Rugby is not a very popular game in Russia, although in the West it has a huge number of fans. In addition, this sport is included in the program of the Olympic Games, and it is worth at least roughly to imagine its rules.
Game history
This sport has a huge number of names and varieties. He is also often confused with American football, possibly due to very similar rules and the ball. Nevertheless, rugby is a completely separate sport that originated in England.
Although ball games were popular in Foggy Albion as far back as the Middle Ages, the official date for the appearance of this sports discipline is April 7, 1823. On this day, during the festivities in honor of the celebration of the victory near Waterloo, a 16-year-old resident of the town of Rugby, in violation of all the rules of the game, grabbed the ball in his hands and rushed to the enemy "base". William Webb Ellis not only became the founder of a new sport, named after its appearance, but also introduced its first rule - limited the number of players in one team to ten.
Whether it is true or not is difficult to judge, however, it is this legend that has entrenched in the minds of people, including those belonging to the rugby community. Specific rules were later created, the ball took on a modern shape to make it comfortable to hold and throw far away, and in 1900 this sport was even included in the Olympics program. However, not for long - already in 1924, as part of the Games, rugby competitions were held for the last time, and at the moment the main championship in this sport is the world championship, held once every 4 years. However, in the summer of 2016, fans will observe the triumphant return of one of the varieties of the game at the Olympics in Brazil.
Varieties
Rugby is a sport that can be called quite young. Nevertheless, having separated from football and having followed his own path of development, he already acquired a huge number of varieties. Basically, the differences between them relate to the amount of time or players on the field. The most successful form is rugby 7, which was included in the program of the Olympic Games in 2016. Among other things, the game can be held on snow or the beach, and this will be considered a separate sport.
Also, many lay people often confuse rugby and American football. The latter, like its Canadian variety, developed on the basis of the early forms of the English game, but now it is a completely independent sport. So, in American football, special helmets and other hard equipment are used, which are not in rugby.
rules
The first attempt to codify the game was made all in the same Rugby town. This happened in 1846, and the first official international match took place in 1871. The modern rules of the game are as follows:
- The match takes place on a field with an area of not more than 100x70 meters. At the edges there are gates of two vertical pillars with a horizontal bar. The field is divided into several zones in which the rules provide for some features of the game.
- The main task of the player is to score the ball at the gate of the enemy team or move it into the space behind them with the touch of the ground. For this, as well as for some other effective actions, points are awarded.
- Passing forward is prohibited - you can pass the ball parallel to the goal line or to players behind. You can only send a shell forward with your foot or run with it.
- Captures of the player with the ball are permitted. The goal is to knock down an opponent, and he must pass to a team mate. Grips are allowed for any part of the body except the neck and head. In this case, you can not substitute the footboards or push the opponent.
- The match time is 80 net minutes, divided into two halves. The winner is the team that has scored the most points during this time.
Obviously, the rules of the game are not so complicated, however, there are several special elements, such as a pier, cancer and a fight. The first term implies a situation where a player with a ball is blocked by one or more opponents, while maintaining contact with teammates. In the second case, we are talking about the contact of athletes when the projectile is on the ground between them. Finally, the fight is one of the most spectacular and recognizable elements of this sport. When she is appointed as a judge, the players line up according to a special scheme and enter into an open confrontation in order to take possession of the ball. And although there is an opinion that rugby is a very traumatic game, in fact, following the rules, the risk of suffering is minimal.
Players
In the classic version, each team consists of 15 main and 7 reserve players. Those on the field are divided into 8 forwards and 7 defenders. Each player, both from the first and from the second category, in his position performs specific functions, both during the normal course of the game and in special situations. And although it might seem that there is nothing to do in rugby for those who cannot boast of growth and power, this is not at all the case. Agility and mobility can sometimes be decisive factors, especially when you need to take possession of the ball during a bout.
Finally, the fact of the existence of a huge number of different types of this game, adapted for people even without special physical preparation, suggests that rugby players are not necessarily mountains of muscles.
Modern distribution
Rugby is the second most popular game in the world after regular football. It is played in more than 100 countries of the world, and in several states it is even recognized as a national sport. In 1886, the International Rugby Council (IRB) was formed. This body is responsible for resolving all issues related to the holding of games.
Tournaments are held regularly. The largest of them is the world championship, but there are also separate championships for teams of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. In parallel with men's tournaments, women's tournaments are often held. Until recently, Rugby did not enter the Olympics because of the rules governing the weekly break between games for teams, which is impossible in the conditions of 16-day competitions.