After last weekend's Consecutive National Championship winning Hokies win in Houston, I was made aware of a number of people here on TKP that did not know the game. I decided to do a quick and dirty review of this incredibly simple game. I'll do a basic down and dirty here then serialize this and explain some individual points in reply posts.
Rugby at VT is a club sport, not an NCAA sport. Also, at VT one of the players is also the coach.
Rugby was invented in 1823 in England by William Ellis, a student playing Football (soccer) at his high school, Rugby School.
With a fine disregard for the rules of football, as played in his day, young Mr. Ellis picked up the ball and ran with it. His mates gave chase and thus the game of Rugby Football was invented.
By Berswin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61169080
A game for hoodlums, played by gentlemen - the rules are simple.
2 teams of 15 players each. 1 on field referee + 1 side judge on each sideline.
Play does not stop unless there is a score, out of bounds, sometimes a penalty or sometimes an injury.
No substitutions except for injury.
3 ways to score.
1) Try- 5 pts. A Try is when a player touches the ball down, under control, into the area we think of as an endzone. If the ball is not touched down under control, this does not count.
2) Points after - 2 pts. After a Try, the scoring team attempts to kick the ball through the uprights. The kicker brings the ball out as far as he likes, perpendicular to the goal line at the point the ball was touched down in the "endzone".
3) Field Goal - 3 pts. The ball can be kicked through the uprights at any time. A missed field goal is a live ball.
Penalties
You cannot throw the ball forward. This includes accidentally dropping the ball.- Knock on result turnover in the form of a scrum
You cannot tackle above the shoulders. - High tackle free ball tothe other team.
Out of bounds is self descriptive - result is a "Line Out" Think of how soccer, lacross and Bball put the ball back in play.
You cannot be in front of the ball unless you are attempting to return to "onsides"- Offsides
You cannot act as a blocker - This is a form of offsides.
If you are tackled, you must fumble the ball within 1 second (this is currently loosely reffed) but can turn to fumble rearward if uncontested. If the ball is on the ground you cannot reach into a pile to pick up the ball.
You can only handle the ball when you are on your feet.
So, here it is in a nutshell.
1) Don't tackle high or do unsafe things.
2) Keep the ball inbounds.
3) Don't throw the ball forwards.
4) Don't be in front of the ball.
5) Score by kicking through the uprights or touching the ball down in the endzone.
Ask questions.
Comments
I find watching to be the best way to learn the game but I find it difficult to know when it will be on TV. I love watching 7s tournaments but I never know in advance when they are airing. Is there a website that you recommend for following international and college rugby?
Also you say they can reach into a pile to grab a ball on the ground. However, there are times when the player with ball goes down and he releases the ball that the other team will reach in/over to grab it. When is that allowed and when is it not allowed?
I believe you can reach for the ball but you have to come directly over the top of the player and you can't come around the side to reach for the ball. That's why the team with the ball has players post up over the tackled player as he pushes the ball backwards on the ground.
If no teammates of the tackled player are there to support the opposing team can reach over him and take the ball but again have to come over top of him and not from the side.
That's basically it and can be confusing.
A ball on the ground with players over it, is called a "ruck".
Can't reach into the ruck.
You can advance the ball as far as you like by pushing over the ruck and using your feet to keep the ball in the ruck. Pf course the other team can push back and keep you from pushing down the field.
This is the only time you can be in front of the ball, if you have a grip of another player and they have a grip on you, you are "bound in" and therefore part of the whole body of players and as long as the ball is under, you can't be offsides.
However, If the last player plays the ball or moves his feet in such a way as to allow the ball to get outside the feet of the players, it is in play and can be picked up.
If the last player, with the ball at his feet, releases the other players from his grip and is now free, the ball will then be outside the ruck and he can pick it up.
The guy on the ground does not count as one of the players. he must stand up to be counted as part of the ruck. If the tackled player has none of his team there,then there cannot be a ruck. The opposing team can just pick up the ball.
7s is coming up starting January. Maybe I'll start a thread to help us keep informed by each other. Kind of like the fishing thread.
I wish VT would have an aggregator for club sports.
In the US, following any rugby is not easy.
It's best to pick a team and try to keep up through their website or FB page.
College is tougher. Follow the youtube channels for your favorite clubs.
Perhaps one of the guys here has a better aggregator but there is Rugby Union and Rugby League which is like American and National leagues in US Baseball, slightly different rules.
Rugby is the second most played sport int the world, next to soccer, but really not know in the U.S.
Periodically here https://www.espn.com/search/_/q/rugby
But, really find a team and follow them is all I can recommend.
