History UsefulNotes / RugbyLaws

The laws of rugby union [[InsistentTerminology (referring to them as “rules” is likely to draw ire from dedicated rugby fans)]] are simple in concept and devilishly complex in execution, but we will attempt to summarise the important elements you will see in a game of rugby here. It is not unknown for Rugby referees to actually *be* lawyers in "civilian" life.

The laws of rugby union [[InsistentTerminology (referring to them as “rules” is likely to draw ire from dedicated rugby fans)]] are simple in concept and devilishly complex in execution, but we will attempt to summarise the important elements you will see in a game of rugby here.

* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers, such as Wales' George North, standing at 6'4.5''/1.94 m, who the youngest try scorer for Wales by scoring 2 tries on his début, against reigning World Champions South Africa, at the age of 18. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who even after his premature death in 2015 is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on his debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima[[note]]also known as “the Chiropractor” because of his penchant for tackling people so hard it would rearrange their spine[[/note]] (Samoa), Bryan Habana (South Africa), and Shane “Shimmering Shane” Williams [[note]]who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone. Such was his ability that after his retirement from international rugby, he was called up at the age of 36 for injury cover for ''the Lions'' when he'd simply gone out to ''commentate.''[[/note]](Wales, Lions).

Rugby union is a form of football played around the world. It tends to play second fiddle to UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball, except in New Zealand and Wales where it is the official national sport, but the quadrennial Rugby World Cup is one of the most-watched events in global sport. The name, according to legend, comes from the English town of Rugby, where the sport was (allegedly) invented. In reality the sport is arguably the purest modern version of the sport played throughout Europe for many centuries and which was generally known as “football” before the Football Association was formed. It is arguably therefore the oldest of all European sports.

* '''1- Loose-head Prop.''' Props are part of the front row of the scrum, and it is generally the area of play on which they are judged the most closely. The loose-head prop is so called because, when they bind, they will have the opposition prop’s head on one side of their head and nothing on the other side. In the scrum, the loose-head’s main role is to hold his side’s scrum up and make sure the player next to him, the hooker, is able to do his job (see below). A typical prop, either loose or tight head, looks like the result of a lumberjack breeding with a beer barrel, and so they are not known for their nimble footwork or rapid pace, but rather their size and hitting power. Famous props include Jason Leonard (England, Lions), Os du Randt and Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira (both South Africa), and Adam Jones (Wales, Lions).

* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include François Pienaar[[note]]played by Creator/MattDamon in ''Film/{{Invictus}}''[[/note]] (South Africa), Richie [=McCaw=] [[note]]widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time, and now the all-time leader for most international appearances[[/note]] (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (Australia), and Thierry Dusautoir (France).

* '''12 & 13- Centres.''' Centres function as something vaguely resembling back-up fly halves, although some also exist more as a gigantic battering ram in midfield. Their main job is to create attacking opportunities both by being dangerous in their own right and by being able to bring other attackers in. Centres therefore need to be either big and hard to stop, or fast and hard to catch. They will also generally be expected to be able to pass the ball accurately and kick well. Famous centres include Jamie Roberts (Wales, Lions, the battering ram centre personified), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tana Umaga (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England, Lions) and Brian O’Driscoll [[note]]the most capped rugby player until being surpassed by Richie [=McCaw=], and a strong candidate for best centre in the history of the game[[/note]] (Ireland, Lions).
* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who was and even after his premature death in 2015 possibly still is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima[[note]]also known as “the Chiropractor” because of his penchant for tackling people so hard it would rearrange their spine[[/note]] (Samoa), Bryan Habana (South Africa), and Shane “Ickle” Williams [[note]]who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone[[/note]](Wales, Lions).

Rugby union is a form of football played around the world. It tends to play second fiddle to TheBeautifulGame, except in New Zealand and Wales where it is the official national sport, but the quadrennial Rugby World Cup is one of the most-watched events in global sport. The name, according to legend, comes from the English town of Rugby, where the sport was (allegedly) invented. In reality the sport is arguably the purest modern version of the sport played throughout Europe for many centuries and which was generally known as “football” before the Football Association was formed. It is arguably therefore the oldest of all European sports.

