2014 edition

A Beginner’s Guide to

Rugby Union

Legend has it that in 1823,during a game of schoolfootball in the town of Rugby,England, a young man namedWilliam Webb Ellis picked upthe ball and ran towards theopposition’s goal line.

Two centuries later, RugbyFootball has evolved into one ofthe world’s most popular sports,with millions of people playing,watching and enjoying the Game.

At the heart of Rugby is a uniqueethos which it has retained overthe years. Not only is the Gameplayed to the Laws, but withinthe spirit of the Laws.

Through discipline, control andmutual self-respect, a fellowshipand sense of fair play are forged,defining Rugby as the Game it is.

From the school playground tothe Rugby World Cup final, RugbyUnion offers a truly unique andthoroughly rewarding experiencefor all involved in the Game.

Safetyas a top priority

Rugby’s history & ethosRugby is a highly physicalGame. To enjoy it to its utmostyou need to be physically andmentally prepared. You alsoneed to understand how toplay safely.

The IRB Rugby Readyprogramme educates, aidsand supports players,coaches, match officials andUnions on the importance ofsufficient preparation fortraining and playing in orderfor Rugby to be played andenjoyed while reducing therisk of serious injury.

The web site allows you toread material, watch video,complete an on-line selfcheck test and generate anawareness certificate. Orcontact your national Unionfor details of face-to-facecourses near you.

DisclaimerThis IRB Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Unionproduct has been developed in the contextof the Laws applying to accident and injuryprevention and medical practice in Irelandand the information and guidelinesincorporated on these matters are madeavailable strictly on the basis that the IRB(including its operating entity IRFBServices (Ireland) Limited and otherassociated entities) does not accept anyliability to any person or entity for loss,cost or damage howsoever arising out ofany reliance on and/or use of theinformation and/or guidelines contained inthis IRB Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union product.

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The IRB Core Values & Playing Charter

In 2009 the IRB's member Unionsidentified Integrity, Passion,Solidarity, Discipline and Respectas the defining characterists ofRugby. These are now collectivelyknown as the IRB Core Values andare incorporated within the IRBPlaying Charter, a document whichaims to ensure that Rugby maintainsits unique character both on and offthe field of play.

The Core Values enable participants immediately to understand thecharacter of the Game and what makes it distinctive as a sport which isplayed by people of all shapes and sizes.

The IRB Playing Charter is incorporated within the IRB Laws of the Gameand can be downloaded from www.irblaws.com in a variety of languages.

www.irbrugbyready.com

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Rugby is a game in which the object is to carry the ball over theopponents’ goal line and force it to the ground to score.

The above description may sound simple - but there is one catch. Inorder to go forward, the ball must be passed backwards. The ball can bekicked forwards, but the kicker’s team mates must be behind the ball atthe moment the ball is kicked.

This apparent contradiction creates a need for fine teamwork and greatdiscipline, as little can be achieved by any one individual player. Only byworking as a team can players move the ball forward towards theiropponents’ goal line and eventually go on to win the game.

Rugby has its unique aspects, but likemany other sports it is essentially aboutthe creation and use of space. Thewinners of a game of Rugby will be theteam of players who can get themselvesand the ball into space and use thatspace wisely, while denying the opposingteam both possession of the ball andaccess to space in which to use it.

The Game

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A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

The field of play

It’s simple... but complex

Try - 5 pointsA try is scoredwhen the ball isgrounded overthe opponents’goal line in the in-goal area.

A penalty try canbe awarded if aplayer wouldhave scored a trybut for foul playby the opposition.

Conversion - 2 pointsAfter scoring a try, that teamcan attempt to add twofurther points by kicking theball over the crossbar andbetween the posts from aplace in line with where thetry was scored.

Penalty - 3 pointsWhen awarded a penaltyafter an infringement by theopposition, a team maychoose to kick at goal.

Drop goal - 3 pointsA drop goal is scored whena player kicks for goal inopen play by dropping theball onto the ground andkicking it on the half-volley.

