Photo Essay: Anatomy of a Rugby Match
If you happen to find yourself in Auckland, New Zealand this week, you’ll no doubt feel the “rugby fever” spreading throughout the city. The Tri Nations Rugby Series is one of the world’s premier rugby events that brings together the top three teams in the southern hemisphere – Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
You probably won’t have enough time to decipher all the rules of rugby so here are a few scenarios you just might witness out on the field in case your buddy invites you to watch your first ever rugby game.
1.Scrum – Easily the most spectacular display on the field, the scrum is done to restart the game after it has been interrupted.
2. Here’s what the scrum looks like up close.
3. Ruck – Not to be confused with a scrum, a ruck occurs when a player has been tackled to the ground, and his teammates need to secure the ball back.
4. This is probably what happened right before the ruck. Watch the bald guy in the middle get low into position, ready to tackle the oncoming player.
5. After a scrum or ruck, you might see players pause while another (usually shorter) player picks up the ball and passes it. The scrum half is the quarterback of the game and directs the flow of the ball between the big, burly forwards and the taller, leaner backs.
6. What happens when the ball goes out of bounds? You’ll see a guy called a touch judge raise a flag up and point towards the team that gets the ball back.
7. Even more spectacular than scrums are line outs. Once the ball goes out of bounds, the receiving team has to throw the ball back in, giving the competing team an equal shot at the ball.
8. You will see massive pile ups of bodies at various times during the game.
9.So what happens in a scrum? The scrumhalf (“quarterback”) throws the ball into the open area and both teams compete for the ball with just their feet, kicking it back through their tunnels so the scrumhalf receives the ball behind his team’s last player in the scrum. Sounds complicated but you’ll quickly figure out the logic during the game.
10.Rarely would you find rugby players getting into a brawl on the field. After all, it’s a hooligan sport played by gentlemen. If you do witness a fight, don’t fret. They always make up after a couple pints of beer at the rugby clubhouse.
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14 Comments... join the discussion!
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Thanks guys!
@Richard – It’s such a great sport. One of the only few where you could walk into a pub in the middle of nowhere, tell them you play/played rugby, and instantly get adopted into their fold!
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Great action shots Lola!
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This is great!
But I think there’s another sport that could definitely benefit from some graphical explanation: cricket. Who’s with me?!
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*YAWN*
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Lola…we’d been talking about a rugby article for over a year. Good on ya for putting together this spectacular photo essay. I just heard from mates in SA last week. The Tri Nations is a biggie! The last commentor obviously doesn’t get it.
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Haha, I believe Carlo is yawning at my reference to cricket, not the photo essay!
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Hey Chrysser. Hal & Carlo are the editors of Matador Trips
Carlo was definitely referring to *yawnnnnn* cricket!
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Yes, I was yawnning at cricket, most definitely (and I will do so unapologetically)I don’t mind rugby at all. I much prefer it to Aussie Rules Football. I’m Canadian, so I have hockey running through my blood through and through.
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Well…I’m in total agreement on the cricket yawn. I’ve tried multiple times to get excited about it and it just ain’t in me.
Only one sport I think compares on the “yawn” scale…that would be curling, Carlo
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Ha. Touche! I don’t like watching it myself, but it’s fun to play. I wonder if I’d enjoy playing cricket. Well, probably at least the high tea and lunchtime parts.
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I just started playing last semester here at the University of Iowa, and it’s SO much fun. I stopped playing soccer as it’s too hard on my ankles, but rugby I can handle, just a little bit more physical up top. Plus, who doesn’t like going out with the team on Wednesday for bonding time haha, and the socials after the games are always great.
So true, also, about going into any bar in the world and telling them you play/played rugby…worlds biggest frat in a sense..
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