Summary of the Sport:
The Pitch:
- Overall Dimensions = 80m x 49m (88yds x 53yds).
- In-Goal Area = 6-11m (7-12yds).
- Goalposts are H-shaped and consist of two poles, 5.6m (6.1yds) apart, connected by a horizontal crossbar 3m (3.3yds) above the ground; The posts extend an additional 16m (17.5yds) from the crossbar.
- 27.5cm / 10.8 in long.
- 55.5cm / 21.9 in circumference at its widest point.
- There are 7 players; High School & College players use the same rules as the professionals.
- The team in possession of the ball has 4 tackles to either advance the ball over the halfway line or score;
- A tackle is defined as when the attacking player's motion is stopped or when they hit the floor; When this occurs, the attacking player gets to their feet and rolls the ball backwards under one leg ("playing the ball") whilst the defending team must retreat 10 meters except for a max of 2 markers.
- After the 4th tackle has been made, the possession of the ball is turned over to the other team who begin their set of 6 from the point of the tackle.
- If the team in possession is driven back, or the ball is passed back across the halfway line, the tackle count continues until there is a change in possession, a break down, or an infringement.
- The tackle count is reset for all scrums, lineouts, penalties and restarts.
- The ball is live under almost all circumstances during a legal play within bounds at any time during the game except for out of bounds plays;
- Receivers need both feet in bounds for a complete pass.
- Substitutions only at stoppages in play but not used to hold up play.
- Teams Swap ends each Half.
- Each half starts with a place kick in both versions.
- Tournament Play = Two 7-minute Halves with a 2-minute Halftime, a 5-minute Overtime, and 1 3-second timeout per team for each half.
- Non-Tournament Play = Two 20-minute Halves with a 12-minute Halftime, and a 10-minute Overtime, and 2 30-second timeouts per team for each half.
- The official time clock runs continuously unless stopped when a time out is called by a team, or the referee stops play to allow opposing teams to align properly after a play.
- Kicking the ball as a forward pass; Only the kicker or players behind the kicker are allowed to recover the ball. Otherwise it is classed as a forward pass and a penalty is awarded.
- Quarter Lines Rule (kicking the ball into touch); The team of a player who kicks the ball from within his own (defending) half behind their quarter line into touch in between his opponents quarter line and try-line is awarded a lineout in line with the point at which the ball crossed the touch line.
- The ball must first bounce in the field of play before entering touch; If the kick fails, the defending team is awarded a lineout in line with the point at which the ball crossed the touch line.
- Running with the ball (Runner Down); The ball-carrier must be touched while on the ground unless it is a clearly willful knee or slide; otherwise, the player may stand up and continue to advance the ball).
- Passing the ball backward/laterally.
- If the attacking team kicks the ball into the in-goal area and the defending team touches down or the ball goes dead in goal, then the advantage will go to the defending team and play will resume.
- In all other circumstances, knock-ons or other infringements by the defending team, then play will resume with a twenty (20) meter scrum with the loose head and feed going to the attacking team.
- When the ball is kicked to the opposing team; This can be done at any time but it is normal to kick the ball after the 5th tackle.
- Following an unsuccessful kick at goal; If the kick at goal misses and goes dead play is restarted with a drop out at the 20m line.
- When an opposing player intercepts a pass.
- When the player in possession drops the ball and it is recovered by an opposition player.
- If a player knocks the ball forward or throws a forward pass or if the offense fails to attempt a score within the tackle limit, the other team or defense is awarded a contested scrum; The attacking team may lose possession in a scrum or line out.
- If a player commits an illegal play the opposing team is awarded a penalty and will receive the ball.
- If the offense fails to attempt a score within the tackle limit, the defense is awarded a contested scrum at the 20m line.
- An automatic handover takes place when the team in possession runs out of tackles.
- If a one-on-one tackle is attempted, the tackler can legally strip the ball from the attacking player.
- The opposition is awarded a line out if the team in possession kicks the ball out of play and they haven't been awarded a penalty before the kick or the ball simply goes out of play; successful 50/20 kicks are the only exception to this.
