Spokane Phoenix Womens Rugby

How to Play

 

The Playing Field

The field that rugby is played on is called a pitch. The pitch is 100 meters long by 70 meters wide. The sidelines are called touchlines and there are two "end-zone" areas which are usually 10 to 22 meters deep with a try line marking the front and a dead ball line at the back. The goal posts are located on the try line and are about 6 meters apart with a crossbar set at 3 meters. The height of the posts varies from club to club.Teams in a fifteens match will consist of two groups of players, the forwards and the backs. Each position has a specific number and responsibilities during the two 40 minutes halves of a match.

 

Game Start

A coin toss determines the team which will kick off first. The kicking team will send their forwards to one side of the pitch at the 50 meter line. The opposing forwards will move in front of their opposites, but spread out behind the 10 meter line in preparation to receive the kick.The kicker will set the ball on the ground and start the match on the referee's whistle. The kick must travel forwards at least 10 meters and land in bounds.The second half of a match is started in the same way except the teams have switched ends of the pitch and the team starting the match kicking now receives the ball.

 

Mauls and Rucks

If the ball is held up off the ground and more than two players have bound together a maul is formed. If the ball has gone to ground, then the group of bound players is called a ruck. The very important principle of rucks and mauls is that once they are set, two imaginary off sides lines become present at the back of each team's rucking/mauling players back foot, extending from touchline to touchline. Any player running into the zone who is not joining the ruck or maul, from behind this line, before the ball leaves is considered offside and a penalty can be awarded to the other team.

 

Penalties

Offside is the most common penalty during a match. If a penalty is awarded within goal kicking distance of a team's kicker, the team captain may elect to have the kicker take an uncontested place kick at goal for three points from a spot determined by the referee called a mark. If the kick is successful, play is restarted at the 50 meter line with a drop kick back to the scoring team. After an unsuccessful penalty kick, play is usually restarted by a drop kick to the kick attempting team from the 22 meter line. This restart is called a 22 meter dropout.Other common penalties include violent play, barging, not releasing the ball, obstruction (blocking) and diving over a collapsed ruck. For minor infringements such as a foot up in the scrum, a free kick can be awarded. A free kick is just like a penalty kick except it cannot be taken directly at goal and if it goes to touch, the other team is awarded the ball for the lineout.

 

Scoring a Try

A try is scored when a player crosses the try line and touches the ball to the ground. After a try is scored the defensive team stands in the try zone while the offensive team takes their extra kick. The kick is taken 22 meters directly down field from where the ball was toughed down.

 

The Scrum

Very often a player will lose the ball forward during a tackle or just while running and receiving a pass, thus knocking-on. If the ball is quickly picked up by the other team, the referee will let play continue to allow the recovering team to take advantage of the mistake. If no advantage occurs, then the referee will whistle for a scrum to be set at a spot he indicates on the pitch also called a mark. The team that did not lose the ball is awarded the ball to put into the scrum. A scrum is also awarded whenever a pass is made in which the ball goes forward.

 

 

The Line Out

The other common set piece in rugby, besides the scrum, is the lineout. After a ball has been kicked or run out of bounds, the forwards of each team will line up at the spot indicated by the touch judge as the touch mark. Normally, the hooker of the team being awarded the ball will be the person to throw the ball back into the lineout. The other forwards will lineup at least 5 meters away from him but no further than 15 meters. The opposing team will lineup to match their counterparts. Someone on the team with the throw-in will call a coded signal indicating who the ball will be thrown to and any subsequent move. At the same time the fly half should also be calling a move. The hooker will then throw the ball to the intended receiver who has jumped into the air. Most often the throw is to the locks who are jumping in the second and fourth positions in the lineout supported by the players on either side of them.