Rugby Basics

Rugby is a team sport that is played primarily in Europe, but has been adopted by athletes across the world. It is noted for being a dangerous sport, but it is also one of the most competitive and rewarding activities, according to rugby athletes and enthusiasts. All you need are two teams, a rugby ball and a field in order to play the sport.

  1. Rugby Field

    • A rugby field is called a pitch, and it is longer and wider than a typical football field, resembling more of a soccer field. A typical pitch is 110 yards long and 75 yards wide.

    Teams

    • There are two teams in rugby, with each player on each team holding both a defensive and offensive position. Teams in the rugby league have 13 players, and teams in the rugby union have 15.

    League and Union

    • There are two different governing bodies of rugby, the league and the union. Team sizes, minor rules and pitch sizes differ slightly, making the games played under each organization's auspices a little different.

    Play

    • The point of the game is for each team to kick and pass the rugby ball to each other, and to run it towards the opposing goal to receive points. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

    Passing

    • The rugby ball can only be passed between players horizontally. This makes it so the rugby ball can only advance when a player is running with it.

    Rugby Balls

    • These balls are oval in shape, but with more rounded edges than footballs (to eliminate erratic bouncing). They are made from leather or a similar material, and come in various sizes for kids and adults.