Sports Glossaries
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accidentally offside

A player is accidentally offside if he cannot avoid contact with an opponent while being offside. A scrummage is formed at the place where his team last played the ball.

advantage

A principle of officiating: the referee allows the game to proceed unless a major infraction occurs; a minor infraction will not stop play if the non-offending team gains an advantage. An advantage may be territorial or may consist in gaining possession of the ball.

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back

One of the players usually numbered 9 through 15. Except for the scrumhalf, backs don't take part in scrums or lineouts.

back row

The two flankers and the No. 8 man, lined up for a scrum.

binding

The method by which players grip one another to form a maul, ruck, or scrum. A player must bind with at least one arm on a teammate.

blindside

Same as weakside.

blocking

See obstruction.

breakaway

See flanker.

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cap

The honor of playing for a national team against another national team. If a player has appeared in five such games, he or she is said to have "five caps."

captain

The player in charge of a team during a match.

center

One of two backs, an inside center (usually No. 12) and an outside center (usually No. 13).

charge down

Blocking a kick by the opponent.

chip

Same as pop kick.

conversion

A kick at the goal posts, after a try has been awarded, that scores 2 points. It can be a dropkick or a placekick. If a placekick, the opponents can rush as soon as the kicker moves toward the ball, but a dropkick can't be rushed. The kick is taken from a spot perpendicular to where the try was awarded.

cross-bar

The horizontal bar between the goal posts, which is 3 meters (9 feet, 10 inches) above the ground.

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dead ball

The ball becomes dead if it goes out of bounds or if the referee stops play for any reason.

dead-ball line

One of two lines marking the lengthwise boundaries of the field, located at the back of the in-goal area, a maximum of 22 meters from the try-line.

drop goal

A drop kick at the posts, worth three points if successful.

drop kick

A kick on which the ball is dropped to the ground and kicked just as it bounces.

dummy

A fake pass.

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fair catch

A player may make a fair catch by catching the ball cleanly from a kick by the opposing side and calling "Mark!" He must have at least one foot on the ground behind his side's 22-meter line or within the in-goal area. A free kick is usually awarded from the spot of the catch, at the referee's discretion.

feed

The act of rolling the ball into the scrum by the scrumhalf.

fifteens

The most commonly played form of rugby, with 15 players on a side and two halves of 40 minutes each.

first 5/8th

Another name for the flyhalf.

fixture

Another name for a rugby match.

flanker

One of two forwards, who usually wear No. 6 and 7. The flanker binds on the outside of the scrum. Also known as wing forward or breakaway.

flyhalf

The back, usually No. 10, who calls plays for the back row and normally receives the ball from the scrumhalf. Also known as the outhalf, outside half or 1st 5/8th.

forward pass

A pass that goes to a player who's ahead of the ball; illegal in rugby.

forward

One of a group of eight players, usually Nos. 1 through 8, who bind together in scrums, line up for lineouts, and are in most rucks and mauls.

foul

Among the fouls in rugby are: Striking, hacking, kicking, or tripping an opponent; making a dangerous tackle; willfully charging, obstructing, or grabbing an opponent who doesn't have the ball; a deliberate knock-on or forward pass.

free kick

An uncontested kick, usually awarded for a minor penalty by the opponents. Except as a drop goal, a free kick cannot be taken directly at the goal posts.

front row

The combination of two props and the hooker at the front of a scrum.

fullback

The back, usually No. 15, who typically plays deep behind the back line and is responsible for covering downfield kicks by the opponents.

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gain line

An imaginary line across the field at the point where the ball became dead. See dead ball.

garryowen

Same as up and under.

goal

A score of 3 points awarded for drop-kicking the ball over the opponents goal-post during play, or place-kicking it through on a penalty kick. The ball must pass between the goal posts and above the cross-bar.

goal line

See try-line.

goal posts

The posts located at the center of the goal line at each end of the field, 18 feet, 4 inches apart, connected by a cross-bar 9 feet, 10 inches above the ground.

grubber

A kick that bounces or rolls along the ground.

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halfback

See scrumhalf.

halfway line

The line that extends all the way across the field at its midpoint.

hooker

The forward who usually wears No. 2. The hooker is supported by the props in the scrum and is responsible for gaining possession of the ball by hooking or blocking it with a foot.

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in-goal

The area between the try-line and the dead-ball line.

injury time

Extra time added to the end of a half to compensate for time stoppage due to injuries.

inside center

The back who usually wears No. 12. See center.

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jumper

1) A rugby jersey. 2) The player in a lineout who's responsible for jumping to catch or intercept a throw.

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kick-off

A place kick taken from the center of the field to begin a half.

knock-on

A mishandling of the ball, while attempting to catch a kick or pass, so that it touches the ground in front of the player, or knocking the ball forward from another player's hand. The ball is awarded to the opponents in a scrum for an unintentional knock-on. The opponents are given a penalty kick from the spot for an intentional knock-on.

knock forward

Same as knock on.

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league

A version of rugby with 13 players and different rules than are used in rugby union.

leg up

Descriptive of an offense in which the hooker puts his foot into the tunnel of a scrum before the scrumhalf feeds the ball.

lineout

The method of putting the ball back into play after it has gone out of bounds. The two sets of forwards line up opposite each other; a player from one side then calls a play and throws the ball between the two lines.

lock

One of two forwards, who usually wear Nos. 4 and 5, and generally the two largest players on a team

loosehead

The No. 1 prop in a scrum. See also prop; tighthead.

loose forwards

The flankers and the No. 8 forward.

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mark

The spot designated by the referee as the location for a scrum.

match

A match is made up of two halves, each 40 minutes long, plus injury time. Teams change ends after a five-minute break.

maul

When a runner has come into contact with opponents and cannot advance the ball further, players may bind themselves into a maul. There must be at least three players bound. The maul ends when the ball is on the ground; when the ball or the player who had been carrying it emerges from the maul; or when a scrum is ordered. A maul is similar to a ruck, except that the ball is not on the ground.