* A maul is similar to a ruck, the major difference being that they occur when a player has been tackled and remains on their feet, rather than going to ground. The point of a maul is that, unlike a ruck, it can move around, and it can be an effective method for teams in both attack and defence. It is illegal for the defending team to cause the maul to collapse onto the ground, and doing so will concede a penalty. Conversely, for a maul to be legal the player carrying the ball has to either be in contact with an opposition player or "bound on" to a teammate, who must also be bound onto a teammate, and so on, until you get a player bound onto an opposition player. If the player with the ball detaches from his teammates and continues to run forward with the ball, his teammates are obstructing play, and they concede a penalty.

* A maul is similar to a ruck, the major difference being that they occur when a player has been tackled and remains on their feet, rather than going to ground. The point of a maul is that, unlike a ruck, it can move around, and it can be an effective method for teams in both attack and defence.

* If a player, after being legally tackled, is brought to ground, then a ruck will form once a player from each team makes contact with a player from the opposition team, provided neither player was involved in the original tackle. Once a ruck has formed, the team who did not have possession when the ruck was formed are not allowed to interfere with the ball, unless they do something called “counter-rucking” in which they drive the other team back over the ball.

* In addition to the try-lines, '''touchlines''' (i.e. the lines marking the width of the pitch) and half-way line, rugby pitches have a number of other lines marked on them, with a line marked 10 metres ('''the ten''') from the half-way line on each side, and another 22 metres from each side’s try-line ('''the twenty-two'''). There are usually additional markings of various distances up the pitch, but these are not compulsory and, unlike the ten and the twenty-two, do not have any significance within the laws.

* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who was and possibly still is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima also known as “the Chiropractor” because of his penchant for tackling people so hard it would rearrange their spine (Samoa), Bryan Habana (South Africa), and Shane “Ickle” Williams [[note]]who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone[[/note]](Wales, Lions).

* '''4 & 5- Locks.''' The locks are the two players who form up directly behind the front row in the scrum, which is why they are sometimes referred to as the “second row”. In the scrum, their job is to provide the majority of the scrum’s pushing power, acting as “the engine room” of the scrum. In lineouts they are the players usually targeted to catch the ball when it is thrown, and as a result they are usually giants (Richie Gray of Scotland is 6 foot 10 inches/2.08 m tall, and he’s not the tallest in rugby right now), though they also have to be mobile and fit to get around the pitch and tackle. Famous locks include Martin Johnson (England, Lions), John Eales (Australia), Willie John [=McBride=] (Ireland, Lions), Victor Matfield (South Africa), Paul O’Connell (Ireland, Lions), and Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)[[note]]the most recent world player of the year in 2014[[/note]]

* '''10- Fly Half.''' Also known as the “first five-eighth” (for reasons too complicated to explain here), these are the closest equivalent rugby has to the quarterback in American Football. The flyhalf is essentially the mastermind of the team’s attack, and is expected to be able to run, pass and kick the ball effectively and orchestrate the team’s attacking moves (usually). This is frequently the star player of the team and many teams which have been otherwise average have been raised to greatness by the presence of a top quality fly half. Fly halves frequently also take the responsibility for taking penalty kicks for their team, which means they are not infrequently the highest points scorers for a team in any given match. Famous fly halves include Jonny Wilkinson (England, Lions) [[note]]the greatest ever English rugby player in most people’s opinion[[/note]], Dan Carter (New Zealand) [[note]]probably the best fly half in the world, and also the all-time leading points scorer in international rugby union[[/note]], Michael Lynagh, Stephen Larkham (both Australia) and Jonathan Davies (Wales, Lions).

