Rugby Union

Rugby Union (often referred to simply as rugby, union or fifteen - Rugby) is a sport of the rugby family. It is the most common type of Rugby world. In this fight and ball game, two teams try to 15 players each in 80 minutes, the game machine, the rugby ball, the opponent to take over and score points.

2.1 International Fifteen Rugby
2.2 Club and provincial Fifteen Rugby

3.1 Situation in individual countries

Regulate

Aim of the game

The aim of the game is to score more points than the opposing team. There are basically three options.

You can carry over the ball at the opponent's defense in the opponent's in-goal and place it on the ground. Such and so-called test ( english try ) is one of five points. Subsequently, the team that has laid the experiment, a chance to achieve an increase (english conversion) of a further two points. This attempts to shoot the ball by means of a kick from the bottom of any point on the line (parallel to the touchline ), on which the test was placed between the uprights of the H-shaped gate and over the cross bar.
Similarly, one can kick a penalty "on the rods set ," which brings three points after a serious infraction of the opponents.
From the open play also a technically difficult to be executed dropkick through the bars is possible, which is also worth three points.

Player

The 15 players on each team in eight forwards (forwards, jersey numbers 1 to 8) and seven back line players ( Backs, jersey numbers 9 to 15 ) divided. When the players with the jersey numbers 11 to 14 you talk often of the " series -playing" or " three-quarters " that make up the contrast to the storm. The number 10 has therefore since this player gives the name of " connector " between the storm and the series also in German. The following sketch illustrates the formation of the team as in a scrum arranged:

Often other names for players (groups) are common. For example, are referred to as Tight Five, 6-8 in Loose forwards the players 1 to 5, as these are the first striker that can break from the crowds. Players 11 to 14 are called Three-quarters ( engl. Three- quarters ), 11, 14 and 15, which remain in enemy attacks often because of the risk of kicks, even back to Three.

Standard situations

Standard situations in Rugby Union are the crowd, with the for a smaller challenge the game is restarted, and the alley, with a throw of the ball after he was out of bounds. Another quasi- standard situation is the tackle (or " low hold" ), can be prevented with the opposing players on the space gain. Similarly, the penalty kick is a standard situation, which (eg high tackle, etc.) resulting from a serious rule violation.

Competitions

Fifteen International Rugby

In the 4 -year cycle, the Rugby Union World Cup takes place.

The most important tournament in the northern hemisphere is the annual Six Nations, consisting of the Five Nations, the oldest rugby tournament in the world, emerged. The counterpart to this is in the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship, the tournament The.

Between 1900 and 1924 Rugby Union was four times part of the Olympics.

Club and provincial Fifteen Rugby

The most important European leagues are the English Guinness Premiership, French Top 14 and Magners League with teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy. Furthermore, there is still the Italian Super 10 Europe's best teams play in the Heineken Cup from the highest European Cup, but there are also the European Challenge Cup.

In South Africa there is the Currie Cup in which the best province is named. Its counterpart is New Zealand's ITM Cup (formerly the Air New Zealand Cup). In Australia there is no national championship, but only regional competitions that are organized by the respective provincial associations, although there tried with the Australian Rugby Championship also to establish a nationwide provincial championship in 2007. However, it was only played one season, because the attempt failed due to large financial losses. Provinces of the three countries play in the Super Rugby (previously Super 14 / Super 12 ) against each other. Furthermore, there is in the southern hemisphere nor the Argentine Nacional de Clubes.

In Germany there are a First and a Second Bundesliga, including regional and partly Association leagues.

Popularity

Rugby Union is primarily in the British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland) as well as in parts of the British Commonwealth (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Fiji, Samoa and Tonga ) is extremely popular in Europe, also in France, Spain, Italy, Romania and Georgia. On the African continent Rugby Union except in South Africa still in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar, Tunisia and the Ivory Coast a certain importance. In Asia, Japan is far ahead of South Korea, Kazakhstan is the leading country in rugby union. In South America, Argentina is the dominant country, followed by Uruguay and Brazil. In North America, the United States and Canada are by far the strongest teams on the continent.

Situation in individual countries

Rugby Union in Argentina
Rugby Union in Australia
Rugby union in Germany
Rugby Union in England
Rugby union in Fiji
Rugby Union in France
Rugby Union in Georgia
Rugby union in Ireland
Rugby union in Italy
Rugby Union in Namibia
Rugby Union in New Zealand
Rugby Union in Austria
Rugby Union in Poland
Rugby Union in Romania
Rugby Union in Samoa
Rugby union in Scotland
Rugby Union in Switzerland
Rugby union in Spain
Rugby union in South Africa
Rugby union in Tonga
Rugby union in Wales

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