scoring a try is worth 2 points. It is taken from a point straight back from where the ball is grounded in the try zone.
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Penalty – A successful kick at goal after a penalty is worth 3 points.
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Drop Goal – A drop kick over the goal during open play is worth 3 points.
- Penalty Try – awarded to a team when the opposing team commits a penalty that prevented a probable try and is worth 7 points
Number of Players 
Standard rugby consists of 15 players on each side, with substitutions limited to 7 additional players. Generally, once a player leaves the game he may not return.
Moving the Ball
1. Running & Passing: In order to move the ball forward in rugby, players may run or kick the ball. The ball may be passed only laterally or backwards. No forward passes allowed. A forward pass is an infringement and may result in a scrum awarded to the other team. Likewise, if a player accidentally drops or knocks the ball forward to the ground—known as a “knock-on”—a scrum may be awarded to the other team.
2. Kicking: The rugby ball may be kicked at any time during a game. Generally, a kicker’s teammates must be behind the ball when it is kicked.
3. Tackling: Rugby is a continuous, full contact sport. When a tackle is made, play continues. A tackle occurs when the ball-carrier is taken to the ground by an opponent. Once a player makes a tackle, she must roll away or get to her feet before playing the ball. Once tackled, a ball-carrier must release the ball.
4. Ruck: When a ball-carrier is tackled to the ground, a ruck may form when one or more players from each team close in around the ball to contest possession.
5. Maul: A maul forms when the ball-carrier is held up by a member of the opposition as well as a member of his own team.
6. Scrum: A scrum is used to restart play after a minor infringement (e.g., knock-on). A scrum consists of 8 of a team’s 15 players, who bind who bind together to face 8 players of the opposition. The ball is thrown into the middle of the scrum, and the players work with their feet to hook the ball to the back of the scrum, making it available again for open play.
7. Lineout: When the ball goes out of bounds, play is restarted with a lineout. Two lines are formed by the opposing teams. The ball is thrown between the lines, and teams may lift players to contest for the ball.
8. Offside: The offside law restricts where players may be on the field, to ensure there is space to attack and defend. In general, a player is offside if that player is ahead of a teammate carrying the ball or who last played the ball. Being in an offside position is not, in itself, an offense. But an offside player may not take part in the game until onside again, at risk of being penalized.
9. Advantage: The advantage law allows the game to be more continuous. If an infringement occurs where stoppage in play would deprive the non-offending team of opportunity to advance the ball, the referee may “play advantage” and allow the non-offending team to play on. If no advantage occurs, the referee may go back and award the penalty, scrum, etc. for the original infringement.
Common Penalties
Forward pass or Knock-on-- If a pass has gone forwards, or a handling error has resulted in a knock-on, the referee may award a scrum to the non-offending team.
Joining a ruck or maul from the side -- When joining a ruck or maul, players must join from behind the last player on their side. Joining from the side may result in award of a penalty to the other team.
Failure to roll away-- Players on the ground when a ruck is formed must immediately roll away from the ball, which allows for continuity of play. Failure to roll away may result in award of a penalty to the other team.
Failure to release player or ball – After a tackle, the tackler must immediately release the ball-carrier, and the ball- carrier must release the ball. Failure to release limits fair contest for possession, and may result in award of a penalty to the non-offending team.
Advantage being played – After an infringement, the referee may play advantage to the benefit of the non- offending team. If no advantage occurs, the referee may go back and award the penalty or scrum for the original infringement.
Penalty Consequences
Penalty Kick: Awarded after a serious infringement of the law. Offenders are required to retreat 10 yards while the opposing team is given the opportunity to restart play unopposed. Teams will often kick the ball up field and out of bounds to gain field advantage. When they do this, play is restarted as a lineout where the ball goes out of bounds. If in range, they may attempt a kick at the goal posts, worth three points. Finally, they may simply tap the ball with their foot and run with it.
Free Kick: A kick is awarded to the non-offending team for an infringement by its opponent. Unless a Law states otherwise, a free kick awarded of an infringement is awarded at the place of infringement. Also, a free kick may not be kicked at goal for three points.
Sin Bin: On occasion, the referee will send a player behind one of the in-goal areas (the Sin Bin) for serious and/or repeated infringements for a specified period of time. The team is required to play short-handed until the referee permits the player to return. This penalty is fairly rare, but used by the referees to maintain control of the game.
Send-Offs: In extreme cases a referee may send a player off the field for dangerous or reckless play. A player who has been sent off is banned from that game and is not permitted to return or be replaced.