* By kicking the ball through the posts. Rugby posts are set up like an H, with two uprights and a crossbar, and to score points player must kick the ball between the uprights and over the crossbar. This is (usually) worth '''3 points''', and is most commonly attempted as a result of the opposition conceding a '''penalty''' through a rules infringement of some kind (penalties are a significant aspect of rugby, and will be covered in detail later). However, a player may also attempt a '''drop-kick''' (so called because the player must literally drop the ball onto the ground before kicking it for the kick to be legal), and after a try is scored the team’s kicker is given an attempt to '''convert''' the try for an additional '''2 points''' (so a converted try is worth 7 points).

* In stark contrast to the scrum, the lineout is very simple. Lineouts occur when the ball goes '''into touch''', i.e. it leaves the field of play by crossing one of the touchlines on either side. When this occurs, the team who did NOT take the ball out of play gets to throw it back in to restart play. A selection of players from both team, usually some or all of the forwards [[note]] Although sometimes it may be more, as when Wales put ''their entire team'' into the lineout in a desperate attempt to score against New Zealand in 2012[[/note]] form up next to each other in a line perpendicular to the touchlines, with a gap between each team of no less than 1 mere, and the ball is thrown back in over their heads to be caught by one of the players. The throw must be straight down the middle of the gap between the two teams.

* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include François Pienaar[[note]]played by Creator/MattDamon in ''Film/{{Invictus}}''[[/note]] (South Africa), Richie [=McCaw=] [[note]]widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time, and now set to surpass Brian O'Driscoll for most international appearances[[/note]] (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (Australia), and Thierry Dusautoir (France).

* '''12 & 13- Centres.''' Centres function as something vaguely resembling back-up fly halves, although some also exist more as a gigantic battering ram in midfield. Their main job is to create attacking opportunities both by being dangerous in their own right and by being able to bring other attackers in. Centres therefore need to be either big and hard to stop, or fast and hard to catch. They will also generally be expected to be able to pass the ball accurately and kick well. Famous centres include Jamie Roberts (Wales, Lions, the battering ram centre personified), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tana Umaga (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England, Lions) and Brian O’Driscoll [[note]]the most capped rugby player in the world until August 15, 2015, when Richie [=McCaw=] will surpass him, and a strong candidate for best centre in the history of the game[[/note]] (Ireland, Lions).

* '''4 & 5- Locks.''' The locks are the two players who form up directly behind the front row in the scrum, which is why they are sometimes referred to as the “second row”. In the scrum, their job is to provide the majority of the scrum’s pushing power, acting as “the engine room” of the scrum. In lineouts they are the players usually targeted to catch the ball when it is thrown, and as a result they are usually giants (Richie Gray of Scotland is 6 foot 10 inches/2.08 m tall, and he’s not the tallest in rugby right now), though they also have to be mobile and fit to get around the pitch and tackle. Famous locks include Martin Johnson (England, Lions), John Eales (Australia), Willie John [=McBride=] (Ireland, Lions), Victor Matfield (South Africa), and Paul O’Connell (Ireland, Lions).
* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include François Pienaar[[note]]played by Creator/MattDamon in ''Film/{{Invictus}}''[[/note]] (South Africa), Richie [=McCaw=] [[note]]widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time[[/note]] (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (Australia), and Thierry Dusautoir (France).

* '''12 & 13- Centres.''' Centres function as something vaguely resembling back-up fly halves, although some also exist more as a gigantic battering ram in midfield. Their main job is to create attacking opportunities both by being dangerous in their own right and by being able to bring other attackers in. Centres therefore need to be either big and hard to stop, or fast and hard to catch. They will also generally be expected to be able to pass the ball accurately and kick well. Famous centres include Jamie Roberts (Wales, Lions, the battering ram centre personified), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tana Umaga (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England, Lions) and Brian O’Driscoll [[note]]currently the most capped rugby player in the world and a strong candidate for best centre in the history of the game[[/note]] (Ireland, Lions).