Try signal

Scoring points

Dead ball line

Dead ball line

Touchline

Touch

Touch

Touch-

in-goal

Touc

h-in

-go

al li

ne

Touch-in-goal

Touc

h-in

-go

al li

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Goal line

68-70m

94-100m10-22m

Goal line

In-goal In-goal

In-goal

22-metre line15m

10-metre line

10-metre line

10mHalf way line

22-metre line

5m

5m

10-22m

22m

The term ‘open play’ refers to any phase in the match where the ballis being passed or kicked between team mates and both teams arecontesting for the ball. In open play, the team in possession tries toget the ball to players in space who can make forward progresstowards the opposing goal line.

KickingOpen play

If a player chooses not topass the ball to a team mateor run with it, that playermay kick the ball instead.The kick can travel forwards,but any team mates in frontof the ball at the moment theball is kicked are out of playuntil either they retire behindthe kicker or are playedonside by a team mate.

Retaining possession of theball following a kick is achallenge. Kicking strategiesinclude:

• kicking into space, so thatteam mates have time torun onto the ball before anopponent can get to it

• kicking out wide, at anoblique angle to the field,so that the wing or outsidecentre can catch the ball

• kicking the ball to touch(off the field of play)resulting in a lineout (seepage 9) with the throw-into the opposition. Thisconcedes possession ofthe ball but allows thekicking team to contest forthe ball in a much moreadvantageous position onthe field.

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Kick offEach half of the match is startedwith a drop kick from the centreof the half way line. The non-kicking team must be 10 metresback from the ball when it iskicked and the kick must travel10m towards the opposition goalline before hitting the ground.

Handling

PassingA player may pass (throw theball) to a team mate who is in abetter position to continue theattack, but the pass must nottravel towards the opposingteam’s goal line. It must traveleither directly across the field, orback in the direction of thepasser’s own goal line.

By carrying the ball forwards andpassing backwards, territory isgained.

If a forward pass is made, the referee will stop the game and award ascrum (see page 8) with the throw-in going to the team which was not inpossession at the time of the pass. In this way, a forward pass ispunished by that team losing possession of the ball.

Knock-onWhen a player mishandles theball, i.e. drops it or allows it torebound off a hand or arm, andthe ball travels forwards, it isknown as a knock-on.

This is punishable by a scrum tothe opposition and therefore aturnover of possession.

As well as being an evasion game which requires creation and useof space, Rugby is also a contact sport. In fact, contact situationscan be the very mechanism by which players create the space theyneed to attack. The three most common contact situations whichoccur in open play are tackle, ruck and maul.

Advantage

Offside

Tackle, ruck & maul

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The advantage Law allowsthe game to be morecontinuous and have fewerstoppages.

Sometimes, during a game,an infringement of the Lawsmay be committed where astoppage in play woulddeprive the non-offendingteam of an opportunity toscore.

Even though the Laws statethat the non-offending teamshould be awarded a penalty,free kick or scrum, they aregiven the opportunity tocontinue with open play andattempt to score a try.

In this instance, the refereewill allow play to continuerather than penalise theoffence.

Rugby’s offside Law restrictswhere on the field playerscan be, to ensure there isspace to attack and defend.

In general, a player is in anoffside position if that playeris further forward (nearer tothe opponents’ goal line) thanthe team mate who iscarrying the ball or the teammate who last played the ball.

Being in an offside positionis not, in itself, an offence,but an offside player maynot take part in the gameuntil they are onside again.

If an offside player takespart in the game, that playerwill be penalised.

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

The tackle

The maul

A ruck is formed if the ball is onthe ground and one or moreplayers from each team who areon their feet close around it.Players must not handle the ballin the ruck, and must use theirfeet to move the ball or driveover it so that it emerges at theteam’s hindmost foot, at whichpoint it can be picked up.

The ruck

A maul occurs when the ball carrieris held by one or more opponentsand one or more of the ballcarrier’s team mates holds on(binds) as well (a maul thereforeneeds a minimum of three players).The ball must be off the ground.

The team in possession of the ball can attempt to gain territory by drivingtheir opponents back towards the opponents’ goal line. The ball can thenbe passed backwards between players in the maul and eventuallypassed to a player who is not in the maul, or a player can leave the maulcarrying the ball and run with it.

