International Rules Rugby Glossary:
- 20 Meter Drop-out: The kick which restarts play after a missed penalty or drop goal passing the end goal line or touched down by a defending player. The ball is kicked back to the original attacking side. The ball may be kicked in any manner and in any direction.
- Accidental Strike: When a ball strikes a player who makes no attempt to play at the ball.
- Acting Half Back: The person behind the play the ball situation (also referred to as dummy half).
- Advantage: Allowing the advantage means allowing play to proceed if it is to the advantage of the team which has not committed an offence or infringement.
- Attacking Team: The team at the time has a territorial advantage. If a scrum is to be formed on the halfway line the team which last touched the ball before it went out of play is the attacking team.
- Back: A player means one who is not taking part in the scrum.
- Backs: The group of players normally numbered 9 through 15 who do not participate in scrums and lineouts, except for the scrum-half.
- Ball Back: To form a scrum where the ball was kicked from after it has entered the touch on the full.
- Behind Ball: A ball which is passed behind one optional runner to another.
- Behind: When applied to a player means, unless otherwise stated, that both feet are behind the position in question. Similarly 'in front of' means nearer to one's opponent's goal line.
- Binding: The careful method players grip and grasp each other to form a secure scrum, ruck, or maul. This is a critical skill to ensure the safety of players.
- Blindside: Either 1) the side of the scrum or of the play the ball nearer to touch or 2) from a set piece, ruck or maul, the short side of the field. Also called the weakside.
- Bomb: A high kick.
- Breach: Any accidental or deliberate non-compliance with the rules
- Breakaway: Either of the two forwards wearing No.6 or No.7. Also called wing forwards or breakaways they bind to the scrum outside of the locks just behind the outside hip of the props. They can play always on the same side of the scrum or can specialize on either the weakside or strongside. The players with the fewest set responsibilities, their job is to aggressively pursue the ball, gain possession, and take off running. Also known as Flanker.
- Cap: Anytime a player plays in a match he/she is technically awarded a cap but the term is mostly used to note the number of official games a player has appeared for his/her national team against another national team. A cap is an honour, there is typically no physical item awarded.
- Captain: The player selected to guide a team on the pitch during a match.
- Center: Either of the backs wearing No. 9 (inside) or No.10 (outside). Powerful runners who are the heart of the back running attack and defence. The inside centre can also be called the 2nd 5/8th.
- Charge Down: The blocking of a kick by an opposition's player; blocking the path of the ball with hands, arm or body as it rises from an opponent's kick.
- Chip Kick: A short shallow weighted kick usually delivered over the head of an onrushing defender to be quickly retrieved or caught by the kicker or one of his/her supporting players
- Clearance Kick: A kick of the ball to touch which relieves pressure on a side under heavy attack by the opposition.
- Conversion Kick: A kick at the posts after the awarding of a try scoring two points if successful. The kick must be attempted directly from a spot perpendicular to the spot where the try was awarded. Usually taken with a place kick, it can be rushed when the kicker makes a move towards the ball. If taken as a drop kick it is uncontested.
- Corner Post: A post surmounted by a flag placed at the intersection of each touch line and goal line. The post shall be of non rigid material and shall not be less than 1.25m high. The corner posts are touch in goal.
- Counter Attack Transition: The opportunity to launch an attack after a period of defending.
- Dead Ball: The ball is out of play.
- Defending Team: The team opposing the attacking team.
- Differential Penalty: Differs in one respect from a Penalty Kick in that a goal cannot be scored from it.
- Double Marker: The two players allowed to oppose the 'play the balls' situation.
- Drag and Drop 'drag': To run and pull a defender out of position, 'drop' is the pass made to a player running a 'hook line'.
- Drift: A running line 'drifting' across your opponent.
- Drop Goal: Sometimes referred to as a Field Goal, is a goal scored by propelling the ball over the crossbar by drop kicking it anytime a side is close to their own try line. If successful it scores three points but the ball must hit the ground before being kicked.
