Rugby

[Blaze]

We get a lot of Rugby coverage as ESPN-Star (which is basically a south east asian channell) covers rugby and in slots, they broadcast it in India as well.

We get a Rugby show every week and loads of Rugby as well. I have seen a match from the Nz - Aus - RSA tournament being played last year. I will follow whatever of the above matches which you mentioned.

Well if you get regular coverage then a good start would be to watch the Crusaders vs. Brumbies and Waratahs vs. Hurricanes this weekend. These are Super 14 teams and will almost certainly be the 4 sides to compete in the play-offs next week.

The best Rugby games to watch are the internationals. Oh and watch as much as you can because it will take you a while to get your head around the rules, but once you do you should enjoy it.

 

[Blaze]

Okay I am very new and do not understand what the Union and other thing is. Who plays what, which is more important, rule differences etc.

There are two codes - Rugby League and Rugby Union. These are two seperate sports and are both great games IMO. Rugby League is only really big in Australia and to a lesser degree England, and to an even lesser degree New Zealand. International Rugby League is almost non existant, the sport revolves around the NRL in Australia and the Super League in England. It is a huge sport in Australia...

Maybe it would be a good idea to read up on wikipedia?

 

[Cloete]

Okay I am very new and do not understand what the Union and other thing is. Who plays what, which is more important, rule differences etc.

Well first off, rugby itself stemmed from football a long time ago at Rugby College in England (which might be/have been in Bath if I'm not mistaken [and I proably am]) where some random decided to pick up the ball and run with it before being tackled. The game then developed and stuff and it became Rugby, that rugby is Rugby Union. Not too sure on the history of rugby league but I know it developed in the north of England somewhere.

The simplest way to understand the difference is when a player is tackled in union, he must try and roll over and put the ball on the ground while his teammates stand over him to protect him and make the ball safe. The ball must be made safe because players on their feet from an opposing team can steal the ball from the player. Once the ball is safe the referee will call ruck and the opposition can no longer steal the ball unless they drive back the team in possession of the ball. When a ball is safe the Scrum Half (Number 9, follows play around and passes the ball out of as many rucks as he can to the backline) will pick it up and pass it out. Here's a ruck:

In Rugby League, when a player is tackled, the tacklers must let go after a decent amount of time (holding on too long will result in a penalty to the team with the ball at the referees disgression, the ref will normally say move away to the players though) and the play then stops. The defending team must then get onside (10 metres behind the play the ball) until the ball is played. Each team has 6 tackles while in possession, if they are tackled with the ball on the 6th tackle the ball must be handed over to the other team. "Playing the ball":

Heaps of other differences but they will be the most notable when you first watch it. Rugby League is only really big in Australia, England and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand. In Australia Rugby League is the more popular domestic game. However international union games are far more popular than league games. Worldwide, union is the bigger game while league only has a small following in countries outside the "big 3". As such I'd say most of the coverage you'd get in India would be of Rugby Union.

Hope I've helped, I'm sure some other guys can fill you in a bit more.

 

[GotSpin]

Okay I am very new and do not understand what the Union and other thing is. Who plays what, which is more important, rule differences etc.

Blaze and Cloete have explained it nicely but they are two variations on the game, i encourage you to watch Rugby Union more though.

Personally Union is my preferance because its not as simplistic as league and has more variations than League. League is just like touch rugby that you play in the park with the only exception being that instead of tagging the ball holder you must tackle them.

 

[Blaze]

Blaze and Cloete have explained it nicely but they are two variations on the game, i encourage you to watch Rugby Union more though.

I doubt they would have league in India tbh

 

[GotSpin]

I doubt they would have league in India tbh

Well i edited my post and now it seems he wouldnt have a clue.

India sounds like my kind of place, no league and little basketball with lots of cricket

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Well first off, rugby itself stemmed from football a long time ago at Rugby College in England (which might be/have been in Bath if I'm not mistaken [and I proably am])

Rugby School is at Rugby, in the Midlands.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Well i edited my post and now it seems he wouldnt have a clue.

India sounds like my kind of place, no league and little basketball with lots of cricket

Mind, their rugby team lose to Kazakhstan...

 

[steds]

Okay I am very new and do not understand what the Union and other thing is. Who plays what, which is more important, rule differences etc.

Right, in 1895, a number of clubs in northern England broke away from Rugby Union because the union wouldn't let them compensate their players for missing work. These clubs formed the northern union, and the game eventually became rugby league.

Union is a much more internationally popular game. League is limited to Lancashire/Yorkshire, and NSW/Queensland, mainly.


The main differences are:
*union has two more players - the flankers

*in union, if you're tackled everyone dives on top of each other and the game breaks down into an indishtinguishable mess known as a ruck. Whereas in league, the defenders go ten metres back, the tackled player gets up and rolls the ball back with his foot to a teammate. League also limits a team to 6 tackles for each time they're in possession, whereas union is unlimited.

*if a ball is kicked into touch in union, they go to a lineout (sort of like a football throw in, except with each teams forwards lined up trrying to catch the ball, which is supposed to go straight in the middle between the two lines). League doesn't have lineouts.