Only the ball carrier can betackled by an opposing player. A tackle occurs when the ballcarrier is held by one or moreopponents and is brought toground, i.e. has one or both kneeson the ground, is sitting on theground or is on top of anotherplayer who is on the ground. Tomaintain the continuity of thegame, the ball carrier must release the ball immediately after the tackle,the tackler must release the ball carrier and both players must roll awayfrom the ball. This allows other players to come in and contest for theball, thereby starting a new phase of play.

Rugby Union has always been characterisedby the notion that it is a game for all shapesand sizes.

Uniquely, each position requires a differentset of physical and technical attributes and itis this diversity which makes the game soaccessible to all.

The positions

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ForwardsFifteens Rugby

Loose-head prop

Blind-sideflanker

Lock

Scrum half

Insidecentre

Outside centre

Full back

Number 8

Left wing

The names of positions given here are the most commonly used across the Rugby world. However, some regional variations may exist.

Rightwing

Fly half

Scrumhalf

Fly half

Wing

Centre

Lock

Open-sideflanker

Hooker

Tight-head prop

Backs

ForwardsSevens Rugby

Backs

Locks

What they do: Locks win ball from lineouts and restarts. They drive forward momentum in the scrum,rucks and mauls providing a platform for attack.What they need: The key characteristic is height. Thelocks are the giants of the team and combine theirphysicality with great catching skills and mobility.

Flankers

What they do: Their key objective is to win possessionthrough turn-overs, using physicality in the tackle andspeed to the breakdown.What they need: An insatiable desire for big tackles anda no-fear approach to winning the ball. A combination ofspeed, strength, endurance and handling.

Props

What they do: Their primary role is to anchor thescrummage and provide lifting strength and supportfor the lineout jumpers. Also pivotal in rucks & mauls.What they need: Upper-body strength to providestability in the scrum, endurance, mobility and safehands to maintain continuity of play.

Hooker

What they do: The hooker has two unique roles onthe pitch as the player who wins possession in thescrum and usually throws the ball in to the lineout.What they need: Great strength to withstand thephysicality of the front row coupled with speed to getaround the pitch and good throwing technique.

Loose-head prop

HookerTight-head

prop

1 3 1 3 2 2

4 5 6 7

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A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

Wings

What they do: The wings are on the pitch to providethe injection of out-and-out pace needed to outrun anopponent and score a try. Also important to be solid in defence.What they need: Pace. Wings will often findthemselves in open space, when their number onepriority is to press the accelerator and run for the line.Strength and good handling are an advantage too.

Full back

What they do: Generally perceived as the last line ofdefence, the full back must be confident under a highball, have a good boot to clear the lines and a enjoythe physicality required to make try-saving tackles.What they need: Great handling skills, pace in attackand power in defence. An ability to join the line atpace to create an overlap and try-scoringopportunities for the winger. Tactical skill and flair.

Number 8

What they do: The Number 8 must secure possessionat the base of the scrum, carry the ball in open play,provide the link between the forwards and backs inattacking phases and defend aggressively.What they need: Good handling skills are essential,as is a great awareness of space. Power and paceover short distances is crucial - gaining territory andfield position for a quick release to the backs in attack.

Scrum half

What they do: Provides the link between forwards andbacks at the scrum and lineouts. A true decision-maker,the 9 will judge whether to distribute quick ball to thebacks or keep it close to the forwards.What they need: A multi-faceted position, the scrum halfmust be powerful, have explosive speed, all-round handlingand kicking skills. The great 9s are highly confident players,with excellent game understanding.

Fly half

What they do: As the player who orchestrates theteam’s performance, the 10 will receive the ball fromthe 9 and choose to kick, pass or make a break basedupon split-second interpretation of the phase of play.What they need: The ability to kick well out of hand,ideally on either foot, deft handling skills, pace, vision,creativity, communication skills, tactical awarenessand the ability to perform under pressure.

Centres

What they do: The centres are key in both defenceand attack. In defence they will attempt to tackleattacking players whilst in attack they will use theirspeed, power and creative flair to breach defences.What they need: The modern-day centre is lean,strong and extremely quick. The position demandsgreat attacking prowess, coupled with an intensity incontact to either retain or steal possession.

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11 14 7 15

10 5

9 48

The scrum is a means of restarting play after a stoppage which hasbeen caused by a minor infringement of the Laws (for example, aforward pass or knock on) or the ball becoming unplayable in a ruckor maul. The scrum serves to concentrate all the forwards and thescrum halves in one place on the field, providing the opportunity forthe backs to mount an attack using the space created elsewhere.

