Explain the rules of rugby to me.

[Johnny Swallow]

I love watching rugby on TV, it seems like a srport I would have a great time playing. But as I watch I don't understand what the rules are. About all I know is that you can score points by kicking through the posts or running through them. (Right?)

Things I was wondering about in addition to the rules:
[*]The huddles where both teams line up and push against eachother. What is that for?
[*]Why do the teams randomly kick the ball downfield, it seems like the other team always kicks it right back and the cycle continues.

And does anyone here play it? I know it's a tough sport so I would be impressed.

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This post brought to you by: Salsa "The #1 condiment in America"

AIM: JuanSwallow

 

[Sicy]

There's a cool episode on Friends where they explain the rules in detail.

** spanks swall - ow

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I hear unborn chicken voices in my head.

 

[TylerDurden]

www.rugbyheaven.com.au

Should sort all your rugby questions out.

Just got one question to ask.....
If you've watched rugby before, have you ever seen AFL football?
If you've seen both, do you ever wonder why American footballers wear so much damn protective stuff? Pussys.(Asking for a fight)

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Originally posted by TylerDurden:
www.rugbyheaven.com.au

Should sort all your rugby questions out.

Just got one question to ask.....
If you've watched rugby before, have you ever seen AFL football?
If you've seen both, do you ever wonder why American footballers wear so much damn protective stuff? Pussys.(Asking for a fight)

I love it when you talk dirty.

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"Enough of this video bullshit, I'm going to give you some culture. Know what I mean?" -Larry

~April

*~The Official POP_Whore of Interference~*

 

[zoomerang II]

Just to confuse things, there are two types of rugby:
1. Rugby (sometimes referred to as union), played by all nations and a far superior game to:
2. Rugby League, played by some Australians and a few englishmen and new zealanders.

The rules are a little different between the two. There is currently talk of the two leagues merging. Rugby began at the Rugby school in the 1800's when one of the students (it think his name was william Webb-Ellis?) picked up the ball in a game of soccer and ran with it down the pitch. And thus rugby was born. But it was played by the elite schools in england, so rugby league split off and was played by working class people. It became professional ages ago, but Rugby only became proffesional in 1995, the year south Africa won the world cup (mandela giving the trophy, very famous). Australia are the best rugby nation in the world (currently world cup holders), although New Zealand are very famous for their fearsome "all blacks".

Rugby is unusual in that it is played on the British Isles and is huge in France, particularly the south and north italy.

The objectives are the same, to score a "try" by running the ball over the "touchline" for you americans. You then have the opportunity to score a conversion by kicking the ball over the posts.

The huddles are "scrums", basically a show of brute force to aquire the rugby ball and move it within a "pack" to your advantage.
and they kick it downfield to relieve pressure on their defence. If they can kick it over the side line the play moves to that end of the field, so yes there is less to gain if your opponent gets the ball before it goes out after you kick it to him (if that makes sense).

 

[brettig]

Sweet, zoomer, this is one place where we will be in complete agreement

GO WALLABIES!

 

[zoomerang II]

ha ha Brettig, I am with you all the way!

The mighty Wallabies!!!

Actaully, strangely I have not noticed any south Africans around the forum, especially as there is a large fan base there? Do you think they are scared of all us Aussies?

Camry crows camry crows camry crows...get a real song.

 

[Angela Harlem]

Hmm, you will find the game of AFL more interesting Mr Spitz/Swallows.

Tyler D wasn't kidding when he said American footballers wear too much padding!

 

[Johnny Swallow]

I like watching both American football and Rugby. But no Americans don't wear too much padding. It's different equipment for different sports. I won't show up to a boxing match in running shoes and I won't go to a lumberjack competition with a baseball bat. Each sport is as hard as you want it to be, they all need 100% effort no matter what you're wearing.

Anyone that thinks they wear too much padding, go play in a league for a few days and then tell that to me.

Crazy aussies.

 

[brettig]

Originally posted by zoomerang II:

Camry crows camry crows camry crows...get a real song.

You have been away for a while...we got a new one in 1994

Kindof ironic now, but its sung to the tune of the US Marine hymn...

We're The Pride Of South Australia
we're the mighty Adelaide Crows
We're courageous, stronger, faster
and respected by our foes
our skill and nerve will see us through
our committment ever grows
We're The Pride Of South Australia
we're the mighty Adelaide Crows!

 

[Angela Harlem]

Ahh, Johhny

I have to admit, it DOES look like fun, to dress yourself up like a brick wall and go charging at a line of human defence!

 

[Angela Harlem]

Oh Betty, the pigeon-toed Adelaide Crows. Is that your swan song? (cough)

 

[Foxxern]

See, here in America, we wear pads because we value a few key body parts:

• Head - its that thing on top of our necks that makes us Yanks look so damn good
• Teeth - hard, white things in our mouths that allow us to eat our fancy schmancy "food"; oh and they also appeal to our women
• "Family jewels" - yeah, I won't explain this (http://rugbyfootball.com/rrr/testicle_injury.html)

Anyway, my point is that both sports hit pretty hard, but American football probably hits a little bit harder, and the guys weigh more (around 260lb vs around 215lb (118 vs 97kg)). The fact that they weigh more means there is more force, and they can only take so much of that. Both sports have great athletes, and nothing pisses me off than people who go out of their way to rip on sports that they know nothing about--baseball is boring, American football is for pussies, basketball has too much scoring, soccer has too little scoring. My list above is just a joke, don't take it personally.

To sport!

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Change is the only constant