- Play-the-ball is used to restart play in various instances during a game, but most-commonly immediately following a tackle. The act of the play-the-ball is sometimes referred to simply as 'playing the ball'.
- To return the ball to play correctly, the tackled player must: 1) have stopped forward progress (i.e., been tackled), 2) have both feet on the ground, 3) place the ball on the ground in front of one foot, and 4) roll the ball backwards by use of the boot.
- From the moment the ball is rolled back by the tackled player's boot, the next phase of play begins. The 'dummy half' is the term used to refer to the player who then picks up the ball and resumes his team's attack.
- When the ball is carried by a single player in open play, any other player on the same team who is in front of the ball carrier is in an offside position. If he is in front of a ball which is then kicked, he can be put onside if the kicker subsequently moves ahead of him before the ball is caught. If not, he must stand 10m away from the player who catches the ball (as if he were the acting half-back at a play-the-ball) or they will be penalized.
- When the ball is in a scrum, the scrum-half must remain behind the ball and all other players not in the scrum must remain behind a line parallel to the goal-line and 5 meters behind the hindmost foot.
- At a lineout, only players in the line (normally 7 per team), a receiver (often the scrum-half) and a thrower (usually the hooker) from each team are allowed within 5 meters of the line. However the defending hooker must be at least 2 meters from the line so as not to disturb the other thrower. The remaining players must be more than 10 meters away from the line or they will be penalized.
- All players in an offside position must move at least 10 meters away from any opponent who is waiting to receive the ball and may not do any of the following: 1) receive a pass (forward passes are illegal in any event) , 2) enter a ruck, maul or scrum, 3) play the ball, 4) move towards the ball, and 5) move towards, tackle or obstruct a player of the opposing team who has the ball, or who is waiting to receive the ball.
- A player who is in an offside position remains offside until played onside in one of several ways: 1) a teammate who has remained onside runs ahead of the offside player (this may be either the ball carrier/kicker or another teammate who has remained behind the ball carrier/kicker) 2) the offside player runs behind the ball carrier/kicker, or 3) an opponent at least 10 meters away from the offside player kicks, passes, intentionally touches, or runs 5 meters with the ball
- Tackling or interfering with a player who is not in possession of the ball is not permitted.
- Pushing, shoulder charging, and tripping with the legs or feet is not permitted.
- Players must try to grasp a player when making the tackle.
- All tackles must be between the shoulders and knees.
- A tackle is deemed to be complete when the player in possession is held on the ground or an upright tackle; The player that was tackled must then immediately Play-the-Ball after being released and the tackler(s).
- Defending players are required to stand no closer than five (5) meters from the line of the ball after the completion of a tackle, excluding players involved in the tackle.
- Once a tackle is made, all players, with the exception of one marker, must retreat at least a minimum of 10 meters towards their end of the field.
- A scrum is a way of restarting the game safely and fairly after a minor infringement; it is awarded when the ball has been knocked or passed forward, when a player is accidentally offside, or when the ball is trapped in a ruck or maul with no realistic chance of being retrieved.
- 7's Scrums are 3-a-side, Contested, with the scrum-half feeding the ball in; 3 players (just the front row) are to contest scrums, with the attacking side having the loosehead and feed.
- The ‘crouch, bind and engage’ system applies, with the ball to be fed into the center of the scrum.
- The two packs of forwards engage with each other so that the heads of the front-rowers are interlocked with those of their opponents; A team in a scrum must not push the scrum more than 1.5m toward their opponents goal line.
- Once a scrum is formed the scrum-half from the team awarded the feed throws the ball into the gap between the two front-rows known as the tunnel; the two hookers then compete for possession by hooking the ball backwards with their feet, while each pack tries to push the opposing pack backwards to help gain possession.
- The side that wins possession transfers the ball to the back of the scrum, where it is picked up either by the loose forward or by the scrum-half; either the scrum half or the loose forward can then pass, run, or kick the ball and normal play then resumes.
- A team in a scrum must not wheel/screw a scrum past a 45 degree position. (Scrum challenge for the ball Rule); The front rowers must engage square on, rather than bore in on an angle.