- Drop Out: A drop kick from between the posts or from the center of the 20 meter line when bringing the ball back into play.
- Dummy Half: The person behind the play the ball situation (also referred to as acting half back).
- Dummy: The pretense of passing or otherwise releasing the ball while still retaining possession of it.
- Face Ball: A ball that is passed across the front of one optional runner to another.
- Feeding the Scrum: The rolling of the ball into the scrum by the scrum-half.
- Field of Play: The area bounded by, but not including, the touch lines and goal lines
- First 5/8th: The back wearing No. 8 who normally receives the ball from the scrum-half. Also called the fly-half, out-half, outside half or 1st 5/8th, he/she will call plays for the backline, pass the ball to other backs, or provide most of the tactical kicks.
- Fixture: Another name for a rugby match.
- Flanker: Either of the two forwards wearing No.6 or No.7. Also called wing forwards or breakaways they bind to the scrum outside of the locks just behind the outside hip of the props. They can play always on the same side of the scrum or can specialize on either the weakside or strongside. The players with the fewest set responsibilities, their job is to aggressively pursue the ball, gain possession, and take off running. Also known as a Breakaway Forward.
- Fly-half: The back wearing No.10 who normally receives the ball from the scrum-half. Also called the out-half, outside half or 1st 5/8th, he/she will call plays for the backline, pass the ball to other backs, or provide most of the tactical kicks. Also known as First 5/8th.
- Foot Up: An offence where a hooker brings his foot into the scrum's tunnel before the ball is fed by the scrum-half.
- Forward Pass: An illegal pass to a player ahead of the ball causing the ball to be awarded to the other team in a scrum.
- Forward: In a direction towards the opponents dead ball line. As applied to a player it means one who is at the time packing down in the scrum.
- Forwards: The group of players normally numbered 1 through 8 who bind together into scrums, line up for lineouts, and commit themselves to most rucks and mauls.
- Foul Play: Refers to the various types of misconduct resulting in infringements of the Laws of the Game.
- Free Kick: Is the kick awarded to the team, which kicks into touch from a penalty kick. The kick is taken 10 metres in from touch opposite the point of entry into touch. The ball may be kicked in any manner in any direction but a goal cannot be scored from it, nor can ground be gained by kicking into touch on the full.
- Front Five: A common collective name for the front (props and hooker) and second row (locks) forwards. Also known as Tight Five
- Front Row: The common name for the Prop/Hooker/Prop combination at the front of a scrum.
- Full Time: The end of the game. Also referred to as No-side.
- Fullback: The back wearing No.13 who normally plays deep behind the backline. In attack the fullback is a dangerous attacking position hitting holes unexpectedly at pace, in defence the fullback has primary responsibility for covering all tactical kicks down field by the opposition.
- Garryowen: A tactical kick which is popped very high and shallow allowing the kicker and supporting players to easily run underneath it for recovery. The kick is intended to put heavy pressure on any opposition player attempting to catch the ball. Also known as an Up and Under.
- General Play: Refers to all aspects of play after a match has been started or restarted by a Place Kick, Drop Out, Penalty Kick, Free Kick or Scrum.
- Goal: Is the act of converting either a try or penalty kick.
- Grounding the Ball: a) Placing the ball on the ground with hand or hands, or b) Exerting downward pressure on the ball with hand or arm, the ball itself being on the ground, or c) Dropping on the ball and covering it with part of the body above the waist and below the neck, the ball itself being on the ground.
- Grubber Kick: A kick into the ground that causes the ball to bounce and roll along the ground.
- Haka: A cultural ceremony display with a chant performed by many Southern Pacific teams as a challenge before a match.
- Half Time: The end of the first half of the game.
- Half-back: The back wearing No.9 who normally feeds the ball into a scrum and retrieves the ball at the base of scrums, rucks, and mauls. Can also be called the Scrum-half.
- Hand Over: The surrendering of the ball to the opposition after the shot clock has run out.
- Heel: When a player propels the ball behind him/her with the sole or heel of his/her foot.