** A player makes a '''forward pass'''. This is tricky to define, as angular momentum means that if a player makes a lateral (i.e. sideways) pass while running forward, the ball will travel forwards. The method used in the modern game to determine if a pass is forward is to look at the movement of the player’s hands as the ball leaves them, but there is still a lot of argument surrounding this. If a team makes a forward pass, the opposition gets the put-in.

Rugby union is a form of football played around the world. It tends to play second fiddle to TheBeautifulGame, except in New Zealand and Wales where it is the official national sport, but the quadrennial Rugby World Cup is one of the most-watched events in global sport (only the Summer Olympics and Football World Cup have higher international viewing figures). The name, according to legend, comes from the English town of Rugby, where the sport was (allegedly) invented. In reality the sport is arguably the purest modern version of the sport played throughout Europe for many centuries and which was generally known as “football” before the Football Association was formed. It is arguably therefore the oldest of all European sports.

* '''10- Fly Half.''' Also known as the “first five-eighth” (for reasons too complicated to explain here), these are the closest equivalent rugby has to the quarterback in American Football. The flyhalf is essentially the mastermind of the team’s attack, and is expected to be able to run, pass and kick the ball effectively and orchestrate the team’s attacking moves (usually). This is frequently the star player of the team and many teams which have been otherwise average have been raised to greatness by the presence of a top quality fly half. Fly halves frequently also take the responsibility for taking penalty kicks for their team, which means they are not infrequently the highest points scorers for a team in any given match. Famous fly halves include Johnny Wilkinson (England, Lions) [[note]]the greatest ever English rugby player in most people’s opinion[[/note]], Dan Carter (New Zealand) [[note]]probably the best fly half in the world, and also the all-time leading points scorer in international rugby union[[/note]], Michael Lynagh, Stephen Larkham (both Australia) and Jonathan Davies (Wales, Lions).

* '''8- Number 8.''' Number 8s are the player at the back of the scrum, and their job is to provide stability, and to help the scrum-half maintain control of the ball as the scrum is completing. In some ways they function like an extra flanker, but in open play they are expected to be effective at carrying the ball and making ground, and are usually enormous. Famous Number 8s include Lawrence Dallaglio (England, Lions), Mervyn “Merv the Swerve” Davies (Wales, Lions), Sergio Parisse (Italy)[[note]]If "Sergio" doesn't exactly sound Italian, it isn't—he was born in Argentina. Regardless, he's seen as one of the few Italian players who would find a place in pretty much any other national team.[[/note]] and Kieran Read (New Zealand) [[note]] a strong candidate for best rugby player in the world as of July 2014[[/note]].

* '''2- Hooker.''' Also part of the front row, the hooker’s job in the scrum is to “hook” the ball with their feet, pushing it backwards after it has been put in by the scrum half. The hooker is always the player to throw the ball in during a lineout. In open play they tend to act as a sort of generic forward, running around putting in tackles, rucking, and carrying the ball (usually short distances and into a group of offending tacklers). Famous hookers include Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), Keith Wood (Ireland, aka “The Angry Potato” because of his bald head, Irish nationality and [[BlatantLies cheerful demeanour]]), and John Smit and Bismarck du Plessis (both South Africa).

* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include François Pienaar[[note]]played by Creator/MattDamon in ''Film/{{Invictus}}''[[/note]] (South Africa), Richie [=McCaw=] [[note]]widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time[[/note]] (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (Australia) and Thierry Dusautoir (France).
* '''8- Number 8.''' Number 8s are the player at the back of the scrum, and their job is to provide stability, and to help the scrum-half maintain control of the ball as the scrum is completing. In some ways they function like an extra flanker, but in open play they are expected to be effective at carrying the ball and making ground, and are usually enormous. Famous Number 8s include Lawrence Dallaglio (England, Lions), Mervyn “Merv the Swerve” Davies (Wales, Lions), and Kieran Read (New Zealand) [[note]] a strong candidate for best rugby player in the world as of July 2014[[/note]].

