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Staying on Top of Sports
A Guide to Your Grandchild's Interests By Charlene Torkelson
Rugby is one of the NCAA's top 10 emerging sports. In play that resembles a cross between American football and soccer, rugby has two teams of 15 players each. The object of the game is to score points by kicking, passing, carrying or grounding the ball across the goal line of the opposing team.
This fast-moving game has several unusual terms that best explain the rules and purpose of the game. To begin, the ball may not be dropped forward (called a knockdown) or passed forward. It can advance forward only by running the ball or kicking.
To restart play, a scrum (players linked together around the ball) uses the center player (the hooker) held up on either side by players called props to get the ball away from the opposing team.
There are several ways to score points. The "Try" – when the ball is grounded (fallen on or pressed down with the hands or arms) across the goal line – is awarded five points. A goal scored after a Try is awarded two points; a goal scored from a penalty or drop kick is awarded three points, and a dropped goal obtained in a way other than the free kick is awarded three points. There you go: rugby!