Rugby words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 49 words · Step 1 of 2

Basic setup terms

Team

A team has up to 15 players on the field in union and seven in sevens. In international matches a union may nominate up to eight replacements (five in sevens). League is a separate sport with 13 a side.

Playing area

The field of play plus the two in-goal areas, with the touchlines, touch-in-goal lines and dead-ball lines outside it. The field of play is 94 to 100 m long and 68 to 70 m wide, and each in-goal is 6 to 22 m deep. Surfaces may be grass, sand, clay, snow or artificial turf.

Also called: pitch, ground

Try line

The line at each end of the field of play (once called the goal line). It is not part of the field of play, but it is part of the in-goal area.

Also called: goal line
See also: In-goal area

In-goal area

The area between the try line and the dead-ball line, and between the touch-in-goal lines. It includes the try line but not the dead-ball line or the touch-in-goal lines.

Half

A match lasts no longer than 80 minutes, in two halves of not more than 40 minutes plus time lost, with a half-time of up to 15 minutes. In sevens the halves are seven minutes each (10 in a final), with a half-time of up to two minutes.

Referee

The match official who is the sole judge of fact and law during a match, keeps the score and, unless a timekeeper is appointed, the time. Two assistant referees or touch judges signal touch and the result of kicks at goal, and the match may have a television match official.

Dead-ball line

The line at either end of the playing area, behind the in-goal. It is not part of the playing area; a ball or ball-carrier that touches it or goes beyond is dead.

See also: Playing area

22-metre line

The line 22 m from each try line. The 22 is the area between it and the try line, including the line but not the try line. A player can claim a mark inside their own 22.

Sevens

The seven-a-side game, an Olympic event. The Laws apply with variations: seven players, seven-minute halves, a two-minute yellow card, a three-player scrum, drop-kick conversions and sudden-death extra time.

See also: Yellow card, Scrum, Extra time

Scoring terms

Try

Five points. An attacking player scores one by being first to ground the ball in the opponents' in-goal. It also counts when a scrum, ruck or maul reaches the try line and the ball is grounded, and when a tackled player's momentum or reach carries the ball into in-goal.

See also: Playing area, Try line, Scrum, Ruck, Maul

Conversion

A kick at goal, worth two points, that a team may attempt after scoring a try, or decline by saying no kick. It is taken in line with where the try was awarded and within 60 seconds. In sevens it must be a drop-kick, within 30 seconds.

Penalty goal

Three points, scored by kicking a goal from a penalty. The team must say they are kicking at goal, and must then do so within 60 seconds (30 in sevens, where it must be a drop-kick).

Also called: penalty kick
See also: Sevens, Penalty

Dropped goal

Three points, scored in open play by kicking a goal from a drop-kick, in which the ball is dropped and kicked as it rises from its first bounce. A team awarded a free-kick cannot score one until the ball goes dead or an opponent has played it, touched it or tackled the ball-carrier.

Also called: drop goal
See also: Free-kick

Goalposts

The posts and crossbar at each try line. A goal is scored when the ball is kicked over the crossbar and between the posts without touching a team-mate or the ground first.

Grounding the ball

Putting the ball on the ground in in-goal: holding it and touching the ground with it, or pressing down on it with the hands, arms or the front of the body from waist to neck. Picking up the ball is not grounding. A defender grounding it makes a touch down, and an attacker a try.

Restarts and kicks

Kick-off

The drop-kick that starts each half and each period of extra time, taken on or behind the centre of the half-way line. It must reach the 10-metre line. After a score the opponents of the scoring team restart with a drop-kick; in sevens the scoring team restarts.

Penalty

Awarded against a team for a serious infringement. The non-offending team may kick at goal, kick for touch, kick and play on, or choose a scrum. The opponents must retreat 10 metres.

See also: Scrum

Free-kick

Awarded against a team for a lesser infringement, or to a team for a mark. The opponents must retreat 10 metres, and may charge to stop the kick as soon as the kicker begins to move.

Fouls and stoppages

Knock forward

A player loses possession and the ball goes forward, or hits the ball forward with the hand or arm, or the ball hits the hand or arm and goes forward, and it touches the ground or another player before the player can catch it. The Laws used to call it a knock-on. It gives a scrum, or a penalty if it was intentional.

Also called: knock-on
See also: Playing area, Penalty, Scrum, Possession

Throw forward

A player throws or passes the ball forward, judged by whether the passer's arms move forward, not by where the ball ends up. It gives a scrum, or a penalty if it was intentional.

Also called: forward pass
See also: Penalty, Scrum

Offside

A positional offence: a player cannot take part in the game without being liable to sanction. In open play a player is offside when in front of a team-mate carrying the ball or who last played it, and must not interfere with play. At a ruck, maul, scrum or lineout there are offside lines. After a kick, the 10-metre law applies.