* '''12 & 13- Centres.''' Centres function as something vaguely resembling back-up fly halves, although some also exist more as a gigantic battering ram in midfield. Their main job is to create attacking opportunities both by being dangerous in their own right and by being able to bring other attackers in. Centres therefore need to be either big and hard to stop, or fast and hard to catch. They will also generally be expected to be able to pass the ball accurately and kick well. Famous centres include Jamie Roberts (Wales, Lions, the battering ram centre personified), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tana Umaga (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England, Lions) and Brian O’Driscoll [[note]]currently the most capped rugby player in the world and a strong candidate for best centre in the history of the game[[/note]] (Ireland, Lions).

* '''3-Tight-head prop.''' So-called because, in the scrum, their heads are always between the heads of the loose-head and the hooker, tight-heads’ responsibility in the scrum is disruptive. It’s their job to try and cause the scrum to collapse, winning a penalty for their team (often this is done through semi-legal means, which is why you will sometimes hear people refer to “the dark arts of scrimmaging”). Otherwise, just like loose-heads their primary role is to trundle around and hit people.

* '''9- Scrum Half.''' Sometimes also known as the “half-back” Scrum halves are the link between the forwards and the backs. They put the ball into the scrum and then collect it again at the rear to pass it out to the backs, and they are also generally responsible for passing the ball to the backs from a ruck (where the big forwards have generally won it for them). They are generally expected to be small, nimble and good at passing. Famous scrum halves include George Gregan (Australia), Gareth Edwards (Wales, Lions), and Agustín Pichot (Argentina).
* '''10- Fly Half.''' Also known as the “first five-eighth” (for reasons too complicated to explain here), these are the closest equivalent rugby has to the quarterback in American Football. The flyhalf is essentially the mastermind of the team’s attack, and is expected to be able to run, pass and kick the ball effectively and orchestrate the team’s attacking moves (usually). This is frequently the star player of the team and many teams which have been otherwise average have been raised to greatness by the presence of a top quality fly half. Fly halves frequently also take the responsibility for taking penalty kicks for their team, which means they are not infrequently the highest points scorers for a team in any given match. Famous fly halves include Johnny Wilkinson (England, Lions) [[note]]the greatest ever English rugby player in most people’s opinion[[/note]], Dan Carter (New Zealand [[note]]probably the best fly half in the world, and also the all-time leading points scorer in international rugby union[[/note]], Michael Lynagh, Stephen Larkham (both Australia) and Jonathan Davies (Wales, Lions).

* '''15- Fullback.''' Fullbacks are typically the last line of defence in a rugby team, there to collect the opposition’s kicks and make tackles on players threatening to score. They also often feature heavily in attack, and the position is currently undergoing something of a bit of a golden age with every Tier 1 country featuring at least one excellent player in that position. Fullbacks need to be able to kick long and accurately, field kicks from the opposition well, and preferably be comfortable with ball in hand. Famous fullbacks include Serge Blanco (France), Gavin Hastings (Scotland, Lions), Christian Cullen (New Zealand), and JPR Williams [[note]]played a key role in “that try”- google it [[/note]] (Wales, Lions).

* '''1- Loose-head Prop.''' Props are part of the front row of the scrum, and it is generally the area of play on which they are judged the most closely. The loose-head prop is so called because, when they bind, they will have the opposition prop’s head on one side of their head and nothing on the other side. In the scrum, the loose-head’s main role is to hold his side’s scrum up and make sure the player next to him, the hooker, is able to do his job (see below). A typical prop, either loose or tight head, looks like the result of a lumberjack breeding with a beer barrel, and so they are not known for their nimble footwork or rapid pace, but rather their size and hitting power. Famous props include Jason Leonard (England, Lions), Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira (South Africa), and Adam Jones (Wales, Lions).
* '''2- Hooker.''' Also part of the front row, the hooker’s job in the scrum is to “hook” the ball with their feet, pushing it backwards after it has been put in by the scrum half. The hooker is always the player to throw the ball in during a lineout. In open play they tend to act as a sort of generic forward, running around putting in tackles, rucking, and carrying the ball (usually short distances and into a group of offending tacklers). Famous hookers include Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand), Keith Wood (Ireland, aka “The Angry Potato” because of his bald head, Irish nationality and [[BlatantLies cheerful demeanour]]), and Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa).

