The Basics of Rugby Football

Rugby Football is a team sport played on an 80-minute field that measures seventy metres by thirty metres (230 ft by 100 ft). Each half lasts 40 minutes with each team defending one end while trying to score points by kicking, carrying, passing or grounding the ball over an opponent’s goalline and into their in-goal area.

Each team consists of 15 players; eight forwards wearing shirts numbered one through eight and seven backs in numbers nine through fifteen; depending on the competition, teams may also have up to seven replacement players. When scoring a try/touchdown in either rugby union or rugby league, an opportunity exists for additional points to be scored by kicking between the posts (known as conversion in rugby union and drop goal in rugby league respectively). This process is known as conversion or drop goal respectively.

World Rugby oversees the rules and commercial interests of rugby worldwide. Along with setting laws of play, this international body also manages governance issues as well as commercial interests of the game.

Rugby clubs exist on various tiers, with national teams dominating what is commonly referred to as the Six Nations championship and other European countries such as Japan or Russia participating below them. Some view the Six Nations championship as something of an exclusive club; teams participating there receive large sums of money and TV exposure for playing there.

Forwards The main function of forwards in rugby union is to tackle and disrupt opposition attacks both on the open field and at the breakdown. They are expected to be powerful movers capable of running at high speeds; some even make an impression by sprinting over long distances at incredible speed! Forwards participate in scrums where they compete with opposing team for possession of ball as well as mauls involving multiple players banded together against an opponent.

Flankers The flankers’ primary objective is to assist both maul and ruck players, but also compete for possession at breakdown. Their focus must be fast and agile with an ability to pass the ball effectively while quickly changing directions when necessary.

Wingers
Wingers are typically the fastest players on a team and their main responsibility is scoring tries. They often occupy wider channels of the field where their speed allows them to pass past opponents more easily than their defensive teammates can stop them. Furthermore, wingers must support mauls and rucks, though not as actively as other players might, as well as possibly contributing towards set pieces as needed.

Scrum Half
A scrum occurs when one team has control of the ball with all players standing up on their feet, preparing to either kick it in, pass it backwards, or kick or pass it forwards to another teammate. No forward passes should occur as this could incur a penalty from referee. Furthermore, penalties can also be assessed when someone hinders another player during scrums, mauls, or lineouts.