- High Ball: A ball kicked very high into the air placing any player attempting to catch it under extreme pressure by on rushing opposition players.
- Hook Line: A running line to receive the ball inside the ball carrier that is running across the face of the defence.
- Hook: The act of the hooker when he strikes with a foot for the ball in the scrum.
- Hooker: The front row forward wearing No.2. The player is supported on either side in the scrum by props and is required to gain possession of the ball in the scrum by hooking or blocking the ball with one of his/her feet. The hooker will normally also be the forward who throws the ball into the lineout.
- In Possession: To be holding or carrying the ball.
- In-Goal: The area bounded by the goal line, touch-in-goal lines and dead ball line.
- Injury Time: During a half, the clock is stopped by the referee while any injury is attended to. After the normal half's time has expired (e.g. 40 minutes) the continued play afterwards equal to the amount of injury stoppage is called injury time.
- Inside Ball: Refers to a pass being turned back inside, opposite to the direction in which the ball was traveling.
- Inside Center: The back wearing No. 9.
- International: A name identifying a person capped for their country's national team also another name for a test.
- Jumper: A common name for a rugby jersey. Also the name of a player in a lineout, usually at the 2, 4, and 6 positions, jumping to catch or intercept the throw. Knock On - losing, dropping, or knocking the ball forward from a player's hand resulting in the ball being awarded to the other team in a scrum.
- Kick: Imparting motion to the ball with any part of the leg (except the heel) from the knee to toe inclusive.
- Kick-Off: The method of starting each half of the game.
- Knock On: To knock the ball towards the opponent's dead ball line with hand or arm.
- Lifting: The act of lifting the lineout jumper into the air in order to more easily catch or intercept the throw.
- Lineout: The set play re-starting play after the ball has been taken out or kicked to touch. Both sets of forwards will line up opposite each other with the side with throw calling a play. The throw must be directly down the middle of the two lines.
- Lock: Either of the two forwards normally wearing No.4 and No.5. Typically the largest players on the field, they have primary responsibility for being the power in scrums and securing the ball in lineouts. Due to their size, they are also normally powerful forces in all loose play, rucks, and mauls. Also known as Second Row
- Loose Arm: An offence by the hooker if he/she does not pack into the scrum with both arms around the neck of the prop and front row forward.
- Loose Ball: When during play the ball is not held by a player and not being scrimmaged.
- Loose Forward: This forward binds into the scrum normally at the very base between the two locks. His/her responsibility is to initiate attacks by the forwards from scrums or to provide a stable ball from the scrum for the scrum-half.
- Loose-head: The No.1 prop in a scrum due to his head being outside the opposition's tight-head prop's shoulders.
- Mark: A location on the pitch designated by the referee as the location either 1) a penalty kick or free kick is awarded or 2) a scrum should come together. Also a word a player will call while catching a kicked ball within his own 20 meter line. If awarded by the referee, that back is awarded a free kick.
- Maul: Typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball is still being held by a player once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a maul has been set. The primary difference from a ruck is that the ball is not on the ground.
- Mutual Infringement: The reason for the stoppage in play is not the fault of either team.
- Obstruction: The illegal act of impeding an opponent who does not have the ball.
- Off Side: As applied to a player means that he/she is temporarily out of play and may be penalized if he/she joins in the game.
- Offloading: Passing the ball out of the tackle.
- Offsides: During rucks, scrums, lineouts, and mauls an imaginary line is present over which any player crossing before the set piece is completed commits a penalty.
- On Side: A player is not off-side.
- On the Full: The ball is kicked over a given line or is caught by a player without first coming into contact with the ground or another player.
- Open Side: The side of the scrum or the play the ball further from touch.
- Out of Play: Refers to a player out of play at the restart of play.
- Out-half/Outside half: The back wearing No.10 who normally receives the ball from the scrum-half. Also called the fly-half, out-half, outside half or 1st 5/8th, he/she will call plays for the backline, pass the ball to other backs, or provide most of the tactical kicks.