* '''4 & 5- Locks.''' The locks are the two players who form up directly behind the front row in the scrum, which is why they are sometimes referred to as the “second row”. In the scrum, their job is to provide the majority of the scrum’s pushing power, acting as “the engine room” of the scrum. In lineouts they are the players usually targeted to catch the ball when it is thrown, and as a result they are usually giants (Richie Gray of Scotland is 6 foot 10 inches tall, and he’s not the tallest in rugby right now), though they also have to be mobile and fit to get around the pitch and tackle. Famous locks include Martin Johnson (England, Lions), John Eales (Australia), Willie John McBride (Ireland, Lions), and Paul O’Connell (Ireland, Lions).
* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include Francois Pienaar (South Africa), Richie McCaw [[note]]widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time[[/note]] (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (Australia) and Thierry Dusautoir (France).

* '''9- Scrum Half.''' Sometimes also known as the “half-back” Scrum halves are the link between the forwards and the backs. They put the ball into the scrum and then collect it again at the rear to pass it out to the backs, and they are also generally responsible for passing the ball to the backs from a ruck (where the big forwards have generally won it for them). They are generally expected to be small, nimble and good at passing. Famous scrum halves include George Gregan (Australia), Gareth Edwards (Wales, Lions), and Agustin Pichot (Argentina).
* '''10- Fly Half.''' Also known as the “first five-eighth” (for reasons too complicated to explain here), these are the closest equivalent rugby has to the quarterback in American Football. The flyhalf is essentially the mastermind of the team’s attack, and is expected to be able to run, pass and kick the ball effectively and orchestrate the team’s attacking moves (usually). This is frequently the star player of the team and many teams which have been otherwise average have been raised to greatness by the presence of a top quality fly half. Fly halves frequently also take the responsibility for taking penalty kicks for their team, which means they are not infrequently the highest points scorers for a team in any given match. Famous fly halves include Johnny Wilkinson (England, Lions [[note]]the greatest ever English rugby player in most people’s opinion[[/note]], Dan Carter (New Zealand [[note]]probably the best fly half in the world[[/note]], Michael Lynagh (Australia) and Jonathan Davies (Wales, Lions).
* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who was and possibly still is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima also known as “the Chiropractor” because of his penchant for tackling people so hard it would rearrange their spine (Samoa), and Shane “Ickle” Williams [[note]]who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone[[/note]](Wales, Lions).

* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who was and possibly still is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima also known as “the Chiropractor” because when he tackled you he would rearrange your spine (Samoa), and Shane “Ickle” Williams [[note]]who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone[[/note]](Wales, Lions).

* '''6 & 7- Flankers.''' Flankers are generally expected to be primarily tacklers and breakdown specialists. In the scrum they operate in the “back row” and are there mainly to provide additional pushing power. Their position in the scrum allows them to disengage from it very quickly so they are usually the ones to spot an opponent trying to steal some ground with the ball and tackle them. Their other major responsibility is to try and win possession of the ball at the breakdown, sometimes through semi-legal means. In addition to this they are also expected to be able to carry the ball effectively. Famous flankers include Francois Pienaar (South Africa), Richie McCaw (New Zealand, widely considered one of if not the greatest rugby players of all time), Michael Hooper (Australia) and Thierry Dusautoir (France).
* '''8- Number 8.''' Number 8s are the player at the back of the scrum, and their job is to provide stability, and to help the scrum-half maintain control of the ball as the scrum is completing. In some ways they function like an extra flanker, but in open play they are expected to be effective at carrying the ball and making ground, and are usually enormous. Famous Number 8s include Lawrence Dallaglio (England, Lions), Mervyn “Merv the Swerve” Davies (Wales, Lions), and Kieran Read (New Zealand [[note]] a strong candidate for best rugby player in the world as of July 2014[[/note]].