EquipmentThe scrum

Before playing Rugby, it’simportant to understand theequipment you’ll need.

Firstly, you’ll need a sturdypair of boots with studs orcleats which are appropriateto the conditions. These areessential to providing thepurchase you’ll require,especially in contactsituations.

It is recommended that youwear a mouth guard toprotect the teeth and jaw,and some players choose towear IRB approved headgear and/or paddedequipment, worn under the shirt.

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The scrum half

The key player at the scrum is thescrum half. This player throws theball into the scrum, moves to thehindmost foot of the scrum, and isusually the player who picks theball up and passes out to the flyhalf who then distributes the ballto the back line. As soon as thescrum half picks the ball up, theopposition may contest for the balland attempt to tackle whicheverplayer is in possession.

The ball is thrown into the middle of the tunnel between the two frontrows, at which point the two hookers can compete for the ball,attempting to hook the ball back in the direction of their team mates. Theteam who throws the ball into the scrum usually retains possession,because the hooker and scrum half can synchronise their actions.

Once possession has been secured, a team can keep the ball on theground and in the scrum and attempt to drive the opposition down field.Alternatively, they can bring the ball to the hindmost foot of the scrum,where the ball is then passed into the back line and open play resumes again.

Signals for scrumawarded (left) and forming ascrum (right)

The lineout is a means of restarting play after the ball has gone intotouch (off the field of play at the side). “The lineout concentrates aselection of forwards in one place near to the touch line, so thebacks have the rest of the width of the field in which to mount anattack. The key for the forwards is to win possession and distributethe ball effectively to the back line.

Penalty andfree kick

The lineout

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Infringements of the Lawswhich have a material andsignificant impact on theopposition are punished withthe award of a penalty kick.

If the placewhere the

penalty isawarded iswithin range ofthe posts, theteam will usuallychoose to kickfor a goal from aplace kick. Theball is placed ona kicking tee andthe kickerattempts to kick it

between the posts and overthe crossbar. Three pointsare awarded for a successful kick.

A team may choose not tokick for goal. Other optionsinclude a scrum, a ‘quickpenalty’ to bring the ball intoopen play, or kicking fortouch (where the kickingteam has the throw in to theresulting lineout).

A free kick isawarded forless significantoffences. Ateam may notscore pointsdirectly from afree kick.

A team mayopt for ascrum insteadof a free kick.

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

To allow players to catch highthrows in the lineout, it ispermissible for the catcher to besupported by team mates whilejumping to catch the ball.

Safety is a prime concern here,and any player who is off theground must be supported untilthat player returns to the ground.A player may not be tackledwhile in the air, and holding,shoving or levering on anopponent are all offencespunishable with a penalty kick.

The forwards assemble in two lines, perpendicular to the touch line, onemetre apart. The hooker throws the ball down the corridor between these two lines of players. Because the thrower’s team mates knowwhere the throw is likely to go, that team has an advantage in retainingpossession. However, with speed of thought and movement, theopposition can contest for the ball and the lineout frequently results in aturnover of possession.

The player who successfully catches the ball can keep it and set up amaul, or can pass to the receiver (a player who stands next to the lineoutto wait for such a pass) who then passes to the fly half and on to theback line.

Lineout support

The touch judgesignals that the ball isin touch and whichteam has the throw in

Free kick signal

Penalty signal

The match is under the control of the referee and two touch judges.Depending on the level at which the game is being played, there maybe other officials behind the scenes such as a time keeper ortelevision match official to adjudicate on replays.

Becoming amatch official

Match officials

Becoming a referee ortouch judge is a unique wayto experience Rugby.

Most people who becomematch officials have playedthe game themselves andare now looking to givesomething back to theGame they love, but thisdoes not necessarily have tobe the case. Anyone canlearn refereeing, even from ayoung age. In fact, foranyone aiming to get to thetop of the refereeingprofession, starting young isa good idea.

As a match official, you areat the heart of the actionand so see the game from aunique perspective. It’s agreat way to get lots of goodexercise, and to test yourselfagainst many challengingsituations. Refereeing is noteasy, but can be hugelyrewarding.

