Rugby in a nutshellUnderstanding the game's core rules

Football is known as a gentlemen’s game played by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen. A sport with incredible values, teaching its players important life lessons. Rugby values respect, integrity, discipline, and teamwork. Despite its brutal nature, it encourages fair play and self-control, both on and off the field. However, it can be quite difficult to understand for the untrained eye, here is an overview of the most important features of the game:

A rugby team has 15 players, divided into forwards and backs, with each player given a specific role and a game is divided into two 40 minute halves.

Scoring

Points are awarded in the following ways:

• Try (5 points): A player scores by grounding the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area.
• Conversion (2 points): After a try, the scoring team can kick the ball through the opponent’s goalposts from the same spot that the try was score but whichever distance the kicker chooses.
• Penalty Goal (3 points): Teams can attempt a kick at the goalposts after a penalty is awarded.
• Drop Goal (3 points): A player may drop the ball onto the ground and kick it through the goalposts during open play.

The fundamentals

Rugby is a territory based sport, however players can only pass the ball backwards or sideways to teammates, forward passes are not allowed and result in a scrum. The only way that you can play the ball forwards is by kicking the ball, which allows a team to gain territory, chase and regain possession.

The game is very physical, and players can tackle opponents to stop their progress. A tackle is complete when the ball carrier is brought to the ground. Once tackled, the ball carrier must release the ball immediately, allowing both teams to compete for possession in what’s called a ruck.

Players in a ruck must stay on their feet, and hands are not allowed to touch the ball while it’s contested on the ground. Players must remain behind the ball during play. If a player is ahead of a teammate who kicks or passes the ball, they cannot interfere with play until they move back onside.

This also counts when a ruck is formed and the last foot of a ruck creates the offside line for the defensive team, if a player advances before the opposing team has played the ball then they will be deemed offside and a penalty will be awarded.

If there is an infringement of any kind, then one of the following three aspects can happen:

• Scrum: This is a set-piece restart involving eight forwards from each team binding together and pushing against each other to win possession.
• Lineout: When the ball goes out of bounds, a lineout is used to restart play, with players lifted by teammates to catch or tap the ball.
• Penalties: Infringements, such as offside, ruck offences or high tackles, result in penalties. The opposing team can choose to kick for goal, kick for touch, or tap and run.

Tickets for the Luxembourg game are still available and you can find them here, it’s a very talented group of players who play all across Europe, as well as at the highest level in Germany (1. Bundesliga) for Rugby Club Luxembourg. Kick-off is at 6pm on Saturday in the Stade de Luxembourg. You can also stream the match on rtl.lu.