- Front-rowers are also banned from twisting their bodies, pulling opponents, or doing anything that might collapse the scrum. They must not push an opponent in the air.
- Finally, the back row must remain bound until the ball has left the scrum. For flankers, this means keeping one arm, up to the shoulder, in contact with the scrum. The Lose Forward (no. 8) must have both hands touching the scrum until the scrum has ended.The scrum must be stable, stationary and parallel to the goal-lines when the scrum-half feeds the ball; otherwise a free kick is awarded to the non-offending team. If the scrum is acceptable then the scrum-half must feed the ball into the scrum without delay.
- The referee will often warn a team and if the warning is not heeded the opposition is awarded a free kick. The ball must be fed into the middle of the tunnel with its major axis parallel to the ground and touchline. The ball must be thrown in quickly and in a single movement — this means that a feed cannot be faked. Once the ball has left the hands of the scrum-half the scrum has begun.
- The lineouts will have a maximum of 3 players from each side for the purpose of simplification and fairness to a proper contest to the line out. The furthest two players from the throw in will stand no less than 2m apart. (Lineout Rule).
- Forward players from each team line up 1m apart, perpendicular to the touchline and 10m from the touchline.
- The ball is thrown from the touchline down the center of the lines of forwards by a player (usually the hooker) from the team that did not play the ball into touch. The exception to this is when the ball went out from a penalty, in which case the side who gained the penalty throws the ball in.
- Both sides compete for the ball and players may lift their teammates. A jumping player cannot be tackled until they stand and only shoulder-to-shoulder contact is allowed; deliberate infringement of this law is dangerous play, and results in a penalty kick on the center of the 20m line.
- A player in the line-out will attempt either to catch the ball or to knock it back to a "receiver", a player from their own side (often the scrum-half but sometimes another forward) who is standing close to the line-out on their side of the pitch and in a position to receive such a ball. Each team may have, at most, one receiver at a line-out.
- Players must not interfere with the opposition during the line-out. In particular, they must not interfere with or tackle a jumper while his feet are off the ground, or interfere with players supporting him; such actions are deemed to be dangerous play and will be penalized with a penalty kick on the center of the 20m line.
- Players in the line-out must not close the gap or enter the gap, except in the act of jumping for the ball, nor may they jump or support a jumper before the ball is thrown; such actions are penalized with a free-kick.
- If the ball is thrown beyond the 10m line, a player from the throwing team who is not taking part in the line-out may run forward to take the ball; If he does so, an opponent may also run forward to contest possession and/or tackle the player.
- Players who are taking part in the line-out may move beyond the 10m line as soon as the ball leaves the thrower's hands; However, if a player runs forward or infield and the ball is not thrown beyond the 10m line, that player is off-side.
- The line-out ends when the ball crosses the 10m line.
- Players not forming part of the line-out, or acting as receiver, must stay at least 10m (11yd) from the line of touch until the line-out is over; the only exception is if the line-out is formed within 10m of their goal-line, when they need only retreat behind the goal-line.
- A line-out ends when the ball, or a player carrying it, leaves the line-out, or, if a ruck or maul is formed at the line-out, when all the feet of all the players forming the ruck or maul move beyond the line of touch.
- Players from the side not throwing may jump to compete for the ball, though they must be careful not to attract a penalty for interfering with an opposing jumper; Alternatively, they may choose not to contest the line-out but to drive onto the catcher as soon as he returns to the ground.
- Often, when a team is awarded a line-out close to their opponent's goal-line, they will attempt to form a maul around the catcher and drive over the goal-line to score a try. In such cases, the defending team will often seek to disrupt this tactic by driving in on the catcher, taking him to ground immediately, before a maul can form.
- A quick throw-in may be taken without waiting for a line-out to be formed; For a quick throw-in to be legal, the ball can not have been touched by any other person (player or non-player), apart from the player taking the throw or the opponent who may have carried the ball into touch and it can only be taken between the point of the ball leaving the field and the thrower's own goal line.
- If a line-out begins to form before the quick throw-in is taken the throw-in is not permitted; To prevent quick throw-ins, members of the opposing team will often race to the point where the ball went into touch to ensure a line-out is forming.
