A Quick Overview Of The Game Called Rugby
Rugby is one of the most challenging field games popular these days. It is a fast moving and high intensity team sport that test the stamina, skill and speed of the players in the game. As one of the most loved sports among many countries around the world, it is currently continuously gaining more popularity not only among men but also with women.
England is where the history if rugby all started. Kicking and throwing of the ball are the only actions involved in the rugby game when it was first played. Back in the 10th century, great mobs and villagers will compete enthusiastically against each other to get the ball across the field. This changed in 1823 when a 16-year old William Webb Ellis - a student in a Rugby School in England - picked up the ball and ran downfield toward the goal instead of simply kicking it. These actions of Ellis prompted Rugby leaders to rethink their laws and rules which lead to the development of rugby as we now know it.
Rugby is a sport which combines the speed of basketball, the contact of football and the strategy of chess. It is a blend of dynamic flow and hard physical contact. Rugby competitions basically have two teams which comprise of 13 players per team for the Rugby League - the professional game - and 15 players per team for the Rugby Union - the widely played amateur version. It is played in a rectangular field of roughly 100m (330ft) long and 55-68m (180-225ft) wide with goal lines 110 yards (101 m) apart and two in-goals 25 yards (23 m) deep. Goal posts of the letter "H" are placed at the end of the each side of the rugby field. The ball used in the game is oval shape which is quite similar to the ball used in American football.
Just like in most ball games, the primary goal of a rugby team is to score more points than the opponents. To earn a point, the team must touch the ball down in the opposition in-goal area and score a try or by kicking the ball through the goal posts. The game is played in two 40-minute halves filled with ball kicking, running, and backward passes. As the game demands sure hand ball movement, steadfast tackling, and a keen eye for ball possession opportunities, rugby players are expected to display speed, strength, and exceptional stamina during game play.
With the increasing worldwide popularity of rugby, various rugby associations and organizations have been established all over the world. Today, there are five major international competitions most rugby teams aspire to compete in. These are the Rugby World Cup, Heineken Cup, Six Nations, Super 14, and Tri Nations. Among these five, the one considered most prestigious and is being held only every four years is the Rugby World Cup. The next Cup is scheduled to be hosted by New Zealand in 2011.
Both men and women can definitely enjoy playing rugby. It is also a contact sport that discounts one's age, size, fitness level, or experience, making it a sport that can be played by mostly everyone.
England is where the history if rugby all started. Kicking and throwing of the ball are the only actions involved in the rugby game when it was first played. Back in the 10th century, great mobs and villagers will compete enthusiastically against each other to get the ball across the field. This changed in 1823 when a 16-year old William Webb Ellis - a student in a Rugby School in England - picked up the ball and ran downfield toward the goal instead of simply kicking it. These actions of Ellis prompted Rugby leaders to rethink their laws and rules which lead to the development of rugby as we now know it.
Rugby is a sport which combines the speed of basketball, the contact of football and the strategy of chess. It is a blend of dynamic flow and hard physical contact. Rugby competitions basically have two teams which comprise of 13 players per team for the Rugby League - the professional game - and 15 players per team for the Rugby Union - the widely played amateur version. It is played in a rectangular field of roughly 100m (330ft) long and 55-68m (180-225ft) wide with goal lines 110 yards (101 m) apart and two in-goals 25 yards (23 m) deep. Goal posts of the letter "H" are placed at the end of the each side of the rugby field. The ball used in the game is oval shape which is quite similar to the ball used in American football.
Just like in most ball games, the primary goal of a rugby team is to score more points than the opponents. To earn a point, the team must touch the ball down in the opposition in-goal area and score a try or by kicking the ball through the goal posts. The game is played in two 40-minute halves filled with ball kicking, running, and backward passes. As the game demands sure hand ball movement, steadfast tackling, and a keen eye for ball possession opportunities, rugby players are expected to display speed, strength, and exceptional stamina during game play.
With the increasing worldwide popularity of rugby, various rugby associations and organizations have been established all over the world. Today, there are five major international competitions most rugby teams aspire to compete in. These are the Rugby World Cup, Heineken Cup, Six Nations, Super 14, and Tri Nations. Among these five, the one considered most prestigious and is being held only every four years is the Rugby World Cup. The next Cup is scheduled to be hosted by New Zealand in 2011.
Both men and women can definitely enjoy playing rugby. It is also a contact sport that discounts one's age, size, fitness level, or experience, making it a sport that can be played by mostly everyone.
About the Author:
Lucas Denton is a rugby coach from London. Lucas has been playing rugby since he was 9-years old and is currently teaching said sports in a University in UK.