Rugby jargon-buster (original) (raw)

'Confessions of a Rugby Player' is the quintessential British farce that never was. Hookers, balls, tackle and touch - and plenty of opportunities for an exasperated Tony Booth to watch Robin Asquith floundering 'hilariously' in the mud - it would have been a riot.

But these tittersome terms are what ultimately differentiate a game of rugby union from an 80-minute brawl. So it pays to learn the lingo, so to speak.

Ecoutez, et repetez:

The pitch:

Horizontal lines show distance from the try line and the halfway line. The dashed 10-metre lines are measured from halfway; the solid 22-metre line usually referred to as the 22 and dashed five-metre lines are marked from the try line. Why 22 metres? Interesting question. Next...

The dead ball lines and the touchlines mark the limits of the playing field. If the ball bounces into touch, then a lineout is awarded to the defending team there. Over the dead ball line, and a 22 drop-out is awarded on the 22, in which the defending team kicks the ball upfield. Keeping up?

Passing

Very important, this. The ball may only be passed backwards. A forward pass is penalised. Flashy types like to spin-pass the ball for extra speed. Scrum halves, generally inveterate show-ponies, tend to dive when passing from the back of rucks, mauls and scrums.

When teams are in possession, the backs will stand deep - in a diagonal line so that they can accelerate onto the ball when receiving a pass. In defence, they will stand flat - in a straight line across the field, so as to minimise gaps between them.

Teams spend much time devising and rehearsing set passing moves, usually instigated by the fly-half. One of the most common is a scissors move, in which a player running diagonally across the field plays a short pass to a man running diagonally in the other direction from behind him. This opens up space by confusing the opposition's defence. It looks a bit like a scissors, y'see. Nobody would risk the wrath of his mother by doing anything as foolhardy as actually running with a scissors.

Mis-passes and overlapping are two good ways to make room for attackers. A mis-pass sends the ball out wide, bypassing one or more players. An player overlaps by running out of position to create another wide man to pass to.

Kicking

Fly-halves, full backs and wings do most of the kicking in a side. The rare sight of a forward kicking the ball has traditionally heralded peals of laughter, although seldom from his captain. Kicking for position means booting the ball up the field to find touch, so that play is restarted near the opposition's try line.

The Garryowen is a big up-and-under hoof that the kicker runs after, and tries to catch.

Unless the kicker is behind, or inside his 22, the ball must bounce before going out of play. If a ball is kicked out on the full, i.e. without bouncing, play restarts level with the kicker's original position.

Players can call a mark if they catch the ball inside their own 22 from an opponent's kick. This allows them a free kick to touch, and is, therefore, a very useful defensive tool.

Tackling

"Squeeze knees and drive" was the advice of our PE teacher, who would then sadistically pair us up for tackling practice with our class's Jonah Lomu. Tackling requires timing, tenacity, strength and bravery.

High tackles - above chest height - are considered mighty poor form, not to mention dangerous, and penalised accordingly. Late tackles are also frowned upon, not least by their victims.

The tap tackle - clipping a fleeing opponent's ankle - is generally a last ditch effort, but when it comes off, it looks great.

Rucks and Mauls

These form following tackles, and are usually where games are won, or in the case of Wales, lost.

The basic premise is that both sets of forwards pile in and try to wrestle the ball to their scrum half, who can then pass to the backs for another phase of running and passing. If the ball is on the ground, the resultant melee is known as a ruck. The forwards must win the ball by driving their opposite numbers backwards over the ball - no hands are allowed.

If the tacklee has remained on his feet, a maul is formed. In this case, the forwards must wrestle the ball backwards. The ball must not go to ground.

Players are offside, and concede a penalty, if they enter a ruck or maul from the wrong - that is their opponents' - side of the field. They can also be penalised for killing the ball - failing to stay on their feet, in order to prevent the opposition from wrestling the ball out of the maul.

Teams always aim to win the ball when they have carried it into a ruck or maul. This is known as recycling possession and leads to the next phase of play. If the opposition win the ball, it is called a turnover.

Scrums

Scrummages are the perfect places for forwards to do what forwards do best - grunt, sweat, push each other about in an organised way, acquire cauliflower ears and engage in petty violence.

Scrums are awarded for various reasons, the most common being when the ball is not released from a maul. Scrums are also awarded when a player knocks-on - which means to drop the ball on the ground, so that it goes forward.

The two sets of forwards bind together in three rows each, with the opposite front rows interlocking heads. The scrum half of the side that has been awarded the put-in scrum then feeds the scrum - he rolls the ball in at the side, and the opposing hookers try to win it with their feet. The scrum half then collects the ball at the back of the scrum, and begins another attack. If the opposing scrum half has any sense, he will be making a thorough nuisance of himself. For most scrum halves this is second nature. Rob Howley was a past master at this for Wales and the British Lions. George Gregan is top dog in 2005.

If a scrum turns through 90 degrees, it must be restarted. Sides persistently turning the scrum - which may legitimately be done for tactical reasons - are penalised. Teams are also penalised if the collapse the scrum - a self-explanatory term - which is obviously rather dangerous.

Sometimes the No8 will pick the ball up at the back of a scrum. This is rather less-than-cryptically known as a No 8 pickup.

Losing one's own scrum - known as losing it against the head, is a cardinal sin.

Lineouts

Known to the pedantic as lines out, the idea is relatively simple - the hooker throws the ball in and formation jostling recommences.

If a team kicks or carries the ball across the touchline, a lineout is awarded to the opposition. The two sets of forwards line up in crocodile formation and the hooker on the side awarded the lineout throws it straight down the middle, for the other forwards to jump and catch.

As with scrums, teams are expected to win their own lineouts. Or indeed lines out.

Scoring

There are a number of ways to score points in rugby. A try is worth five points, and is scored by touching the ball down over one's opponent's try line. A penalty try is awarded against a team that commits a professional foul to stop their opponents from scoring.

Tries are converted with a kick at goal, which is worth an additional two points.

Penalties are worth three points, as are dropped goals, scored by kicking the ball between the posts during open play.