Rugby

...is a cool sport. Anybody want to explain the rules to me?

*Yes I could Google the rules, but discussions are fun. And I'm bored.

Also, is anybody watching the World Cup?
 
You want to score more points than the other team. Quickest way is to Premium Link Upgrade (touchdowns, but you actually have to physically touch the ball down in the try zone past the goal posts) which are worth 5 points. They are followed by a conversion kick attempt worth two extra points (this is taken parallel to where the try was scored). Kicks from the sideline are hard, but if you are good enough you can do this - Premium Link Upgrade

There are also penalty kicks, which are similar to conversions but taken from the spot where the penalty was given and worth 3 points. The different penalties would take too long to explain, but there is the usual like offsides and dangerous tackles.

Another way is with drop kick goals (3 points). You can do these almost anytime, anywhere but they are not easy to do consistently. But if you are good you can do this - Premium Link Upgrade

Important things...Don't pass the ball forwards under any circumstances, don't lose control the ball propelling it forward (scrum with feed to the opposition in each case) and Premium Link Upgrade . No shoulder charges, no spear tackles (dropping them on their head pretty much). No blocking/obstructing the opposition from a tackle.

15 guys on each side. The number on their back denotes their position.
Basically...1-3 are the slow, fat and strong guys.
4-5 are the tall guys. If they ball goes out of play, they usually throw it back in to a lineout where tall guys have the advantage.
6-7 are pretty strong too and are good at stealing the ball off tackled opponents. 8 kinda does a bit of everything.
These 8 guys are the ones in the scrum, when they get in a crouching pack and push against the other 8 guys.
9 is usually a little quick guy that is the first to pass the ball (sometimes run with it) from a ruck: when a player gets tackled to the ground and other guys pile on top of him.
10 is like the captain of the ship on offence, he is the first to receive the ball from 9 and decides what to do... run, pass, kick etc. Most like the quarterback equivalent in terms of star power, but probably not on-field importance.
11 and 14 are the fastest guys on the team on the left and right ends of the field respectively. Like the equivalent of wide out receivers.
12 and 13 are the centres, behind the 9 and 10 guys. Not as fast as 11/14 but often physically stronger and more built.
15 is the guy at the back who is the last line of defence (like a safety) and is usually good at catching kicks too.
9-15 are usually the guys that score the most tries, which often involve passing patterns, decoy runners, agile moves and so on.

There are is no equivalent to 4th down turnovers, you can keep the ball as long as you can manage if you want.

That's all I got for now. I live about 45 minutes from where the final is going to be played but I don't have tickets.
 
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Interesting and thanks for the explanation.

Here's a question, are they played in quarters or halves or...? Basically how long is a game supposed to be and is it divided up into quarters/periods like in basketball, hockey etc?
 
Interesting and thanks for the explanation.

Here's a question, are they played in quarters or halves or...? Basically how long is a game supposed to be and is it divided up into quarters/periods like in basketball, hockey etc?

Two 40 minute halves = 80 minutes. The clock doesn't stop under most circumstances, but if there is a fight/ref is explaining a penalty/someone is injured it will be. There are also no tactical timeouts.
Once time expires in the half, they will keep playing until the ball goes dead (ball goes out, after someone scores or loses the ball forwards, etc.)
 
Two 40 minute halves = 80 minutes. The clock doesn't stop under most circumstances, but if there is a fight/ref is explaining a penalty/someone is injured it will be. There are also no tactical timeouts.
Once time expires in the half, they will keep playing until the ball goes dead (ball goes out, after someone scores or loses the ball forwards, etc.)

That is simply awesome. I imagine it's a bit tiring to actually play though.
 
(ball goes out, after someone scores or loses the ball forwards, etc.)

Usually, it's a case of if they can kick the ball out of play.

A nightmare for me on Saturday when there was play after the 80th minute, fearing Wales would win if they held the ball and scored a try, or a drop goal. But France won and I also won £22, on my £20 bet... Way to go, betting against the team my *** was following. :1orglaugh
 
That is simply awesome. I imagine it's a bit tiring to actually play though.

