Table Of ContentTHIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY
Franklin Watts Note: At the time of going to press, the
First published in Great Britain in 2015 by statistics and profi les in this book were up to
The Watts Publishing Group date. However, due to some cyclists’ active
participation in the sport, it is possible that
Copyright © The Watts Publishing Group some of these may now be out of date.
2015
Picture credits
All rights reserved. Shutterstock/ Paolo Bona p.6; Sophia Rugby
/Didier Honoré/Wikimedia Commons;
Credits p.7; Martin Hunter/Getty Images p.21;
Series Editor: Adrian Cole Shutterstock/ Maxisport p.22; Bradley Kanaris
Art direction: Peter Scoulding /Gettyp.25; Shutterstock/ Max Blain p.26;
Series designed and created for Shutterstock/ Neil Balderson p. 27.
Franklin Watts by Storeybooks
Designer: Rita Storey
Cover images: Tudor Photography, Banbury.
Editor: Nicola Barber
Photography: Tudor Photography, All photos posed by models. Thanks to Joel
Banbury (unless otherwise stated) Avery, Tim Bennett,
Every attempt has been made to clear Jamie Bache, Carl Daniels, Josh Deegan, Carl
copyright. Should there be any inadvertent Taylor, Mark Woodward and Jackson Wray.
omission please apply to the publisher for
rectifi cation.
The Publisher would like to thank The
Publisher would like to thank Banbury RUFC
Dewey number 796.3’33
for the use of the club’s ground.
HB ISBN 978 1 4451 4132 9
Library ebook ISBN 978 1 4451 4342 2 Previously published by Franklin Watts as
Know Your Sport Rugby.
Printed in China
Franklin Watts
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Taking part in sport is a fun
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form of physical exercise it has
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an element of risk, particularly
if you are unfi t, overweight
or suffer from any medical
conditions. It is advisable
to consult a healthcare
professional before beginning
any programme of exercise.
SS- Rugby PDF spreads indd.indd 4 27/05/2015 15:20
6
Players, Pitch and Positions 8
Training and Kit 10
Passing 12
Catching 14
Timing Runs 16
Beating an Opponent 18
Tackling 20
Kicking 22
Union and League Differences 1 24
Union and League Differences 2 26
Statistics and Records 28
Glossary and Websites 29
Index 30
Rugby is a tough, all-action game Aim of the Game
played between two teams. It is The two teams try to gain points
great to watch and even more by scoring ‘tries’. A try is scored
fun to play. when a player grounds the ball in
the in-goal area (see page 8) of
It comes in many versions but
the opposing team. When a team
all of them feature an oval ball
scores a try it has the chance to add
that players carry in their hands,
extra points with a ‘conversion’.
pass or kick. The two teams try
This is scored by one player kicking
to score points while preventing
the ball between the goalposts.
their opponents from scoring points
Teams can also score points through
against them.
penalty kicks and drop goals.
Fourie du Preez of
South Africa passes
the ball during
the 2007 World
Cup fi nal against
England. South Africa
went on to win the
championship.
IItt’s a Fact
Teaams in the men’s Woorld Cup
commpete fffor thhe WWiilllliiamm WWebbbb EElllliis
Tropphy. It isss named afterr a pupil at
Rugbby Schooooll, iinn EEnnggllaanndddd, wwhhoo wwaass
ppllaayyiinnng a gaaame of footbaall in 1823
wwwwheen he ppppiicckkeedd uupp tthhee bbaallll aanndd rrraaaaaann
wwwwwiiittttttthhh iiittt iiinnn his hands. Maany belliiieeeve
tthis was how ruggbyy bbeeeggggaaan.
6
Rugby for All
Rugby union is open to players of TTTTTThhhhhhhhe HHiiiissttoorryyyy ooff RRRRuuggbby
all shapes and sizes. It is also
played at all age and ability
levels. Many rugby clubs run teams
In the 19th century, ddiiffffereenntt vveerrrssiioonnss
ranging from under-10s to over-
of football and rugby football
40s. Women’s and girls’ rugby is
emerged.
also booming in popularity. For
the world’s best players, the most In 1871, clubs met to draw up
important competition is the World an agreed way of playing and
Cup, which is held separately for formed the Rugby Football Union.
men and women. It is played Arguments about professionalism
every four years. (being paid to play) raged within
the Union and in 1895, 22 rugby
Junior Games
clubs in the north of England
Rugby union is a 15-a-side game
formed the Northern Rugby Football
played over two halves of 40
Union, which was later renamed
minutes each. Smaller-scale versions
the Rugby Football League. Both
of the game, played for shorter
Union and League have developed
times and featuring fewer players,
different rules and ways of playing
exist for younger players. These
(see pages 24–27). This book
include tag rugby, which is a non-
concentrates on rugby union.
contact version of the sport, and
mini rugby. In some countries, girls
and boys play mini and tag rugby
together until the age of 11. In tag rugby, a player is ‘tackled’
when an opponent manages to pull
away a ribbon from the player’s
belt. The tackler then steppps back and
the tackleed player must ppass the ball.
