rugby_ball

rugby

Rugby is played by two teams, mostly with 15 players and an oval ball. The ball can be kicked and carried forwards or passed backwards. Every team wants to achieve atry or a goal. A try means to touch the ball to the ground (a touchdown) over the goal line. For a goal, the ball has to pass the crossbar from the opposition's goalposts. These are only the most important basics!

Legend has it that during a football game in 1823 at a public school in the town named Rugby, William Webb Ellis took the ball in his hands and placed it in the opponent's goal. Doubts continue to exist about this legend. However, the game has its name of the town Rugby, placed in the middle of England.

Nowadays, several codes of rugby football exist. The two major codes are Rugby league and Rugby union. In Great Britain, the league code is more common.