rugby-introduction

Now this will probably come as a surprise, but our folks here at the Ranch are quite passionate about their rugby! It’s one heck of a sport. Just so you Cowboys and girls know, it’s incredibly popular too.  In 2015, viewership numbers for the World Cup  went over  the 120 million mark. This means that rugby is drawing in more and more people. Just like any other sport, rugby needs some sort of introduction. After all, watching those super intense matches without really knowing what's going on isn't exactly great. And I reckon that some of you ranchers don't know much about it, but don't worry - we've got you covered! Before getting into the scrum, let's learn a bit about this great sport and get into that rugby vibe.

The Basics of Rugby

Rugby union is played between two teams with 15 folks on each side. Other variations include the rugby league, with 13 players, and rugby sevens, which has - you guessed it - seven players on each team. Players are split into two groups - forwards and backs. Each team has eight forwards and seven backs on the field, with seven or eight substitutes. The forwards will lead the way during the scrum, so these fellas are often stronger and bigger. The backs will look for the scoring chances, so they have to be faster and with good skills. Scoring in rugby union happens in three different ways. The first one is the try, which is pretty close to  football's touchdown. A try is scored whenever a team reaches the goal area at the end of the field. One big difference is that players must touch the ball on the ground - the try won't count otherwise! A try is worth five points. After scoring a try, a team is awarded a conversion kick, which is worth two points. Then comes the third points-scoring method - the goal. As you folks must have guessed, the players will score a goal by kicking the ball between the goalposts at the end of the field. Pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? Teams can score from a kick after being awarded a penalty. Another option is to drop kick the ball, which can be done at any moment. Both methods are worth three points.
Unlike football, players aren't allowed to throw the ball forward. Passing must be either lateral or backwards. Moving the ball forward is only possible by either running, kicking it or rolling it into a scrum. Speaking of a scrum, this is a key part of the game. Forwards line up across from each other in a 3-4-1 formation and try to get the ball to their backline. Now this is what I call wild! The defense can steal the possession with takeaways, either tackling the opponents, forcing the ball out of their hands or securing it during a scrum.
A game lasts 80 minutes, split into two 40-minute halves. I don’t think that I really need to say it, but just as a reminder: whichever teams score the most points wins the match.

 

Rugby's History

According to what is now considered a myth, rugby football was invented by a certain William Webb Ellis. A student at Rugby School, this Ellis fella decided to pick up the ball during a football game and simply ran with it. While the sport is named after this Rugby's style of playing, most people agree that the Ellis story is a myth. I guess we will never know if this is true or not, but the Rugby World Cup's winner trophy is named after William Webb Ellis. In 1876, the Rugby Football Union was established. In 1892, a split inside the RFU led to the creation of the Northern Rugby Football Union. This episode led to the variations known as rugby union and rugby league. The rugby sevens variation comes from the 1880s. And while International matches have been played since 1871 the first Rugby World Cup only happened in 1987! Before that, was part of the Summer Olympics in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924. It made a return as an Olympic sport in 2016, and will once again feature in the 2020 Summer Olympics. New Zealand holds the most World Cup titles with three. The "All Blacks" are the reigning champions, having also won the trophy in 2011 and in 1987. Australia and South Africa have two titles each, while England has one. And that's just about what you need to know about rugby. So take your time, enjoy some games and whenever you feel like taking a break, come hang around and have a drink with us at Red Stag!

Play Today!