Worldd Cup Victorry
In 2014, Englaand ended a
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defeats to win the Women’s
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A full-sized rugby
pitch is up to 69 Dead ball line. Iff the ball travels
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metres wide and
Goalposts featuring a
100 metres long, crossbar 3m in heeight.
CCCorner fl ag
Goal or tryyyy line
with two in-goal
areas of a maximum 5-m line for peenalties or scrums
depth of 22 metres. 2222-mm lliinnee.. PPllaayyeerrss iinnnnssiiddee tthheeiirr oowwnn 2222
can kick the ball dirrectly out of touch
The 15 players on wwiitthhoouutt tthhee bbaaaallll bboouuncciinnggggg..
each side are divided
11 22 33
into eight forwards 6 . 7 10-m line
44 5
(the players who form
8 TTo
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TT lliineeeeeee whhen tthheeeiiiiiiiir
Forwards (1–8) eenee 15 teoooooooaaaaaaarrrm rrreee ksssitttcaaakrrrsttt ssso..ffffffff
1 Loose-head prop w
2 Hooker betb
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e
Backs (9–15) e lin 5-m linee for penalties or scruuuuuuummms
h
9 Scrum-half TTTT
10 Fly-half (also known In-goal area wwhere tries
are scoreed
as stand-off)
11 Winger
12 Inside centre
13 Outside centre
14 Winger
15 Full-back
FFoooorrwwaaaarrdddss aaanndd BBBBaacckkkkss FFoorrwwaaards tend to be larger,
hhheavviieerrr and slower than backs,
ttthhoougghhh the difference between
Forwards are iinvvoollvveedd iinn sscruums
tthheemm iis becoming less and less
and lineouts (see pages 26–27)
In modern rugby forwards need
and generally in winning the
to be able to move around
ball for their side. They feed
the pitch quickly, while backs
the ball to the scrum-half and
need to be strong enough
fl y-half who have the choice of
to surge through tackles and
kicking the ball, running with it
defend well.
or passing it out to the backs.
8
RRRReeffeerrrreees aaaanndd RRRRuulleessss
The Referee’s
The refferee iiss iinn cchhaarrgggee ooff tthhhee
Signals
rugby match and makes decisions
that have to be followed by all
the players. The referee is assisted
by two touch judges. They run up
and down the touchline during the
game, and also stand beneath
the goalposts when a penalty kick
or conversion is taken. In some
top-fl ight rugby league and union
games, there is an additional
offi cial, known as the video referee. Try (see
Penalty (see
If a try is in dispute, for example, page 6)
page 12)
the match referee can signal to the
video referee to give a ruling.
Rugby is a technical game with
many complicated rules. Players
need to learn all the laws of rugby.
You should discuss any you are
unsure about with your coach.
Knock-on
(see page 14)
RRRReessttaaaarttss
High tackle
(see page 20)
Each half of a mmaaattcchh iiss ssttartedd wwwwiitthh
a kick-off taken from, or behinddd, tthhee
centre of the halfway line. Kick-offs ‘‘TTTTeemmmmpppooraaarriillyyyy
are also used to restart the game
ssuusppppppeennddddeeddd’’
after a try is scored. The ball must
travel over the opponents’ 10-m
If a player is guilty ooff ffooouull ppllaaayyy
line and stay in play. If not, the
such as fi ghting, stamping on an
opposing team can order the kick
opponent or persistently breaking
to be re-taken or can choose to
rules, a referee may send a player
have a scrum (see page 26) at the
to the ‘sin bin’. The player is shown
centre of the halfway line. Another
a yellow card and sent off the
type of restart, the 22-m drop out,
fi eld immediately. The player must
is a drop kick (see page 22) taken
stay off and cannot return or be
from behind the 22-m line.
substituted for ten minutes.
9
Rugby is a fast and physical that rugby kit has changed a
game. Players need to be very fi t great deal in the past few years.
to perform at their best. Rugby Lightwight warm fabrics that ‘wick’
can also be a dangerous game. moisture away from the body
To avoid injury, players need to means that shirts can be closer
prepare for matches thoroughly fi tting but still comfortable to wear.
and always obey the referee’s This new kit also gives an opponent
instructions. less fabric to grab hold of! Boots
(ideally with adjustable screw-in
A Player’s Kit studs) should fi t comfortably and
Players in the same team wear laces should be securely tied. A
identical strips. New developments tracksuit to keep warm before and
in fabric technology have meant after a game is also important.
Stretching
Rugby players perform a
series of stretches to the key
muscles in their legs, arms
and back before starting a
game. These stretches help
them perform at their best
and prevent injuries.
10
