A Brief Summary of the Rules

by Joel Román

with photos from our debut game versus Los Altos

The games starts with a kickoff at the halfway line. This is either a place kick or a drop kick. A drop kick is not a punt, the kicker actually drops the ball on the ground and kicks it shortly after it touches. The kick is a free ball but has to go at least 10 meters.

Once a team has possession of the ball they move it towards their opponent's goal line. They usually do this by taking the ball and running with it. A player rarely makes it by himself because the defense is allowed to tackle him as long as they attempt to wrap him up with their arms and do not make contact with his head or neck. Blocking or any willful contact with a player not carrying the ball is illegal.
Players are allowed to pass, throw, or knock the ball to their teammates as long as it is does not go forward. Players may kick the ball in any direction, usually forwards. There are no loss on downs as in American football, so a team can keep the ball as long as it can maintain possession.

A player is tackled when he is brought to the ground and is being held there by an opposing player. If a player slips, dives on the ball, or is on the ground at any time and is not held, it is not a tackle. After a player is tackled he must immediately release the ball. A player who is on his feet from either team may pick up the ball after a tackle.

Ruck

When more than one player from each team is competing for the loose ball between them, a situation called a ruck is formed. This is one of 3 situations where blocking is legal. Players bind to each other with one or both arms usually around the shoulders or waist of the man and drive the opposing team members in the ruck back until the ball is under them. A player may also bind with an opposing player by grabbing his jerjey and throwing him away from the ruck. Only players on their feet can join a ruck. You may not pick up a ball or use your hands in the ruck. You can only hook the ball back with your feet. Willfully collapsing the ruck is a penalty. When the ball is on your side your team has "won" the ruck. A player not in the ruck picks up the ball and open play starts again. Rucks are very common in rugby and you will see them at least 30 times in every game.

Maul

A maul is similar to a ruck except the ball carrier remains on his feet with the ball. Players must also bind onto each other and collapsing a maul is a penalty. A maul is ended when the ball goes on the ground, or when the ball comes out of the maul. If the ball can not make it out, the ball is dead and a scrum is ordered.

Lineout

When a ball is kicked or carried into touch (out of bounds), a lineout occurs. An equal amount of players from each team, usually 5 or 8, line up a meter apart from each other. This makes a natural tunnel. The team that did not bring the ball out of bounds throws the ball in, like in soccer. He must throw the ball straight down the tunnel and not favor his team. Recent law changes allow players to be lifted up while jumping and competing for the ball.

Onside

Players must remain onside during the game. Offensive players must remain behind the ball, and defensive players must remain in front of it. If you are not bound into a ruck, maul, or scrum, you must stay behind the last man's feet on your side, to remain onside. Of course, if you pass the ball back to your mate that puts you offside, offsides is only a penalty if you play the ball or obstruct opposing players. You are brought onside if the ball or an onside player passes you.

Scrum

A scrum is a way of bringing the ball back into play if a rule is broken (forward throw, offside, high tackle, hands in the ruck), or if the ball is dead, a scrum is ordered. In a scrum the eight forwards on both sides carefully bind together in an organized manner. They then engage and the scrum half of the team that did not commit the offense puts the ball into the scrum. If the ball is dead, the scrum goes to the attacking team. If the ball goes straight out of the tunnel, it is put in again. The ball is then hooked back by the hooker's feet. You may not use your hands in the scrum. Players must stay bound until the ball goes out of the scrum. If the scrum rotates or is misformed, the ball must be put in again. (The srum is the origin of American football's scrimmage.)

Penalty Kick

Some penalties are assessed by a penalty kick. The opposing team must back up ten yards from the kicker. If the ball get kicked out of bounds, the kicking team is awarded the lineout.

The ball only has to go forward a visible distance. Sometimes the kicker will use a "tap kick" where he taps the ball with his foot and recovers the ball himself. If the kicker feels he is close enough, he may attempt to kick the ball through the posts, scoring 3 points.

Method of Scoring

You are allowed to kick for posts anytime. This must be with a place or a drop kick. The ball may not be punted through the posts. When going for a try, the ball may be ran, kicked, or brought in by the defending team into the endzone. A member of the attacking team must ground the ball in the try zone. If a defender grounds the ball in his own try zone or the ball goes into touch-in-goal the play is restarted by a 22m dropout, a drop kick from the 22 meter line. If the defending team grounds the ball after bringing it into the try zone or if the defending team puts the ball into touch-in-goal, play is restarted by a scrum at the 5 meter line, given to the attacking team. Unlike American football, play continues in-goal until the ball is touched down by either team or the ball is put out of the in-goal area.

After a try is scored, the team that scored gets to attempt a conversion. Much like an extra point in football. If he is successful, his team will get 2 points. The kicker may place the ball as far away as he would like. This must be at a spot that lines up with where the ball was grounded. For example, if the ball was grounded in the center of the posts, the kicker gets a straight shot from between the posts. If the ball was grounded 5 meters from the touch line, the kicker has a very difficult attempt because we is about 30 yards off to the side of the posts. Because of this rule, players may run the ball to the center of the try zone before grounding it. The opposing players can try to block the attempt. They must line up at the goal line and cannot advance until the kicker has started his approach. The blockers can not scream or make any other noises to distract the kicker.

For a comple list of rules, go to Laws of Rugby