Rugby words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 41 words · Step 2 of 2

Scoring terms

Penalty try

Seven points, awarded between the posts when foul play by the opponents prevents a probable try, or one in a more advantageous position. The offender is shown a yellow or red card and no conversion is taken.

See also: Conversion, Red card, Foul play

Touch down

A defending player grounding the ball in in-goal. The ball is dead and play restarts with a drop-out or a five-metre scrum, depending on how the ball got into in-goal.

See also: Grounding the ball, Drop-out, Scrum

Restarts and kicks

Drop-out

A drop-kick restart by the defending team. A 22-metre drop-out is taken on or behind the 22-metre line (for example after an unsuccessful kick at goal grounded in in-goal), and a try-line drop-out after an attacking team is held up in in-goal. The ball must cross the sanction line.

Quick throw

A throw from touch taken before a lineout is formed, by the team that would throw in. It must be thrown between the mark of touch and the thrower's own try line and reach the five-metre line, and the thrower must be outside the field of play. The same ball must be used.

See also: Try line, Mark, Lineout, Throw-in

Mark

A way to stop play by directly catching an opponent's kick in your own 22 or in-goal and shouting mark. The catcher needs a foot on or behind the 22-metre line, and wins a free-kick. It cannot be claimed from a kick-off or restart kick.

See also: 22-metre line, Kick-off, Free-kick

50:22

A kick by a player in their own half that goes indirectly into touch in the opposition's 22. The kicking team throws in at the lineout. It cannot be gained from a kick-off or drop-out, or if the ball was played back into the half.

See also: Half, Kick-off, Drop-out, Lineout, Throw-in

Kicked directly into touch

A kick into touch without first landing on the playing area or touching a player. Kicked from outside the kicker's 22, the lineout is where the ball crossed or where it was kicked, whichever is nearer the kicker's try line, and the other team throws in.

See also: Playing area, Try line, Lineout, Throw-in

Fouls and stoppages

Obstruction

When a player attempting to play is illegally impeded and prevented from doing so. Examples: an offside player impeding, running into a team-mate to block the opposition, or stopping an opponent from tackling.

10-metre law

A player in front of a team-mate who kicks must retire behind that team-mate or ten metres back from where the ball lands or is caught. The opponents can choose a penalty or a scrum.

Late charge on the kicker

Intentionally charging, obstructing or late tackling an opponent who has just kicked. The non-offending team picks where to take the penalty: at the infringement, or where the ball lands or is next played.

Flying wedge

An illegal attack in which several team-mates are bound together, often in front of the ball-carrier, before meeting the opposition. A single pre-bound player is allowed.

Crocodile roll

A prohibited action: rolling, twisting or pulling to ground a player who is on their feet in the tackle area. It often lands on the player's legs.

Hand-off

A permitted action: the ball-carrier fends off an opponent with the palm of the hand, as long as excessive force is not used.

Charge down

A player knocks the ball forward immediately after an opponent has kicked it. There is no sanction and play continues.

Set pieces and phases of play

Use it

The referee's call when the ball is clearly won at a ruck, or has been available at the back of a stationary scrum for three to five seconds. The ball must then be played away within five seconds at a ruck, and immediately at a scrum, or the other team gets a scrum.

Jackler

The first arriving team-mate of the tackler at a tackle (also called the stealer). The jackler must stay on their feet to contest directly for the ball, and must first release the ball-carrier if they were part of the tackle.

Offside line

At a tackle, ruck or maul, each team's line is parallel to the try line through the hindmost foot or point of that team's last participant, or the try line if that is nearer. Players must be behind it unless joining.

Uncontested scrum

A scrum in which the team throwing in gets the ball without a contest and neither side may push. It is ordered when a team cannot field a suitably trained front row, or when the referee orders it.

Binding

Grasping another player's body firmly between the shoulders and the hips with the whole arm in contact, from hand to shoulder. Players must bind to join a ruck or maul.

Match format and replacements

Replacement for injury

An injured player may be replaced and cannot return. The player is injured if a doctor, or where allowed another medically trained person, says it is inadvisable to continue, or the referee decides.

Recognise and Remove

A concussed player, or one with suspected concussion, must be removed from the playing area immediately and permanently.

Head injury assessment

In matches approved in advance by World Rugby, a player needing one leaves the field and is temporarily replaced. The replacement becomes permanent if the player is not back after 12 minutes of actual time.

Also called: HIA
See also: Replacement

Blood injury

Uncontrolled active bleeding. The player leaves and may be replaced temporarily, and returns once the bleeding is controlled. The replacement becomes permanent after 15 minutes of actual time.

Front row replacement rules

Teams must name their front-row players and which front-row positions they can play, and only they may play there. If a team cannot field suitably trained front-row players the scrums become uncontested.

Playing time

Actual time, excluding time lost for stoppages. A half ends when the ball becomes dead after time has expired, unless a scrum, lineout, restart kick, free-kick or penalty is still to be completed, or a try needs its conversion.

See also: Half, Conversion, Penalty, Free-kick, Scrum

Tactical terms

Phase play

Each continuous attacking effort after a tackle and ruck, with teams often building through many phases before scoring.

Crash ball

A direct, powerful running play aimed straight at the defence to gain quick ground.

Blindside

The shorter side of the field from a ruck, maul or scrum, as opposed to the open side, which is the longer side.

Also called: openside
See also: Scrum, Ruck, Maul

Overlap

A situation where the attacking team has more players than defenders in a wide area of the field.

Grubber kick

A low kick along the ground, often used to get the ball past defenders into open space.

Chip kick

A short, soft kick lifted just over an approaching defender, usually followed up by the kicker.

Set piece detail terms

Hooker

The front-row player in the middle of the scrum, between the two props. The hooker binds with both arms and must strike for the ball when their team threw it in.

Loose-head prop

The two props in the scrum. The loose-head binds with the left arm inside the right arm of the opposing tight-head, who binds with the right arm outside the loose-head's left arm.

Also called: loosehead, tight-head prop
See also: Scrum

Throw-in

The throw by which the ball is put into a lineout (or into a quick throw or scrum). At a lineout it must be thrown straight along the mark of touch and reach the five-metre line before it hits the ground.

Also called: lineout
See also: Playing area, Quick throw, Mark, Scrum, Lineout

Peel off

A lineout move where a player breaks away from the group immediately after winning the ball.

Scrum-half

The player who throws the ball into the scrum and who passes it away from a scrum or ruck. The scrum-half chooses which side to throw in from and must throw it straight, quickly and so that it touches the ground inside the tunnel.

Also called: scrum half pass
See also: Playing area, Half, Scrum, Ruck, Scrum-half

Match and rule terms

Television match official (TMO)

An official, if the match organiser appoints one, who uses video to help with the grounding of the ball, touch, kicks at goal, an infringement that may have led to or prevented a try, and foul play. Any match official can ask for a review.

Also called: TMO
See also: Foul play

Bonus point

Extra league points awarded for scoring a set number of tries or for narrowly losing a match, used in some competitions.

Sin-bin

The designated place outside the playing area where a player who has been shown a yellow card must remain for the period of suspension.

Also called: sin bin
See also: Playing area, Yellow card

Maul truck or driving maul

An attacking maul where the ball carrier's team drives forward as a unit toward the try line.

Ruck speed

How quickly a team can win and release the ball from a ruck, affecting how fast they can attack.