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number 8

The forward who wears that number binds into the scrum, usually between the two locks, and is responsible for initiating attacks by the forwards or for getting the ball to the scrumhalf.

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obstruction

Getting in the way of an opponent who's chasing the ball. Also called blocking.

offside

A violation committed when a player crosses the gain line during a lineout, maul, ruck, or scrum before it has been completed, or when a player is in front of the ball while it is played by a teammate. A penalty is called if an offside player then plays the ball, obstructs or tackles an opponent, or is within 10 meters of an opponent waiting for the ball. The other side is awarded a penalty kick from the spot of infringement or a scrum at the place where the offending side last played the ball. See also accidentally offside.

out half

Same as fly half.

out of bounds

The ball is out of bounds when it crosses a touch-line or a dead-ball line.

outside half

Same as fly half.

outside center

The back who usually wears No. 13. See center.

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pack

The eight forwards when they are bound for a scrum. It consists of three front row players, two second row players, and three back row players.

penalty kick

An uncontested kick awarded for a major infraction. It can be taken directly on goal and is worth 3 points if successful.

penalty try

A try that is awarded because the opposing side committed a flagrant violation to prevent an obvious try from being scored.

pitch

The rugby field is a maximum of 100 meters long, from try-line to try-line, and 70 meters wide. At each end of the field is an in-goal area, no more than 22 meters long. The field is marked by a half-way line, two 10-meter lines and two 22-meter lines, and by two dotted hash marks, each 5 meters from the sideline and extending from goal-line to goal-line. There is a set of goal posts on each try-line.

place kick

A kick made with the ball resting on the ground, in an indention in the ground, on a small pile of sand, or on a kicking tee. A place kick is used for kickoffs, penalty kicks, and conversion kicks.

pop kick

A short, high kick, usually over the head of a nearby defender.

prop

One of two forwards, who usually wear No. 1(the loosehead prop) and No. 3 (The tighthead prop.) They support the hooker during scrums.

punt

A kick on which the ball is dropped and kicked before it reaches the ground. A goal cannot be scored with a punt.

pushover try

A try that's scored by the pack in a scrumdown by pushing the opposition back across the goal line while dragging the ball along.

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referee

The sole judge and timekeeper for a match.

restart

The kickoff.

ruck

When a runner has come into contact with opponents and the ball has gone to the ground, players may bind themselves into a ruck. There must be at least three players bound. The ruck ends when the ball leaves the ruck and can be handled by a player who is not part of the ruck, or when a scrum is ordered. A ruck is similar to a maul, except that the ball is on the ground.

rugger

A rugby player.

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scrum

A formation used to restart play after a knock-on or forward pass, or at any time when ordered by the referee. Forwards on each side bind and the two groups come together, with the front rows interlocking to leave a tunnel between them. The scrumhalf of the non-offending team feeds the ball into the tunnel from 1 meter away, midway between the front rows. The hookers attempt to get the ball out to a back. The scrum ends when the ball is out of the tunnel and in possession of a player on either team.

scrumdown

The process of bringing a scrum together.

scrumhalf

The back, usually No. 9, who feeds the ball into the scrum and tries to retrieve the ball from mauls, rucks, and scrums. Also called the halfback.

scrummage

The entire process of setting and completing a scrum.

second 5/8th

Another name for a center.

second row

The two locks, when in a scrum.

sendoff

The expulsion of a player from a match. The side has to play one person short and the player sent off is typically banned for at least one further match. A sendoff may result from a flagrant or malicious foul, or from repeated fouls.

sevens

A version of rugby with only seven players on a side, typically three forwards and four backs. A half is usually only seven minutes long.

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tackle

The act of grabbing a player who has the ball and bringing him to the ground.

take

A good catch of a kick.

tap-penalty

A penalty kick on which the player taps the ball with the foot, then picks it up and passes it to a teammate.

ten meter line

One of the solid lines running across the field, 10 meters from the try-line.

tens

A version of rugby with only ten players on a side. A half is usually ten minutes long.

test

A match between two national teams.

tight five

The front and second rows, considered as a unit.

tighthead

The No. 3 prop in a scrum. See also loosehead; prop.

touch

The ball is said to be in touch when it contacts or crosses a touch line, or when the player carrying the ball steps out of bounds.

touch-line

A line that runs the length of the pitch and marks the side boundary.

touch judge

An official located on the side of the pitch to mark the spot where balls go out of touch and to judge kicks at goal. The touch judge may also call the referee's attention to violent infractions.

try

A score, worth 5 points, that's awarded when the ball is touched down by a player on the attacking side after it has been carried or kicked across the try-line. The scoring team is also awarded a conversion kick.

try-line

A goal line, which extends across the pitch. The try-lines are a maximum of 100 meters apart.

tunnel

The gap between the opposing front rows in a scrum or between the two lines of forwards in a lineout.

twenty-two meter dropout

A kick from the 22-meter line, used to restart play after a missed penalty kick or drop goal has passed the dead-ball line or been touched down by a defending player. The ball is kicked back to the original attacking side.

twenty-two meter line

One of the solid lines running across the field, 22 meters from the try-line.

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union

The most common form of rugby, with 15 players on a side. See also league; sevens; tens.

up and under

A high, short kick that gives the kicking side a good chance to run under and recover it. Also known as a Garryowen, for the Irish club that invented it.

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weakside

The short side of a field on a ruck or maul. Also called the blindside.

wing

See winger.

wing forward

See flanker.

winger

One of two backs, who usually wear Nos. 11 and 14. They're usually the fastest players on a side.

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