To become a qualified matchofficial, start by asking yourclub, regional body ornational Union about trainingcourses near you. The IRBprovides courses for alllevels of participant, fromnovice through toexperienced match official.

A basic level training coursecan be completed in oneday, and when combinedwith some game sensewhich can only be gainedthrough exposure to rugbyas a player or spectator, canset you off on the road tobecoming a referee.

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The referee

Two judges, one on either side ofthe field of play, assist the refereein matters of when and where theball goes into touch and on anyother issues as required by thereferee. The touch judges alsoadjudicate on the success orotherwise of kicks at goal.

Foul play is anything a player doeswhich is contrary to the letter andspirit of the Laws of the Game,including obstruction, unfair play,dangerous play and misconduct.The referee must sanctionappropriately for foul play.

Before the match, the referee will usually speak to the front row players(the props and the hookers) from both teams, to run through the scrumengagement procedure. This helps to focus the minds of all concernedon this essential phase of the game. The referee then organises the cointoss with the captains prior to the match to decide who kicks off. Duringthe match itself, the referee is the sole judge of fact and of Law. It isessential that all players respect the referee’s decisions at all times.

Touch judges

Foul play

For anyone who is not familiar with the finer points of the Laws of Rugby it can sometimes be hard to tellwhy the referee has stopped play for an infringement. Here we look at some of the most common reasonswhy the whistle may have blown. Alongside is the signal you’ll see the referee make when eachcircumstance occurs during play. The signals for penalty and free kick are shown on page 9.

Why did the whistle blow?

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Joining ruck/maul from the side

When joining a ruck or maul, allplayers must do so from behindthe hindmost foot of theirhindmost team mate.

If they join from the side, they arein an offside position and takingpart in the game, and this willimmediately be penalised with theaward of a penalty to theopposing team.

Failure to roll away

Any players on the groundwhen a ruck or maul isformed must immediatelyroll away from the ball, soas to allow continuity ofplay for the team inpossession.

Failure to do so will resultin the award of a penaltyto the non-offending team.

Failure to release player or ball

After a tackle, the tacklermust immediately releasethe ball carrier, and the ballcarrier must immediatelyrelease the ball.

Failure on either of thesecounts limits a fair contestfor possession. If releasedoes not occur within areasonable time frame, thereferee will award a penalty to the non-offending team.

Forward pass or knock on

Sometimes an attackwhich seems to beheading towards thetry line will bestopped by thereferee’s whistle.

If a pass has goneforwards, or ahandling error hasresulted in a knock-on, a scrum will have beenawarded to the non-offending team.

Advantage being played

Advantage can be applied to eitherminor infringements (e.g. knock-on), or offences which would resultin a penalty (e.g. offside). Thedecision has to be made by thereferee as to whether there may bemore benefit to the non-offendingteam if play continues. If noadvantage occurs, the referee willblow the whistle and bring playback to the place of the original infringement whichoccurred prior to advantage being played.

Unplayable ball at ruck or maul

If the ballbecomesunplayable ata ruck e.g.under playerswho are onthe ground,the referee willaward a scrum to the team going forward before theball became unplayable. For a maul the scrum goes tothe team not in possession when the maul began.

Forward pass

Failure to release player

Unplayable at ruck Unplayable at maul

Failure to release ball

Knock on

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

Becoming acoach

The coach

Becoming a coach, andthereby helping others toenjoy the Game, can be afulfilling way to be involvedin Rugby.

Most people who entercoaching are either formerplayers who want to givesomething back to Rugby or parents who want to help their childrenexperience Rugby.

Coaching can be a rich andsatisfying experience, but itis also a responsibility not tobe taken lightly.

Young people in the care oftoday’s coaches are the nextgeneration of players,referees and volunteers, andthe attitudes they learn fromtheir experiences can affectmany aspects of their lives.As a coach, you could helpto give them the confidenceto succeed, not only inRugby but also in life.

Your club, regional body ornational Union will be able tohelp you start on the path tobecome a coach. A goodplace to start is with the IRBRugby Ready programme(see page 2) and you couldmove from there to a Level 1Coaching qualification - thistakes just one day and givesyou a grounding in thebasics of coaching.

