Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup

Rugby is one of the most physical of sports. Internationally the pinnacle of the sport lies in the Rugby World Cup. Other tournaments such as the Tri Nations including South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, Six Nations including England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France and the Heineken Cup are other tournaments which are held in high esteem throughout

Object of the Game

The object of the game is score more points than your opponents in the 80 minute time frame allotted for each rugby match. The team with the greater number of points at full time is announced as the winner. Games may end as a draw.

The team with the ball must move the ball up the field in ‘phases of play’. The ball can never be passed forwards but players can run forwards with the ball or kick the ball forward to chase it down. The opposing team needs to stop the attacking team by tackling and trying to retain the ball. 토토

Scoring

Points can be scored by one of four ways:

A try is awarded when a player places the ball down in their opponent’s dead ball area behind the goal. 5 points are awarded.
A conversion is a free kick that the team is awarded after a try to earn 2 bonus points. A successful kick needs to pass between the upper posts and top bar on the goal.
A penalty kick will gain a team 3 points and is awarded to a team when the opposing team causes an infringement.
A drop goal can be kicked out of the hand as long as the ball bounces first and can earn a team 3 points.

Winning the Game

To win the game you must score more points than your opponent within 80 minutes. Points can be scored via any of the methods mentioned above.

Rules of Rugby

The game is broken down into two 40 minute halves with a 10 minute rest period in between. The game carries no stoppage time and will end exactly on 80 minutes.
Each team can start with 15 players and up to 7 substitutes. Players that have left the field are only allowed to return if they have been treated for an injury.
The field must be roughly 100 metres long and 70 metres wide with a minimum of a 10 metre dead ball area. The H shaped goal needs to be 6 metres wide with no restrictions on height.
The field consist of the following markings; half way line, 5 metre line, 22 metre line, 10 metre line and dead ball line. Also included is a centre spot for restarting the game after a try, penalty or drop goal has been scored.
The game must have one referee and two touch judges. It’s the referee’s job to time keep, make decisions throughout the game and keep order on the field. The two touch judges can assist the referee with decisions and also notify the referee when players are in touch (out of playing boundaries).
The game will stop if a player is fouled, the ball goes out of play or a try or drop goal is scored.
The defending team must tackle a player by grabbing a hold and pulling them to the floor. A tackle cannot be made above shoulder height and doing so will cause the referee to award a foul.
Once the ball goes into touch a line out is called. Up to 7 players can enter a line out and any of these players can be lifted in order to catch the ball being thrown in. Both teams can compete to win the ball.
A successful conversion, penalty or kick at goal only occurs when the player manages to kick the ball through the top section of the goal. If a player is unsuccessful the ball is still in play until it crosses one of the playing fields boundaries.
Attacking players must remain behind the ball whilst active or run the risk of being called offside. Players not interfering with play can be in front of ball but must get back behind the ball before then again interfering with play.

About the History of Rugby

Do we really owe the origin of rugby to William Webb Ellis?
Some say it’s sports folklore, whereas some swear we have William Webb Ellis to thank for the origin of rugby. The story goes that a 16-year-old William Webb Ellis picked up a ball during a school football match in 1823 and began running across the pitch with it. As any sports fan will know, that’s a red card in football. But in this instance, instead a whole new ball game (quite literally) was invented: rugby.

Although there’s still a lot of scepticism around whether Webb Ellis is responsible for the invention of rugby, you can find him in statue form within the grounds of Rugby School in Warwickshire.

The rugby history timeline: key moments every team should know
There’s been a fair share of memorable moments and standout wins through the history of rugby. From its invention in 1823, all the way through to a victorious turn of events in 2019, we’ve covered the most memorable:

1823: Rugby is invented by William Webb Ellis when he bends the rules of a school football match and runs with the ball.

1839: Rugby School’s team make rugby history and wear the first ever team uniform, fit with red velvet caps.

1845: The first set of rugby rules are set and drafted by a group of English students.

1862: On 23rd August, South Africa play their first game of rugby on the Green Point Common in Cape Town. Each team is made up of military and civilian players, who learnt to play in England.

1871: Rugby Football Union is formed in London. And on 27th March, the first rugby union match between Scotland and England takes place at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh, bringing in over 4,000 spectators.

1877: England beat Ireland on 5th February at the first ever 15-a-side international match, once again at Raeburn Place.

1882- 1883: Between 16th December 1882 and 3rd March 1883, England, Wales, Ireland Scotland play the first international tournament: the Home Nations Championship. England win, becoming the first winners of what’s now known as the Triple Crown.

1892: In New Zealand, the first Rugby Football Union club is formed.

1900: The summer Olympics in Paris take place, where rugby made its debut. The title is taken home by France.

1987-2015: Rugby grows in popularity throughout the 1900s and becomes a worldwide favourite, whilst New Zealand reign as champions between 1987 and 2015, winning three World Cups.

2019: South Africa take the crown from New Zealand at the World Cup hosted in Japan.