Rugby?
Rugby is a sport, a passion, a disease you catch. They'll tell you
it's a cross between soccer and football, but that doesn't really
prepare you for it. There is NOTHING like it on or off the field.
The legend is that William Webb Ellis, who one day during a football
(soccer) match at Rugby School in England, decided to pick up the
ball and run with it. Whatever it's roots, today's rugby is, at
its best, a blend of strategy, strength, speed, stamina, and instinct.
The object is to, by carrying, passing, and kicking the ball, score
more points than the other team. Simple enough . . .
The Pitch, Your Kit, and Other Prerequisites
We play on a PITCH. It looks like a field and it is a field, but
we call it a pitch. It is preferably grassy and level, but we take
what we can get. All of the markings will someday make sense, but
for now one important thing to remember is that the lines are included
in what is beyond them (i.e. the touchline is in-touch or out of
bounds, and the goal line is in-goal). Your rugby KIT is what you
wear to the pitch. It consists of a sturdy rugby jersey a pair of
rugby shorts, matching socks and cleats. You'll also need a rugby
ball. It looks like a fat football with more rounded ends. Add one
referee, 15 of you and 15 of them and you're ready for a good rugby
match.
How to Begin and Some Interesting Facts
Kickoff of a rugby games is taken at center field or the 50 meter line. The game is divided into two halves, each 40 minutes long. The clock never stops, but any stoppage time taken for injury or equipment is added on to the half in which it occurs.
ANYBODY may play the ball. You may run with it, pass it, kick it, or tackle an opponent who has it - provided that you are ONSIDE. This is very important: if you are BEHIND THE BALL you are ONSIDE. If you are in FRONT of it you are OFFSIDE. You won't be in trouble if you're 50 meters away tying your shoe, but if you influence the play in any way from an offside position this is a Penalty.
The concept of offside explains a lot of this sport. For example: we CANNOT pass forward because that would mean that the receiver would be in front of us and thus offside. Kicking forward is permissible (and desirable), but unless you are behind the kicker, she or someone behind him passes you, or you ARE the kicker, you cannot just go for the ball. In fact, if you are offside and within 10 meters of an opponent fielding a kick you MUST RETREAT beyond that 10 and only go ahead in your pursuit of the ball after he has moved 5 meters, passed, kicked, or dropped the ball.
You also may NOT BLOCK in rugby. Inhibiting opponents who do not have the ball or even just sort of standing in the way is called OBSTRUCTION and is illegal.
Now that this is all perfectly murky in your mind, we will proceed
with what you CAN do, how the ball does manage to move forward,
and where you might fit in.
Rookie Primer
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