See also: 10-metre law, Scrum, Lineout, Ruck, Maul

High tackle

A dangerous tackle. A tackle is dangerous if it makes contact with the head, or is above the relevant sanction line: the shoulder line in elite rugby, or the waist or base of the sternum in community rugby. Foul play is penalised and may bring a yellow or red card.

Yellow card

A caution: the player is suspended for 10 minutes of playing time (two minutes in sevens) in the sin-bin. A second yellow-card offence by the same player means a red card.

See also: Sevens, Red card, Playing time, Sin-bin

Red card

A player is sent off and takes no further part in the match. In elite rugby the team may replace the player after 20 minutes of playing time, except for intentional and highly dangerous acts, where the team plays short for the rest of the match.

Foul play

Anything a player does in the playing enclosure that is contrary to Law 9: obstruction, unfair play, repeated infringements, dangerous play and misconduct. Offenders must be cautioned, shown a yellow card or sent off.

Set pieces and phases of play

Scrum

A set piece that restarts play with a contest for the ball after a minor infringement or stoppage, with eight players a side bound in three rows (three in sevens). The referee calls crouch, bind, set, and the scrum-half throws the ball into the tunnel between the front rows.

See also: Half, Referee, Sevens, Scrum-half

Lineout

A set piece that restarts play after the ball goes into touch, with a line of at least two players from each team, and the ball thrown in straight along the mark of touch. Jumpers may be lifted once the ball leaves the thrower's hands.

Ruck

A phase of play where at least one player from each team, on their feet and in physical contact, close around the ball on the ground. Once it forms no one may handle the ball unless they were already on their feet and had their hands on it.

See also: Playing area

Maul

A phase of play with a ball-carrier and at least one player from each team, bound together and on their feet. Once formed, it must move towards a try line.

Tackle

The ball-carrier is held by one or more opponents and brought to ground, meaning lying, sitting, or with at least one knee on the ground or on another player on the ground. The tackler must keep holding until the ball-carrier is on the ground, then release and get away.

See also: Playing area

Breakdown

The general area/phase of play right after a tackle, where a ruck often forms as both teams fight for possession.

Playing terms

Pass

A player throws or hands the ball to another player. A pass may not be thrown forward, but the ball may travel forward if the passer's arms do not move forward.

Kick

An act of intentionally hitting the ball with any part of the leg or foot, from the toe to the knee but not the heel or knee, which must move it a visible distance out of the hand or along the ground.

See also: Playing area

Touchline

The boundary line along each long side of the field of play. Touch is the area alongside it that includes the touchlines and beyond. A ball held by a player who touches the touchline or beyond is in touch and dead.

Also called: sideline

Line break

When an attacking player breaks through the opposing defensive line with the ball, creating a scoring opportunity.

Territory

How much ground a team has gained/controls on the pitch, a major tactical focus, especially through kicking.

See also: Playing area

Positions

Forwards

The players who pack the scrum (the front row, second row and back row) and who usually win the ball at lineouts, rucks and mauls. Their usual shirt numbers 1 to 8 are not set by the Laws.

Backs

The players who are not in the scrum, usually the scrum-half, fly-half, centres, wings and full-back. Their usual numbers 9 to 15 are not set by the Laws.

See also: Half, Scrum, Fly-half, Scrum-half

Prop

A front-row player. Each team has two props, a loose-head and a tight-head, either side of the hooker. Props bind to the hooker and to the opposing prop.

Also called: hooker, lock
See also: Hooker

Fly-half

A key back position, usually the primary decision-maker and kicker who directs the team's attack.

Also called: out-half

Fullback

A back positioned deepest, responsible for catching kicks and providing last-line defence.

Captain

The player nominated by a team to lead it, consult the referee and choose options on referee decisions.

Lock

A second-row player in the scrum. Each team has two locks, who bind with the props in front of them and with each other.

See also: Scrum

Back row

The three players who complete the scrum behind the locks, usually two flankers and the number eight. The number eight may pick up the ball from the feet of a second-row player.

See also: Scrum

Scrum-half

The back who feeds the ball into the scrum and passes it from the base of scrums, rucks and mauls.

See also: Scrum

Match format and replacements

Extra time

Extra playing time in a drawn match in a knock-out competition, only if the match organiser authorises it. In sevens it is played in periods of up to five minutes after a one-minute break, and the first team to score wins at once.

Replacement

A player who replaces a team-mate for injury or tactical reasons. Replacements are made only when the ball is dead and with the referee's permission. A tactically replaced player may return only in listed cases, such as replacing an injured front-row player or a player with a blood or head injury.

Also called: substitution, substitute
See also: Referee

Possession

An individual or team in control of the ball, or attempting to bring it under control.

Advantage

A clear and real tactical or territorial benefit arising after an infringement by the opposition. The referee lets play continue and, if it does not materialise, goes back and applies the sanction for the original infringement. A mere opportunity is not enough.