HARRISBURG RUGBY
RUGBY GLOSSARY OF TERMS
P.O. Box 161 Federal Square Station Harrisburg, PA 17108 (717) 697-1988
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HARRISBURG RUGBY RUGBY GLOSSARY OF TERMS P.O. Box 161 Federal Square Station Harrisburg, PA 17108 (717) 697-1988 |
A brief synopsis of the terms commonly used. For all the rules of the game check out USA Rugby's Homepage.
Advantage, Binding, Conversions, Cross Bar, Dead Ball Drop Kick, Drop Kick, Fair Catch, Free-Kick, Gain Line, Goal, Goal Line, Goal Post, Grounding, In-Goal, Kick-Off, Knock-On, Line-Out, Maul, Off-Side, Pack, Penalty Kick, Place Kick, Punt, Ruck, Scrum, Tackle, Tap-Penalty, Touch, Touch-Line, Try, Tunnel, Twenty-Two Meter Line.
Advantage is the continuation of play following an
infringement by one team during
play which is followed by the opposition gaining an advantage, either by improving
position on the field, or being in possession of the ball.
Back to top
Binding is where a player wraps either one arm or both around a player on the same side to form a tight connection between them. Correct binding is very important in the scrum. Back to top
A conversion is the attempt made by the try scoring team to kick the ball over the cross-bar to gain another two (2) points. It may be taken from any point on the field which is directly in front of the place that the try was scored. Back to top
The horizontal bar of the Goal Post. Back to top
A dead ball is when the ball or the player carrying the ball, goes out of bounds
(example: dead ball line, touch-lines).
If the referee stops play, the ball is also dead. Back to top
A drop-kick is when a player intentionally drops the ball from his hands, and kicks
it the moment it bounces off the ground. Back to top
A fair catch is when a player cleanly catches the ball from a kick by one of the opponents and at the same time shouts "MARK!". The player must have at least one
foot on the ground within his own twenty-two or
in-goal area. A free-kick is awarded at
that point on the field, however is entirely at the digression of the referee. Back to top A free-kick is awarded for a
fair catch, or to the
non-offending team following a minor infringement of the rules.
Goals
may not be scored directly from a free kick. Back to top
The gain line is an imaginary line across the field at
the point the ball became dead. The center of a
scrum
, a line out, a maul, etc. are gain lines. Back to top A goal is awarded for
drop-kicking the ball over the opponents
goal-post during play, or placekicking it through following a penalty. Back to top
The line which defines the end of the regular field
of play and the goal area. Back to top
The uprights positioned at the center of the
goal-line at
each end of the field. Back to top
Grounding is the action of applying downward pressure
on the ball with the hands, arms, or the front upper part of the body. This can occur either by scoring a
try or following a tackle in the field of play.
Picking the ball up does not constitute grounding. Back to top
The 'in-goal' is the area at each end of the field between the
goal-lines
and the dead ball lines. Back to top
A kick-off is a
place kick taken at the center of the
field to start the game, and is repeated to begin the second half of the game. Back to top
A 'knock-on' occurs when a player
miss-handles the ball while attempting to catch a
kick or pass, or otherwise miss-handles the ball, and it lands on, or touches the ground in
front of the player, prior to his gaining control of it. Back to top
A line-out is the method to re-start play when the ball goes off the field and into
touch, by contacting or crossing over the
Touch-Line.
A line-out is usually formed by seven players from each team, who line up in two parallel
lines, and at right angles to the Touch-Line. The ball is thrown
in by the team which did not last contact the ball. Back to top
A maul occurs when a player manages to stay on their feet when
tackled,
and the ball is held away from the opposition and is transferred with a handling movement to
a support player. Back to top
Off-side is the most complex law in rugby. Generally, off-side is when a player is
in front of the ball in open play, or in front of the hind most foot of the last man in a
scrum, ruck or maul. Off-side
becomes more complex in line-outs or when kicking. A penalty can
occur if a player is off-side. Back to top
The pack is the group of eight players (player numbers 1 through 8) who form the
scrum. It consists of the front row players (tight head prop #1, a hooker
#2, and the loose head prop #3), the second row
players (tight head lock forward #4, and loose head lock forward #5), and three back row
forwards (two flankers also known as wing forwards, or loose
forwards, #'s 6 & 7
, and an 8-man #8). Back to top
A penalty kick is awarded to the non-offending team after a breach of the rules,
usually for dangerous play. Back to top
A place kick is when the ball is placed on the ground before being kicked. This kick
is used to start the game, for conversions, and
for penalty kicks for goal. Back to top
A punt is similar to a
drop-kick, except that it does not
have to bounce off the ground before kicking. Punts cannot be used to score points through
the goalpost. Back to top
A ruck is formed anywhere on the field when the ball is on the ground and one or
more players from each team, on their feet and in physical contact, close around the ball
between them. Back to top
A scrum is the method used to re-start the game after the play has been stopped
because a rule has been broken. The scrum is formed by at least five players from each
side (usually eight players) binding together with their arms, in rows, and pushing
against the other team with their shoulders. The ball is put into play by rolling or
tossing it into the tunnel between the two teams. Back to top
A tackle is the act of grabbing the player with
the ball so that they are brought down to the ground. Back to top
A tap-penalty is a
penalty kick in which the ball is
tapped with the foot, then picked up and passed to another teammate. This is generally how
play is restarted after a penalty. Back to top
Touch is when the ball contacts or passes over the
Touch-Line,
or the player carrying it touches or steps out of bounds. Back to top
The lines that run the length of the field and define
the edge of the field of play. Back to top
A try is scored when a player correctly
grounds the ball
on or behind the oppositions goal line.
Back to top
The tunnel is the space formed between the legs of the two opposing front rows of
the scrum. Back to top
A line marked on each end of the field twenty two meters from the goal-line running across the width of the field. Back to top