Once a month scan your tv guide. Mostly youtube channels though.
I love watching rugby and am trying to interest my kids in it for future team sports.
Many people interested in sports are aware of the New Zealand All-Blacks hakas. What are some other interesting or unique traditions in rugby?
Copious amounts of drinking. (I played at Radford)
Watching the keg tosses on the rec fields when I was at my first university confirms this. They would have a keg or two at the field, run out, then have someone go and grab a few more 30 racks to keep going.
It's actually one of the traditions that keeps it all in check.
Amateur clubs have a rule where the home team tosses a party with beer and food after the games.
Not gonna be too evil to these big guys that are going to be feasting with you in a couple hours.
Some of these parties are outstanding. Back in the 90's the Santa Barbara RFC had a caterer on the team.
My favorite International team NZ All Blacks. Named for their uniform.
the part I'm still confused about is tapping the ball with your foot before starting after stoppage.
A penalty kick only requires that the ball touches the foot in order to restart play. How it touches the foot is up to the team that gains the "advantage" from the penalty.
Thank you! I have a good friend who is a former rugby player and current coach. He won't ever explain it to me though
The Pitch
A rugby field is called a pitch. Sometimes also called a fixture. Confusingly, a fixture can also refer to a stadium or a game. Let's stick with pitch for clarity.
The game originates in the world where they drive on the wrong side of the road so, all the measurements are in meters.
A pitch sans end zone, is 100M long and 70M wide. The endzones are no less than 10M deep but depth being not particularly important as there are no forward passes. Goal post uprights are on the goal line, called tryline. There is some significant leeway here in the pitch dimensions as it is understood the reality exists where facilities dedicated to rugby are sparse. Make it even, make it as close as possible but safe, is the rule of the day.
In the photo below, only the solid lines impact play, the dotted lines are for quick measurements and therefore optional.
Sidelines are like all ball sports. Sometimes referred to as touchlines.
Midfield is self explanatory, it's where the ball is placed for kickoffs.
22 Meter line is the solid line 22 M out from the tryline. It signifies the defensive advantage area. Behind this line the defense can kick the ball straight into touch "lines" without hitting the ground, that point will be where the ball is deemed out. In front of this line, the ball must hit the ground, if it does not, it is out where it was kicked.
5M line Not pictured here. Dunno why it's not on this. Usually there is a 5M line where scrums cannot be initiated closer than 5M to the tryline.
I'll have to look up the dimensions of the goalposts, it escapes me right now.
Found the donate link for VT Mens Rugby.
Men's Rugby Club Crowdfunding
VT Men's Rugby is well into the 7's season.
7's is similar to "regular" rugby except instead of 15 players, there are 7 on each team.
So far VT 7's is at the bottom of the conference with no wins and 7 losses.
Good news though. All that is wiped out for the Rugby East conference tournament that starts tomorrow, 25 Feb.
Tech has 2 sides registered to play at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista.
VT's first game kicks off at 9:40 AM.
The scores and livestreams will be available at this link.
http://rugbyeast.org/2023SevensSVU.html
7's is fast paced, brutal and short usually with lots of scoring. It's open to the public.
Go Hokies.
Tournament results were excellent.
VT 1 played and won the first 2 of the three preliminary games. They went in to the playoffs as 4th seed.
Won the first round against the 1st seed. 10-5.
VT1 lost the championship game 22-10.
Second place in the first tournament of the year is a nice surprise.
Early scheduling is released for the Spring 15's season as well. This is where VT excels.
First game is against James Madison on Saturday 25 March. at 12:30 on Segra Field in Leesburg.
This is a dedicated soccer field for Loudon United FC. This would be a great place to watch a match.
https://www.loudoununitedfc.com/segrafield/
my dad played rugby. I never did but was always kind of curious about it. I had an opportunity some time back to play for a team in DC but I didn't take it (a regret I will carry to the grave). I was invited from some folks on the soccer team I had joined to join their rugby team. I wasn't able to commit then but I wish I had.
Anyway, they told me I'd be a good winger, which is why they wanted me to join. I used to be really, really fast. Not so anymore, unfortunately. Now I'm only really fast ;P
It would be cool to get a description of the positions and various characteristics you'd look for at each position. I think my dad was a Quarter Half, or something.
VT Rugby spring 15 team beat UVA yesterday 27-19.
I have a mild passing interest in rugby as a sport. I love VT beating UVA in anything. Win-win.
VT Men's Rugby 15s plays at VMI tomorrow, Sat 21 April at 5:45 PM.