Basic Rugby Laws/Rules

EdgarAllenPoo

I've been trying to explain the various actions of a rugby match to my dad but he still can't get his head around a good few things(and I'm blue in the face trying to explain it to him). Can anyone recommend a website that I can direct him to to help explain everything?

besty

I think the BBC site has something like this.

mikedragon32

http://www.irb.com/Laws/

electric69

Rules of Rugby :

Lest you forget these are The 10 Commandments of Rugby:
I. Thou shalt have no other sport before rugby.
II. Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image of a soccer player, a player of badminton or likewise a player of ping pong. Thou art a rugby player and a man therewith. Speaketh not in tones of political correctness, but, rather, let thy voice be forthright. Let thy communication be "With you!" or "Ball, ball!" and speaketh not the lukewarm utterances of the players of other sports.
III. Thou shalt not take the name of thy coach in vain. Thou shalt obey him, and put his playing plan forth onto the pitch.
IV. Remember the rugby day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou drink, and do all thy drunkenness: But the rugby day is for thy club, and thou shalt not cause thy club to be mocked by thy drunkenness and stupor, until after the game, then may your cup of ale runneth over.
V. Honour thy practice sessions that thy days may be long upon the land which thy rugby club giveth thee.
VI. Thou shalt not hack or stomp. Behold, hacking is an abomination unto me, and maketh thy opponent`s head like unto spoiled fruit. But lo, if a ruck infringement meets thine eyes, let thy vengance reign down upon thine opponent with much stomping and gnashing of teeth. Let the lamentation "skin him, skin him" ring forth.
VII. Thou shalt not commit rugby whoredom, for, behold, whoring is an abomination unto me. Thou shalt retain thy love for one rugby club only, and not be given unto whoredom like unto those of Babylon, Sodom and Gomorra, and Rugby League.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal. If a pitcher of beer belongeth to thy neighbor, thou shalt not touch it.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy referee. When he asketh thee if thou hast sinned, thy answer shall be, "Yes, sir" and if no, "No, sir." Thou shalt not speak until him until he speaketh unto thee, and intemperate statements shall thou not make unto him, lest he be a blind goose, then lamentations of "you are bloody kidding" shall ring forth.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy scrumhalf`s ball, but shall rather wait for him to passeth unto thee or another before playing it thyself. If thou art not the scrumhalf, thou shalt not act like unto him, for this is confusion.

Eoin

Guide on planetrugby.com:
http://www.planet-rugby.com/Off_The_Field/Laws_And_Referees/The_Laws/index.shtml

randomname2005

electric69 wrote:

Rules of Rugby :

Lest you forget these are The 10 Commandments of Rugby:
I. Thou shalt have no other sport before rugby
...
X. Thou shalt not covet thy scrumhalf`s ball, but shall rather wait for him to passeth unto thee or another before playing it thyself. If thou art not the scrumhalf, thou shalt not act like unto him, for this is confusion.

Ginger

Its simple really

As myself and another irish lad explained while on a bus driving round new zealand to whole load of scandavian girls.. the main goal of rugby is violence! Followed you going forward while the ball goes backward .. simple really.

then while watching the opening of the super 14s they asked is this a sport?? .. Now i have one of them converted at least. (no pun intended)

I suppose i was brought in a rugby house and have been playing competition level rugby for 20 years so the rules are just ingrained in me.

daveirl

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EdgarAllenPoo

Thanks all. I think I should be able to set him straight. Might even buy him that book so he stops nagging me.

bugler

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

I was going to suggest Robinson's book. You can get it in any bookshop worth it's salt (I know even Easons on O'Connell St stocks it), and only costs around €8. It is the only guide someone starting out needs. Arguably, it is the only guide anyone needs. It has nice simple diagrams, and is written in a funny light-hearted manner that makes it very easy to digest. It's approved by the RFU too.

It can't quite explain whats happens at a typical breakdown though, but then there are plenty of Refs and pro players who don't know what happens there either :-)