* '''8- Number 8.''' Number 8s are the player at the back of the scrum, and their job is to provide stability, and to help the scrum-half maintain control of the ball as the scrum is completing. In some ways they function like an extra flanker, but in open play they are expected to be effective at carrying the ball and making ground, and are usually enormous. Famous Number 8s include Lawrence Dallaglio (England, Lions), Mervyn “Merv the Swerve” Davies (Wales, Lions), and Kieran Read (New Zealand, strong candidate for best rugby player in the world as of July 2014).

* '''10- Fly Half.''' Also known as the “first five-eighth” (for reasons too complicated to explain here), these are the closest equivalent rugby has to the quarterback in American Football. The flyhalf is essentially the mastermind of the team’s attack, and is expected to be able to run, pass and kick the ball effectively and orchestrate the team’s attacking moves (usually). This is frequently the star player of the team and many teams which have been otherwise average have been raised to greatness by the presence of a top quality fly half. Fly halves frequently also take the responsibility for taking penalty kicks for their team, which means they are not infrequently the highest points scorers for a team in any given match. Famous fly halves include Johnny Wilkinson (England, Lions, the greatest ever English rugby player in most people’s opinion), Dan Carter (New Zealand, probably the best fly half in the world), Michael Lynagh (Australia) and Jonathan Davies (Wales, Lions).
* '''11 & 14- Wingers.''' Wingers were originally the sprinters, the fastest players on the team, and their key if not only role was to score tries. In the modern era, a little more is expected of them but they still tend to be graded primarily on their scoring. In the “old days” wingers tended to be pretty small, but the arrival of Jonah Lomu at the 1995 Rugby World Cup drastically redefined what a winger was, and since then a series of very large men have become extremely successful wingers. Famous wingers include the aforementioned Jonah Lomu, who was and possibly still is one of the biggest names in world rugby, having pretty much redefined the entire sport on debut for New Zealand, David Campese (Australia), Brian Lima also known as “the Chiropractor” because when he tackled you he would rearrange your spine (Samoa), and Shane “Ickle” Williams (Wales, Lions) who holds the distinction of proving, at a time when wingers were becoming freaking enormous, that there was still room in the game for a tiny little guy who could run circles round anyone.
* '''12 & 13- Centres.''' Centres function as something vaguely resembling back-up fly halves, although some also exist more as a gigantic battering ram in midfield. Their main job is to create attacking opportunities both by being dangerous in their own right and by being able to bring other attackers in. Centres therefore need to be either big and hard to stop, or fast and hard to catch. They will also generally be expected to be able to pass the ball accurately and kick well. Famous centres include Jamie Roberts (Wales, Lions, the battering ram centre personified), Danie Gerber (South Africa), Tana Umaga (New Zealand), Jeremy Guscott (England, Lions) and Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland, Lions, currently the most capped rugby player in the world and a strong candidate for best centre in the history of the game).
* '''15- Fullback.''' Fullbacks are typically the last line of defence in a rugby team, there to collect the opposition’s kicks and make tackles on players threatening to score. They also often feature heavily in attack, and the position is currently undergoing something of a bit of a golden age with every Tier 1 country featuring at least one excellent player in that position. Fullbacks need to be able to kick long and accurately, field kicks from the opposition well, and preferably be comfortable with ball in hand. Famous fullbacks include Serge Blanco (France), Gavin Hastings (Scotland, Lions), Christian Cullen (New Zealand), and JPR Williams (Wales, Lions, played a key role in “that try”- google it).

The laws of rugby union [[InsistentTerminology(referring to them as “rules” is likely to draw ire from dedicated rugby fans)]] are simple in concept and devilishly complex in execution, but we will attempt to summarise the important elements you will see in a game of rugby here.

The laws of rugby union (referring to them as “rules” is likely to draw anger from rugby fans) are simple in concept and devilishly complex in execution, but we will attempt to summarise the important elements you will see in a game of rugby here.