- In a quick throw-in the player throwing the ball back into play cannot send the ball forward towards the opponent's goal line, though unlike a line-out the ball may be thrown back in the direction of the player's own goal line.
- Kickoffs occur at the beginning of each half and after each score.
- All kickoffs occur at the 50m line.
- All starts and restarts of play require either a place kick or drop kick then the ball must travel at least 10m in a forward direction.
- The ball must not be kicked out on the full; If this occurs, a penalty results from where the ball was kicked and the game is restarted.
- 7-a-side; 15-man total roster.
- Positions - 2 Props, Hooker, Scrum-Half, Fly-Half, Center, Fullback.
- Uniform # System - Props (1/2), Hooker (3), Scrum-Half (4), Fly-Half (5), Center (6), Fullback (7), Utility/Reserves (8-15).
- Tournament Play = Each team has 8 substitutes, but can only make 5 substitutions per game unless 1) a player is injured or 2) if either team decides to make a tactical change during the halftime break; If either is the case, the substitution doesn't count towards the allowed number of substitutions.
- Non-Tournament Play = Each team has 8 substitutes, but can make unlimited substitutions per game.
- Deliberately collapsing a scrum.
- Not binding properly on an opponent (for prop forwards) or a team-mate (for other players).
- Leaving the scrum before the ball has emerged from it.
- Not pushing straight against the opposing pack.
- Failing to retreat 10m from an opposition play-the-ball.
- If marker at the play-the-ball, failing to stand opposite it.
- Not playing the ball correctly at a play-the-ball.
- Kicking the ball into touch, touch-in-goal, or over the dead ball line on the full from the kick-off.
- Crossing the goal line, not sending the ball 10m, on sending it into touch on the full from a goal-line drop-out.
- Being less than 10m away from the play-the-ball.
- Being closer to the play-the-ball than the try line if the play-the-ball is inside his 10m line.
- Being less than 5m away from the base of the scrum.
- Not making an effort to move to an onside position.
- A high tackle (where contact is made above the shoulders); tackling a player in the air or a player holding a team-mate off the ground.
- Tackling without trying to grasp the ball-carrier and bring him to ground (e.g. a shoulder charge or push)
- Tackling or holding an opponent who is not in possession of the ball, or late hits (such as hitting a ball-carrier already taken to ground).
- Violent or foul play: punching, elbowing, kicking, head-butting, tripping and so forth.
- Throwing or knocking the ball forwards, or out of play in any direction.
- Obstructing an opponent from tackling the ball-carrier (crossing).
- Not retreating 10m at a penalty.
- Contesting or dissenting from a referee's decision, or using abusive language or conduct towards any match official.
- Any other action the referee considers to be "contrary to good sportsmanship" (such as throwing the ball away while play is stopped in order to prevent a prompt restart, especially if time is close to expiring).
- Similar to other forms of rugby, both teams must wear their dark color uniforms during games unless either 1) the teams share similar colors or 2) if someone is colorblind; If that is the case, the designated home team will wear their dark color uniforms and the away team will wear either 1) their lighter color uniforms or 2) an alternative darker color uniform.
- Required = Rugby jersey, shorts, socks, cleats and mouthguard.
- Optional padding (but required if suffered a serious injury, and is only required for the afflicted area) = IRB-Approved Headgear, shoulder pads, and shin guards.
- Try (5): A player tackled just short of the try-line can legitimately reach across it and place the ball down for a Try, but only after the 5th tackle.
- Drop Goal (3)
- Penalty Goal (2).
- Safety (tackling the ball-carrier inside their own in-goal area) (1): After a safety has been scored, the conceding team must kick off to the scoring team from the 20m line.
- Conversion (2): All conversions / penalty goals must be taken within 40 seconds of scoring a Try / committing a penalty.
- The ball may be place kicked or drop kicked on the quarter line at a point that is parallel to where the try was scored.
- The ball may be place kicked or drop kicked on the center of the quarter line if one team committed a penalty.
- After a team scores either a try or drop goal, the scoring team must place kick off to the conceding team.