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The role of the coach varies greatly depending on the level at whichthe team operates. At grass roots level it’s about developing players - technically and personally - while at international level thecoach is responsible for team selection, performance and results.

A coach takes on many interchangeable roles, such as leader, manager,teacher and organiser. The coach needs to have a knowledge of theGame and its Laws, motivation, physical fitness and an understandingof how to coach and improve players.

As well as the 15 players in the starting line up, a team can also havesubstitutes. The coach can make a pre-agreed number of substitutions,for tactical reasons, during the course of the game. Players can also bereplaced when injured, either temporarily while a player receivestreatment, or permanently if a player is unable to continue playing.

Another important role of the coach is to instill team spirit into theplayers. This is especially important at levels where the players take partfor the fun of participation rather than the aim of winning.

Replacements & substitutions

Team spirit

WatchingRugbyThe pace and power ofmodern Rugby have madeit one of the most excitingspectator sports around.Indeed, several aspects ofthe Game have evolved asa result of this massaudience appeal.

Large screensMany stadiums now havelarge screens on whichreplays can be seen justmoments after the actionhas taken place.

Television matchofficialTelevised matches have anofficial who uses replays toadvise the referee ondecisions according to whatthe replays show.

However you choose towatch the Game, don’t justfocus on the ball, tryconcentrating on thealignment of attackers anddefenders and thepositioning of certainplayers, e.g. fly half, number8 and full back.

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

Team tactics

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A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

The source of endless debate, controversy and acclaim alike,developing the right tactics can make or break a team’sperformance. Far from an easy proposition, but get it right, andyou’re the world’s greatest Rugby visionary - to your players, at least.

Developing tactics requires a thorough understanding of your team’sstrengths. These tactics will be in part forward dominated and powerbased, and also reliant on the creation of space and use of pace. Asimportant, is an awareness of the team and individuals you’re up against -and the tactics they are likely to employ.

Creating space

Using the physical strength ofthe forwards, in scrums androlling mauls, can result insignificant territory gain. Forwardplayers can ‘pick and drive’(gather the ball and take itforward with the support of teammates) until the moment is rightto release it to the backs.

Using power

As such, Rugby’s holy grail lies inthe creation of space. There are many tactics geared towards this, butprimarily it’s about winning quick ball to move the passage of play awayfrom a concentration of players whilst injecting pace and creativity inattack to make space for a player to score.

For all its many complexities,Rugby remains a simple game inessence. Points will be scoredwhen a player is put into spaceand when an attacking team out-numbers those in defence.

Rugby’s Laws:an evolution

Rugby Sevens The Olympic dream

The IRB Law Book ispublished each year. It isavailable online atwww.irblaws.com whereyou can download the Lawsin PDF format and take atest to check your Lawknowledge.

The Laws of Rugby aredeveloped with two centralprinciples in mind: firstly, toallow players to play withinthe Spirit of the Game, andsecondly, to protect thewelfare of all players.

Sometimes the IRB trialschanges to the Laws, beforedeciding whether thosechanges should beimplemented on a globalbasis and accepted into full Law. Law trials mayapply only in a certain regionor, for example, only thenorthern or southernhemisphere.

Any change in Law creates achallenge for players andcoaches alike, providingopportunity for teams toadjust their tactics to takeadvantage of any freedom orrestriction brought about bythe change.

Keep in touch with Lawdevelopments atwww.irblaws.com

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Demands of RugbySevens

Rugby Sevens is played on a full size pitch by teams of sevenplayers rather than fifteen. The game is shorter in duration, witheach half lasting seven minutes during the pool stages of atournament, and increasing to ten for the final.

Aside from the duration, the Laws vary very little from the 15-a-side game, though, of course, because of the amount of spaceavailable on the pitch, it is a very different game to watch. One characteristicof Rugby Sevens is that sometimes teams will choose to retreat towardstheir own try line initially, drawing the opposition towards them, in anattempt to create space in other areas to then go forward in attack.

Rugby rejoins the OlympicProgramme at Rio 2016™ whenRugby Sevens makes its eagerlyawaited debut.

Rugby is a perfect fit for theOlympic Games; it reinforces theOlympic movement’s idealsthanks to its longstanding ethosof fair play and friendship whilethe vibrant and exciting format ofRugby Sevens appeals to bothexisting followers of the sportand a wider sports-lovingaudience worldwide.