- Outside Center: The back wearing No.10.
- Overload getting more players around the ball than the opposition.
- Pack: Refers collectively to the forwards of any one team. To pack down means to form a scrum.
- Pass: A throw of the ball from one player to another.
- Penalty Kick: An uncontested kick awarded to a team for a major infraction by the other team. The kick can be taken directly at goal and scores 2 points if successful. If the ball is kicked to touch, then the ball is awarded back to the team which kicked the ball out of bounds.
- Penalty Try: The awarding of a try due to a flagrant violation by an opposing side that prevents an obvious try from being scored.
- Penalty: Any number of infractions or violations which award the other team a kick.
- Pill: A nickname for a rugby ball
- Pitch: The field upon which a rugby match is played.
- Place Kick: A kick of the ball resting on the ground, placed in an indention in the ground, from a small pile of sand, or from a kicking tee. Place kicks are used to start each half, for penalty kicks at goal, for conversion kicks after a try has been awarded, and to restart play after a try has been scored.
- Play the Ball: The act of bringing the ball into play after a tackle.
- Playing Area: The area enclosed by the fence, or other such line demarcation, which prevents encroachment of spectators.
- Playing Field: The area bounded by, but not including the touchlines and dead ball lines.
- Pop Pass: A short weighted pass.
- Prop: The front row forward nearest to the scrum half putting the ball into the scrum. Either of the two forwards normally wearing No.1 (loose-head) or No. 3 (tight-head). Responsibilities are to support the hooker during scrums and second rows during lineouts.
- Punt: A kick whereby the ball is dropped from the hand or hands and is kicked before it touches the ground.
- Pushover Try: A try scored by the forward pack as a unit in a scrum by pushing the opposition's scrum pack backwards across the tryline while dragging the ball underneath them. Typically scored from a 5m scrum, the try is usually awarded when the No.8 or scrum-half touch the ball down after it crosses the try line.
- Put-In: The rolling of the ball into the scrum.
- Referee: The sole judge and timekeeper of the game.
- Restart: The kick re-starting play after a half or after points are scored.
- Ruck (Union Side): Typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball has been delivered to the ground once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a ruck has been set. The primary difference from a maul is that the ball is on the ground.
- Ruck (League Side): refers to all players involved in and around the tackle and subsequent play the ball.
- Rugby: A football game in which the ball is kicked or carried forward down a field to score points either by touching the ball down beyond a tryline or kicking the ball through posts. The primary rule governing the game is that no pass to a player forward of the ball is allowed. Two codes of rugby are played, Rugby Union and Rugby League. Union is normally played with fifteen players, but versions of the game featuring only seven or ten players is also popular. Football is quite ancient and has existed in most every cultural group through time. The current form of Rugby Football was first developed at Rugby School in England and thus the school provided the name for the sport.
- Rugger: Colloquial name for the game.
- Scrum Down: The coming together of the scrum.
- Scrum (Union Side): The formation used in the set play re-starting play after a knock-on or forward pass. The forwards from each side bind together and then the two packs come together to allow the scrumhalf with the feed to deliver the ball to the scrum. A scrum can also be awarded or chosen in different circumstances by the referee.
- Scrum (League Side): Where a team loses the advantage of the 'Loose Head' and 'Put-In' the scrum is said to be awarded against the team.
- Scrum-half: The back wearing No.9 who normally feeds the ball into a scrum and retrieves the ball at the base of scrums, rucks, and mauls. Can also be called the half-back.
- Scrummaging: The process of setting and completing a scrum
- Second 5/8th: Either of the backs wearing No.12 (inside) or No.13 (outside). Powerful runners they are the heart of the back running attack and defence.
- Second Row: Either of the two forwards normally wearing No.4 and No.5. Typically the largest players on the field, they have primary responsibility for being the power in scrums and securing the ball in lineouts. Due to their size, they are also normally powerful forces in all loose play, rucks, and mauls. Also known as Lock.
