The only good thing about being a rugby widow of 15 years of my married life is that you learn pretty much everything there is to know or don't want to know....So, this blog is for the thousands (I only have a readership of seven - but you get my drift) of people who don't know much about rugby and aren't too fussed either way ;-) I don't know anyone in that catergory except myself (but that's because I have done my rugby time...)
1) The objective and points
The objective, as with every game is for one team to get more points than the other. In this country everyone believes the national team is going to win - actually, all countries believe their national team is going to win the World Cup. If you don't have a team yet - pick one. Points are achieved by either scoring a 'try' (when the ball touches your oppopent's end of the field) which is worth 5 (five) points, kicking a 'conversion' (straight after the try, the team that scored gets to convert the try) which is worth 2 (two) points, kicking a 'penalty' which is worth 3 (three) points, or when someone in the team thinks more highly of themselves and kicks a random 'drop kick' which is worth 3 (three) points.
2) Players - Forwards
 |
| retrieved from http://news.bbc.uk/ |
There are 15 players on the field at one time. The first eight numbered players are what are called 'forwards'. Numbers 1,2,3 are usually a stocky 5ft something and main goal in life is to get the ball. Not known for their speed, but their strength - one of their roles is to throw the ball in during the line outs, keep the scrum focussed, and lifting the tall guys up in the line out to help them catch the ball... Numbers 4-5 are usually the tallest men on the planet and had the choice to play basketball but chose this sport, and 6-8 are a mixture of tall and brawn. Numbers 6-7 are called loose forwards and are pretty agile and help the team drive the ball up the field and can be seen running the ball. They create opportunities... Our most famous are Richie McCaw (current captain) or one of my all time favourites - Micheal Jones. The number 8 position is the only one that does not have a specific or fancy name and is called 'number 8'. Our famous number eight is the great Buck Shelford.
3) Players - Backs
If the main goal of the forwards is to get and protect the ball, the backs are responsible for getting the tries. Number 9 is called the 1/2 back and I'm not sure if this is actually a requirement but I have yet to be proven otherwise when I say, they are usually, next to numbers 1-2, the shortest on the field ;-) Their job is to get the ball from the forwards and pass it out to the backs. Numbers 10,12 &13 are the midfield people who pass that ball either to the left of right, or a mixture and can either score the tries through manoevres or pass it to numbers 11 and 14 who are on either side of the fields and are called wings to score. It is normal practice that the number 10 does the conversion kicking, and the kicking in general. Our most famous 10 is Daniel Carter - the underwear model and Jonah Lomu is our most famous wing (number 11)... The last man of defence, stuck at the back is 15 who is full back - it is their role to get the ball out of their teams line and back down to the opposite end of the field...
4) Jargon
Like every universe - the rugby universe has its own language. Here are few words that you will hear and I offer my lay-man explanations.
 |
| Retrieved from www.players.indoor.com |
Tackle - is not the same as used when fishing. It is when a player uses their own body to stop the movement of another. The most effective way is by grabbing the legs of the opposition - and is only limited by the imagination of the player. It can not be done around the neck... The bigger tackle, the louder the cheers from the crowds.
 |
| retrieved from conversationalrugby.com |
Ruck - is when a team is trying to get the ball back off the opposition once a tackle has been made. The players must remain on their feet... but even I get confused about what they are doing - all I know is that the sprigs of a boot are usually used, officially to dislodge the ball from someone's grip - and even for the 'hell' of it...I should know - my player always had sprig marks in places I know there was no ball there ;-)
Maul - a maul is kind of complicated. It looks like a mangled mass of bodies - but there apparently is some order to it. Judging by the excitement of the commentators you will get some idea is a maul is working or not...
Scrum - A scrum looks like a team meeting at the end of a game, but it is all business in a rugby game. You will hear the referee calling crouch-pause-engage-scrum followed by the crunching of the forwards of both teams connected by shoulders as they pit themselves against the strength of each other trying to gain advantage moving towards their opposition's goal line...
Line Out - the line out is when the ball has gone out of play and needs to be throw in again so people can start playing. It is similar to the throw in ball used in soccer except in rugby the forwards are lined up to catch the ball. There are strict rules around the distance between the two teams and the ball has to be thrown in STRAIGHT ;-)5) Essentials
This last tip is offering three essential catchcrys when watching a game with enthusiasts - so you aren't seen as anti-social ;-)
'passit' - this is a favourite - whenever you see someone with the ball - yell at the top of your voice - passit. You are encouraging the person to give the ball to someone else to do something with it...'wide' - another favourite - this just means that you are yelling at the tv or at a game for the player to passit wide - as in out to the wings so they can get a try...
'kickit' - the third in the list of preferred catchcrys is kickit. All this means is that you are yelling at the tv or at a game for the player to kick it out, down, away or somewhere else ;-) You will hear other cries but as this is a family friendly blog... you'll need someone else to explain those ones ;-)
Well, that's about it from me.... and if you really want to know what the official word on any of these things are - go to http://www.irb.com/ or http://www.nzrugby.co.nz/
Good luck and go Namibia!! ;-)
Yours in friendship
Mxo
No comments:
Post a Comment