Because Rugby Sevens is playedon a full size pitch, players needto be able to cover a lot ofground during a match. Thismeans that participants need tobe incredibly fit and have plentyof speed, skill and stamina. As aresult, Rugby Sevens players areoften backs or loose forwards inFifteens Rugby.

The basics of Rugby - running,passing, tackling and decision-making - are key components ofRugby Sevens, as are creatingspace and keeping possession ofthe ball.

Sevens and the Olympics

Finding aclub

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The ethos of Rugbyembraces inclusion, andyou’re sure to find a warmwelcome at your localRugby club or indeed anyclub anywhere in the world.

Whether it’s for your owninvolvement, or becauseyou’d like to introduce yourson or daughter to theGame, your nearest club isthe best place to start. Yournational Union will be able to provide a list of clubs inyour country.

Volunteering in RugbyOne of the most rewardingways to be involved inRugby is as a volunteer.There are a wide range ofroles for the volunteer,ranging from organisationand secretarial work throughto ground care and assistingcoaches and players.

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby Union

There are various modified forms of the Game which are designed toallow anyone to play in any circumstances with gradual developmentof Rugby skills, such as running, handling, evasion and support play.

Examples of these variations include Tag, Touch, Tip, Flag and BeachRugby. As an example, in Tag, players wear tags which hang from a belt.Removal of one of these tag constitutes a tackle, and the ball carriermust then pass within three seconds.

One of the key attractions of these versions of Rugby is that the non-contact nature means that people of all ages, both sexes and of anyfitness level can play together on a variety of surfaces, without the fear ofgetting hurt.

In addition, the simple rules for all formats of modified Rugby, as well asthe need for minimal equipment, make the different game variations anideal introduction for beginners wishing to get involved in the sport.

Even after moving to a 15-a-sidegame, there are still certain Lawmodifications which smooth thetransition to the full version ofRugby. Details of U19 Lawvariations can be found in the IRBLaw Book or on www.irblaws.com.

Other variations & small-sided games

U19 & age-grade

Modified Rugby A Game for all

A Beginner’s Guide to Rugby UnionINTERNATIONAL RUGBY BOARD

Huguenot House, 35-38 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, IrelandTel. +353-1-240-9200 Fax. +353-1-240-9201 Web. www.irb.com

Copyright © International Rugby Board 2013. Permission is granted to reproduce this work for personal and educational use only. Copying, hiring, lending or distribution of the work for any commercial purpose is prohibited.

If you want to know more, contact your local club or national Union or go to www.irb.com

IRB Training and EducationWhere to go from here

The IRB operates a range oftraining and educationprogrammes designed to helpplayers, coaches, match officialsand all stakeholders learn moreabout Rugby Union and becomemore involved in the Game.

For more information, go towww.irbpassport.com

Administrators

Competency-based accreditation

Competency-based accreditation

Coaches Match officials

Administrators

Talent-identifiedcoaches and

match officials

Education workforce

Medicalpractitioners

All stakeholders

FifteensLevels 1, 2, 3

FifteensLevels 1, 2, 3

TalentOptimisationProgramme

SevensLevels 1, 2

SevensLevels 1, 2

Strength and conditioningLevels 1, 2

Coaching of match officials

Levels 1, 2

TrainerEducator• Coach • Match Official • S&C • Medical

First Aid In RugbyLevel 1

Immediate Care in RugbyLevels 2, 3

IRB Rugby Ready

www.irbrugbyready.com

Be prepared • Manage the risks

First Aid in Rugby

www.irbplayerwelfare.com/firstaidinrugby

Know how to respond

Concussion Management

www.irbplayerwelfare.com/concussion

Recognise and remove

IRB Coaching

www.irbcoaching.com

Technical • Planning

IRB Officiating

www.irbofficiating.com

Match observation • Panels

IRB Strength & Conditioning

www.irbsandc.com

Understand physicality

IRB Laws

www.irblaws.com

Know the Game

IRB Keep Rugby Clean

www.irbkeeprugbyclean.com

Tackle Doping - Keep Rugby Clean

IRB Passport - interactive learning websites from the IRB