- Selection: The process of picking a squad for a match by a club or team. Also an identifier of a player selected to play a match.
- Selector: A person involved in the selection process.
- Send Off: After flagrant, numerous or a malicious foul, the referee can elect to expel a player from the match. The player cannot be replaced causing the side to play one person short. Normally the sent off player is banned for at least one match after the sending off and depending on the severity of the offence can be banned for more than one match to life.
- Sevens (7's): A form of rugby union invented in Scotland and played with only seven total players, usually three forwards and four backs. Each half typically last only 10 minutes in tournaments or 20 minutes in non-tournament play. Games are almost always played during tournaments.
- Shoulder Charge: Where a defender, without attempting to tackle, grab or hold the ball-carrier (or any opposing player) using the arms or hands, makes direct physical contact with the shoulder or the upper arm (tucked into the side). (Refer Section 15)
- Static Passing: Passing whilst in a stationary position.
- Strike: As applied to the foot means to attempt to secure possession of the ball, usually by heeling it, in a scrum.
- Switch: Changing the direction of a pass or the direction of play.
- Tackle: The act of bringing the ball carrier (opposing player) to ground.
- Take: A well executed catch of a kicked ball.
- Test: The name typically used for matches between two national teams. The match can also be called an international.
- Thirteens (13's): The name of the most common game of rugby union featuring thirteen players per side. Each team consists of 6 forwards and 7 backs playing two halves each 40 minutes long.
- Tight Five: A common name for all of the front (props and hooker) and second row (locks) forwards. Also known as Front Five.
- Tight-head: The No. 3 prop in a scrum due to his head being between the opposition's hooker and loose-head prop's shoulders. A scrum can also win a tight-head by taking possession of the ball in a scrum fed by the other pack.
- Touch Down: In the grounding of the ball by a defending player in his/her own in goal.
- Touch Judge: An official posted on each side of the pitch to mark the spot where balls go out of touch and to judge kicks at goal. The touch judge is also instrumental in pointing out any serious violence infractions not seen by the referee.
- Touch, touchline: The out of bounds line that runs on either side of the pitch. The non-contact version of rugby is also commonly called touch.
- Touching the Ball: In all aspects of play 'touching the ball' refers to deliberately playing at the ball.
- Tour: A trip by a club or team typically to a foreign country playing a number of different matches.
- Try: A score of 5 points awarded when the ball is carried or kicked across the tryline and touched down to the ground by a player.
- Tryline: The goal line extending across the pitch.
- Tunnel: The gap between the front rows in a scrum or the gap between the two lines of forwards in a lineout.
- Turnover: When one side takes possession of the ball from their opponents.
- Unload the Tackle: Getting off an opponent after making a tackle.
- Up & Under: A tactical kick which is popped very high and shallow allowing the kicker and supporting players to easily run underneath it for recovery. The kick is intended to put heavy pressure on any opposition player attempting to catch the ball. Also called a Garryowen due to the Irish club which originated the play.
- Upright Tackle: Where a player in possession is effectively tackled without being brought to the ground.
- Voluntary Tackle: Where a player in possession voluntarily stops play when not effectively tackled.
- Weakside: From a set piece, ruck or maul, the short side of the field. Also called the Blindside.
- Wing forward: Either of the two forwards wearing No. 11 or No. 12. Also called wing forwards or breakaways they bind to the scrum outside of the locks just behind the outside hip of the props. They can play always on the same side of the scrum or can specialize on either the weakside or strongside. The players with the fewest set responsibilities, their job is to aggressively pursue the ball, gain possession, and take off running. Also known as Flanker.
- Wing/Winger: Either of the two backs wearing No.11 or No.14. Each will normally stay on the same side of the back line they are on throughout the match and are typically expected to be the fastest sprinters in the side. Wingers also have key duties during defense helping the fullback cover kicks and counterattacking.
- XIII: A common identifier for the first fifteen selected players of a club or team. A team can also use XIII in their name, pronounced as thirteen.