Rugby is probably the second most popular sport in the world behind soccer, with teams in every country and a World Cup every four years.  In fact, while the USA Rugby level of play is somewhat behind international levels, back in the early 20th Century, the USA Team actually won Olympic Gold. 

Nevertheless, rugby in the USA is currently an amateur sport and, to that end, not as many people are as familiar with it as, say, baseball.  On this page are some common facts and terms, and some questions are answered and myths exposed.  For specific questions about Prep Rugby, click here.  Stay tuned...

A Favorite Rugby Quote:

Soccer is a gentleman's game played by hooligans and Rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen.

Some Basics of the Sport:

1. A rugby team is made up of 15 players. There are 8 forwards, who concentrate on winning possession,
     and seven backs, whose chief job it is to advance the ball. All players, though, get involved in offense,
     defense, and both do the grunt work and see the glory.
2. Players advance an oval ball by running with it or kicking it. Forward passes are illegal.
3. When a player is tackled, play continues as both teams try to gain possession. If the ballcarrier is taken to
     the ground, he must place the ball and release it. Ideally he will place the ball back toward his teammates.
     Some of his teammates then link up and drive over the ball, creating a protective wall around the ball for
     their team. Then the ball is passed out and play resumes. This is called a RUCK.
4. If the ball carrier remains on his feet when tackled, he tries to turn his back to the opposition, and his
     mates take the ball away from him and create a different protective wall. This is called a MAUL.
     If the ball is thrown forward, or if it is dropped forward, then the referee will call for a SCRUM. In a
     scrum, the eight forwards from each team bind together in a specific formation. It's like a 16-person face-
     off. A player from the team that did not commit the infraction then rolls the ball in the tunnel formed by
     both teams, and the ball is hooked backwards by the appropriately name “hooker”.

     Out of Bounds (in touch): When the ball goes out of bounds, it is said to have gone "In Touch." To
     restart, each group of forwards line up at the place where the ball went out. The hooker from the team
     who didn’t send the ball out throws the ball down the middle of the two lines. Each team attempts to
     jump for the ball. They can be lifted and held in the air by their teammates. This is called a LINEOUT.
     Kicking:Any player may kick the ball at any time. However, his teammates must be behind the kicker to
     be onside. If they are in front of the kicker (and offside) they must wait for an onside player to run past
     them before they can continue playing.
     Running with the ball. Rugby is all about running hard and making short, smooth lateral passes. Teams  
     can create intricate passing movements (like a very sophisticated wishbone offense in gridiron football),  
     and use players' size, speed, and agility to get past the opponents. All players on a rugby team have the 
     opportunity to run with the ball, and everybody plays defense.
     Offside:There's another kind of offside along with that related to kicking. If there is a scrum, or ruck, or
     maul, and you aren't involved in it, you must stay on your team's side of the breakdown, behind the
     rearmost foot in the ruck, maul, or scrum. Creeping up too close is like lining up in the neutral zone in
     football, and is a penalty.
     Scoring:A try (touchdown) is 5 points. Players must be in control of the ball and actually TOUCH THE
     BALL DOWN to score. The point after kick, called a conversion, is worth 2 points, and is taken from the
     side of the field where the try was scored. Therefore, if you score a try in the corner, the kick is from
     that sideline, if you score under the posts, the kick is from the middle of the field.

If a penalty is called, the offended team can choose to placekick the ball through the posts for three points. A drop goal is also three points.