It is, the players have to be conditioned for endurance...High aerobic fitness and stuff like that. The heaviest guys usually max out at around 260-270 pounds, although some modern teams have average team weights of around 220-225 pounds.
It has been apparent with the second tier nations playing first tier teams at the world cup, a bunch of times they have been competitive for a while but then get blown away in the last 20 or so minutes because they aren't used to the pace.
 
Originally, a try was worth just 3 points (TRI) with just one for the conversion and 2 points for penalties and drop goals.
These days, you tend to find that the number 2 (Hooker) is not as slow as in the past - he also throws the ball in at a "Line-Out".
A line out is held when the ball goes out of play to the sides of the playing field. The two teams have a number of players (almost always the forwards [numbers 1-8]), lined up parallel to each other (the numbers of players in the line out on each side must match). The ball is then thrown by the hooker, between to two sets of players - advantage goes to the team taking the lineout throw as they will call it so know where the ball is headed. Lifting in the lineout is allowed, but pulling down the opposition liftee is a penalty offence, and may also result in a Yellow Card.

Yellow Card offences result in the player being "sin binned" for 10 minutes. A second offence is a red card - direct sending off. A very serious offence - like an avoidable dangerous tackle is a straight red card with the offending player taking no further part. In both cases, the team cannot replace the player sent off - i.e. they play with one fewer players on the pitch.

Penalties may be taken in one of three way.
1) A kick for goal - this must be indicated by the team taking the penalty and results in 3 points for a successful kick.
2) Touch and go. The team taking the penalty will quickly touch the ball with the boot and the run with with ball. Opposition players with 10 meters in front may not touch the running player. Failure to observe this rule may result in a new penalty.
3) Kick for touch. The ball is kicked into touch, and a lineout takes place at the point that the ball crosses out of play. In this case, the ball may be kicked directly into touch (does not have to bounce within field first), and the team taking the penalty gets the throw in at the lineout.

Some of the simpler penalty rules are mostly ruck related.
When a player is tackled and held, he must release the ball. He may place it first, but the ball must release. Failure to do so will result in a penalty. Usually a ruck will be formed at this point as players from both sides bind over the ball.
The tackler must roll away from the tackled player. Failure to do so results in a penalty.
Players joining a ruck must do so from behind the back foot of last team mate in the ruck - this is called coming through the gate. You may not join from the sides. Again, a penalty is given if a joining player to not "enter through the gate".
Players may not handle the ball in a ruck if they are not on their feet. A penalty ensues if this is ignored.
 
Usually, it's a case of if they can kick the ball out of play.

A nightmare for me on Saturday when there was play after the 80th minute, fearing Wales would win if they held the ball and scored a try, or a drop goal. But France won and I also won £22, on my £20 bet... Way to go, betting against the team my *** was following. :1orglaugh

Wales were playing with just 14 men for 60 minutes after the Referee Alain Rolland send off the Welsh captain for a dangerous tackle. THAT should have been a yellow card and you should have lost you bet.

The fact that Alain Rolland's ****** is French, of course had no bearing on his decision at all.
 
I quite like it. I only watch the occasional game as i am much more as a football fan. I watch say the odd Scotland game or whenever it is on.


It is fun to play aswell. If you have a big build then it is great as everyone shifts their weight around. If i do that in football i always give away fouls. There are so much more rules than football though
 
Basically just like every other sport: two groups of boofheads get together for an hour and chase a ball around a cordoned-off area while wearing silly shorts.

When one team finally wins it 'proves' that their country is more mega than their opponent's.
 
I used to play when I was 11 - 14 years old for my school,and managed
to get through to the East of Scotland select.Those were the days :)

Although I was a sub and only played the last 10 minutes.But we ended
up getting trounced by the West :facepalm:

If you asked me which i'd prefer,then I would still pick Soccer/Football any
day :D
 
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