How to Play Rugby
Everything a new player needs to know before their first practice.
The Basics
Rugby union is played by two teams of 15 on a grass field about the size of a football field. The object is simple: carry, pass, or kick the ball to the opponent's in-goal area and touch it down for a try. The catch that makes rugby unique: you can only pass the ball backwards or sideways. Forward progress comes from running with the ball and kicking it - never a forward pass.
Play is continuous - there are no downs and few stoppages. When a ball carrier is tackled, they release the ball and the game flows on as both teams contest possession. Matches are two 40-minute halves.
Scoring
| Score | Points | How |
|---|---|---|
| Try | 5 | Ground the ball in the opponent's in-goal area |
| Conversion | 2 | Kick through the posts after a try |
| Penalty Kick | 3 | Kick through the posts after an opposition penalty |
| Drop Goal | 3 | Drop-kick through the posts in open play |
Positions
One of rugby's best traits: there is a position for every body type. Toggle between the two codes to see how each team lines up.
Anchor the scrum on either side of the hooker. The strongest players on the field - first to every collision.
Hooks the ball back in scrums and throws into lineouts. Part front-rower, part precision passer.
The tallest players - lineout jumpers and the engine of the scrum push.
Tackle machines. First to the breakdown, always contesting for the ball.
Controls the ball at the back of the scrum and carries hard in open play. A blend of power and skill.
The link between forwards and backs. Passes from every ruck - quick hands, quicker decisions.
The playmaker. Directs the attack, kicks for territory and points - rugby's quarterback.
Midfield power and creativity - crash through defenses or put teammates into space.
The fastest players. Finish tries in the corners and chase every kick.
The last line of defense. Fields deep kicks and launches counter-attacks.
Sweeps behind the defensive line, returns kicks, and joins the attack as an extra playmaker.
Speed on the edges - finish attacking movements and carry the ball out of trouble from deep.
The strike weapons of the backline, combining with their winger to attack the edge.
The chief playmaker (also called stand-off). Runs the attack alongside the halfback.
Organizes the team around the ruck, directs the sets, and controls the kicking game.
Big bodies who take the tough carries up the middle and set the platform each set of six.
Plays from dummy-half - scoops the ball after each play-the-ball. Touches the ball more than anyone.
Athletic edge forwards - part power runner, part edge defender.
The loose forward - a do-everything link between the forwards and the backs.
Key Moments in a Game
- The Tackle & Ruck - When a carrier is tackled, they must release the ball. Players from both teams bind over it and drive - the team that wins the ruck keeps possession.
- The Scrum - After minor infringements (like a forward pass), the eight forwards from each team bind together and push against each other while the ball is fed into the middle.
- The Lineout - When the ball goes out of bounds, forwards line up and lift a jumper to catch the throw-in - rugby's version of an inbound play.
- The Maul - A ball carrier held up (not tackled) with teammates bound on, driving forward as a unit.
The Golden Rules
- Pass backwards or sideways only - a forward pass gives the other team a scrum
- Stay onside - stay behind the ball when your team has it
- Tackle below the shoulders, and wrap with your arms - no shoulder-only hits
- Release the ball when tackled, and release the player when you've tackled them
- Respect the referee - in rugby culture, only the captain speaks to the ref
Union vs League
Rugby union (15 a side) is the version most US clubs play, with contested rucks, scrums, and lineouts. It's the more popular code worldwide and in America largely because of its infrastructure: a century of established clubs, a deep college rugby pipeline, sevens in the Olympics, and the Rugby World Cup - which the US hosts in 2031. If you walk onto a random American rugby pitch, odds are it's union.
Rugby league (13 a side) trades contested possession for a six-tackle set system - after six tackles the ball turns over, similar to downs in football. Faster resets, fewer stoppages, and a rhythm American football fans pick up instantly. League is a fast-growing code in the US, with USARL conferences expanding on both coasts - and because the skills overlap heavily, plenty of players happily play both. Both codes are in our directory - use the Union/League toggle on the home page.
Your First Practice
You don't need experience - most American players start as adults, and clubs are built around teaching newcomers. Bring cleats (football or soccer both work), a mouthguard, water, and shorts you don't mind getting muddy. Find a club near you on the map, show up to a practice, and introduce yourself. That's genuinely all it takes.
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