*the points systems are different.
League:
Try - 4 points
Goal (Any set piece kick counts as a goal) - 2 points
Drop goal - 1 point

Union
Try - 5 points
Convertion - 2 points
Penalty - 3 points
Drop Goal - 3 points

 

[Matteh]

loete
Well first off, rugby itself stemmed from football a long time ago at Rugby College in England (which might be/have been in Bath if I'm not mistaken [and I proably am])

Loads of people were playing football and this idiot came and picked up the ball and ran with it and then everyone thought wow, lets make a game based on that.

 

[Pratters]

Thanks a lot Cloete, Blaze, Got Spin, Steds.

Gives me some base to start off watching whenever in the near future.

 

[benchmark00]

Rugby League players seen at an after match function:

 

[age_master]

League doesn't have lineouts.

League people call what they have after teh ball goes out a 'scrum' however its more like a group hug which keeps all the forwards in 1 place for 5 seconds.

 

[Craig]

Right, in 1895, a number of clubs in northern England broke away from Rugby Union because the union wouldn't let them compensate their players for missing work. These clubs formed the northern union, and the game eventually became rugby league.

Union is a much more internationally popular game. League is limited to Lancashire/Yorkshire, and NSW/Queensland, mainly.


The main differences are:
*union has two more players - the flankers

*in union, if you're tackled everyone dives on top of each other and the game breaks down into an indishtinguishable mess known as a ruck. Whereas in league, the defenders go ten metres back, the tackled player gets up and rolls the ball back with his foot to a teammate. League also limits a team to 6 tackles for each time they're in possession, whereas union is unlimited.

*if a ball is kicked into touch in union, they go to a lineout (sort of like a football throw in, except with each teams forwards lined up trrying to catch the ball, which is supposed to go straight in the middle between the two lines). League doesn't have lineouts.

*the points systems are different.
League:
Try - 4 points
Goal (Any set piece kick counts as a goal) - 2 points
Drop goal - 1 point

Union
Try - 5 points
Convertion - 2 points
Penalty - 3 points
Drop Goal - 3 points

And to continue on - in rugby if you catch the ball on the full inside your own 22 (ie 22m/yards from your defending try line) and you shout (ASAIK) 'Mark' then it is a free kick and you can do what you like with it, but if you kick it out it will be a line-out to the opposition, whereas if it is a penalty and you kick it out you will have the line-out. If you kick the ball inside your own 22 and it goes out on the full and it is not a free kick or a penalty then the opposition will have the line-out and where the ball has gone out. However if you are outside your 22 and kick it out on the full then it is a line-out to the opposition from where you kicked it and it is known as 'being out on the full', in league this applies except there is no 22 (20m) zone where if you kick it out on the full it goes back to where you kicked it.

Also if you kick the ball dead - ie that is to kick the ball towards the opposition try line and it goes past it, past the in goal (about 8-10m usually?) and there is the dead ball line it is a srum from where you kicked it, unless it is an attacking kick - ie as in you are tying to set up a try for your team. This doesn't apply to rugby league as it is a tap on the 20m line.

As in football, union has a yellow/red card system - where if you get a yellow card you are sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes, and if you get another one you are off. Obviously you can get a red card for a more serious offence. If you have a hooker, or a prop that gets sent to the sin bin or sent off, then a replacement has to come on (ie replacement of the player ordered off) and somebody else comes off (doesn't matter who really). As similar with football, you have seven subs, but all can be used if the coach wishes to. In league they have four subs - which is called an interchange as they can continue to keep coming on and off - except they are limited to just 12, where as in rugby they are limited to only 7, but if a specialist player (ie - prop or hooker) has to come off then a replacement will come on for him (or her).

That should help, if you want more just ask.

 

[Burpey]

Also if you kick the ball dead - ie that is to kick the ball towards the opposition try line and it goes past it, past the in goal (about 8-10m usually?) and there is the dead ball line it is a scrum from where you kicked it, unless it is an attacking kick - ie as in you are tying to set up a try for your team.

It's always an option of a scrum from where it was kicked or a 22 droppie. It's just that most teams rather a 22 drop than a scrum if it is kicked close to the line.

 

[Pratters]

Thank you Craig. Now, to actually watch a game and then ask more questions. Not sure when that can occur - will check with the tv schedules.

 

[open365]

A few things you need to know about rugby.

Union>leauge

Leicester tigers>Everyone.

That is all.

 

[steds]

A few things you need to know about rugby.

Union>leauge

You're entitled to an opinion. Don't present it as fact. That is all.

 

[33/3from3.3]

I agree with steds ...


League is better!!!!!!
jokes

another thing in league is if the ball is kicked then a member of the defending team catches it in the try area his team gets to run the ball from the 20m line

and is 40/20 when a player kicks the ball from behind his own 40m line, then the ball bounces then it goes into touch nehind the opposition's 20m line the kicking team get the ball back

these are the only things i can think of for now

 

[Matteh]

another thing in league is if the ball is kicked then a member of the defending team catches it in the try area his team gets to run the ball from the 20m line

That applies to Union as well though - if a opposing player puts the ball into the try area, a member of the defending team can touch it down (sort of like an own try in a way, only no points are deducted or anything) and then get put in at a scrum on the 22 line.