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The Game
The game is played with hands an feet and an oval ball, between two teams of 15 players each, plus 7 substitutes.

The game consists on catching or picking up the ball and running with it, passing, throwing or knocking the ball to another player for scoring points, as well as kicking the ball.

To take the ball from the other team, it's also possible to push or shoulder an opponent holding the ball.

The specificity of the game is that passes to another team member are always in the back.

The duration of game is 2*40min with a half-time of 10 min

The Pitch
This pitch is rectangular and measures 66 to 70 metres wide by 95 to 100 metres long. It is divided into 2 equal halves, separated by a line.

Inside each of the halves an unbroken line is marked 22 meters from the in-goal, parallel to the half-way line.

The Points
Try: 5 points
Conversion: 2 points
This may be attempted either by a place-kick or a drop kick (commonly called a drop-goal)

Penalty: 3 points
Defenders must be static and at least 10 meters from the spot where the penalty kick has been awarded.

The kickers team-mates remain behind the line of the ball.

This may be attempted either by a place-kick or a drop kick (commonly called a drop-goal).

Drop-goal: 3 points

The Scrummage
It must be composed of eight players from each team (3 front row players, 2 second row and 3 from the back row) who must remain linked together for as long as the scrum continues.

Generally, each front row player puts his head to the left of that of his opponent, and his shoulders must always be higher than his waist. The ball is then introduced, on the ground, into the tunnel formed by the front row players. The hooker rucks the ball with his foot towards the rear of his scrum. The scrum-half collects the ball as soons as it leaves the scrum to restart open play.

The Ruck Or Open Scrum
This occurs as a result of a situation occurring in open play as a result of an intentional or unintentional move and not after an infringement of the rules.



An open scrum occurs when the ball is on the ground, and surrounded bey a number of players from both teams. the players in the ruck or joining the ruck must have their feet on the ground, their shoulders must be above the level of their waist and they must be linked together.

The Maul
As with the ruck, this is a situation that occurs in open play and is not the result of an infringement.

The maul is formed in the same way as the ruck but the players surround the player with the ball. At least 3 players are needed for a maul (the player in possesion of the ball plus + one team-mate and one opponent). The maul ends when the ball goes to ground or the player with the ball gets free of the maul.


If the ball is unplayable or if the maul ceases to move forward, the referee will intervene.

The Line Out
There is a line-out when the ball goes into touch.

During open play:
If the ball goes directly into touch, the throw in is awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball was played.

If the ball goes directly into touch, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball was played, unless the kicker is within his own 22 metre line. In this case the throw-in is taken at the point where the ball goes into touch.

If the ball touches the ground inside the playing area before going into touch, the throw-in is awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball went out, wherever the player was when the ball was played.

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The Tackling
Tackling is a defensive action. It consists of intercepting the player in possession of the ball and holding on to him or making him fall over (with one's arms) so that he releases the ball. Players on the ground after a tackle (the tackler and the player who was in possession) must release the ball, move away from it and may not rejoin play until they have got back to their feet. It is against the rules to throw oneself on top of a tackled player who is in possession of or near the ball.

The Kick In Open Play
Kicking enables a team to find touch, to gain ground or, of course, to score points. It is an essential part of the play. It consists of kicking the ball in the desired direction, though there are several different types of kick:


The kick ahead may be collected by the kicker to make ground, or any either player behind him et the time the ball was kicked.


The "up and under" (a kick launched high enough to enable the kicker's team-mates to position themselves to jump to collect the ball before they touch the ground).


The centralising cross-kick (a kind of up and under allowing the ball to be sent back towards the middle of the pitch).


The drop goal which is kicked on the half volley between the goalposts and over the cross bar. If successfull, this kick scores 3 points.

The Try
A player scores a try when he touches the ball down in the opponent's in-goal.

Calling For The Mark
A player may call for the mark when he catches the ball on the volley or on behind his 22 metre line. The ball must have come directly from an opposing player's kick. The player who catches the ball must call "MARK".

The Offside
A player is offside:


when he is in front of a team-mate who has the ball or has just played it.


during a ruck or scrummage, if he remains or advances in front of the offside line. Only the nulber 8 is allowed to detach himself from the ruck or scrummage and collect the loose ball.


If before a line-out is completed, a non-participating player advances or remains in front of the offside line.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct occurs where an action breaches the rules or spirit of the game. This includes obstruction, unfair action, dangerous play, unsporting behaviour or repeated foul play. These infringements may result in players being sent off, cautioned, or the awarding of penalty tries or penalty kicks.

The Red And Yellow Cards
In the Five Nations Tournament and in all international matches, the yellow card represents a caution. Now in the Six nations Tournament, if the referee judges a player to be guilty of an aggressive play or accidental unsportsmanlike conduct, he must temporarily exclude the guilty player without further warning. To do this, he summons the player at fault, and shows him a yellow card. The player is sent behind the opposing team's dead ball line. The minimum duration of the exclusion is 10 mins.

The red card means a player is definitively sent off. It is handed out in cases of violent conduct, dangerous play and dissent or threatening behaviour towards the referee.

The Penalty
This is a punishment for a team that has committed a foul. The penalty kick may be taken in the same way as a conversion, and in this manner is worth 3 points. It may also be taken rapidly in order to keep play moving. Finally, it can be kicked into touch, and in this case, the kicking team will take the throw-in. The team awarded the penalty kick can ask the referee to replace it with a scrummage.

Source & Credit: The Rules of Rugby