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Rugby Terms

Pitch: Rugby is played on what looks like a field, is a field, but is called a pitch.

Ruck: A ruck is formed when the ball is on the ground and one or more players from each team are on their feet in physical contact and closing around the ball. The purpose of this is that each player involved in the ruck, with his/her feet, tries to retrieve the ball without infringing any rules.

Maul: A maul is formed when one or more players from each team are on their feet in physical contact and closing around a player that has possession of the ball.

In-Touch: In-touch is when the ball or the player carrying the ball touches the touchline (side line) or beyond it. This is followed by a Line-Out.
Line-Out:
To get the ball back into play once it is in-touch, at least two players from each team line-up on each of their sides in a line that is perpendicular to the touchline. The two sides have to be 1 meter apart. The line-out stretches from 5 meters to 15 meters away from the touchline. Any player not within that range cannot be involved in the line-out.
(See image at right.)
Scrum:
Is usually called after a penalty or when the ball stops advancing resulting from a maul or a ruck. The scrum is a precise assembling of specific players that battle for possession of the ball. The ball is placed between the front line of each team and players try to pass the ball towards the back of their formation using their feet. (See illustration at left)
 

Positions and Players

Here are the positions indicated by the numbers to the left and above and the qualities one should possess to fit the shoes.

  1. Loose Head Prop (solid with good medical insurance)
  2. Hooker (small, swift, agile and control-freak)
  3. Tight Head Prop (same as #1)
  4. & 5. Second Rows "Locks" (Hercules-like)

 

6.&7. Wing Forwards "Flankers" (quick go-getter)

8. Number Eight (skillful and smart)

9. Scrumhalf (experienced [bruised], smart [old])-is both a forward and back.

10. Flyhalf (golden hands and stoic, perfect for late night activities)

11 & 14. Wing (runs like the wind)

12. Inside Center (deceptive)

13. Outside Center (deceptively faster)

15. Fullback (great kicker, sees all)

 

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