Rugby 101

[PeteC]

I'm going to start this question/answer thread as my internet connection is too slow, and you couldn't find a hard copy book here about it if you tried. Also, it's more fun to talk about it.

Three observations I made today watching an Australian match:

1) Why are almost all tackles made above the waist? Is it illegal to tackle at leg level?

2) The drive is going well, ground is made and then suddenly the ball is kicked and possession is lost!!! Do they actually think that by kicking closer to their own goal line they may be able to regain possession and score? A bit daft to me?

3) Why does a player have to go to the sideline and change his jersey when he has a small splatter of blood on it? The camera actualy followed the guy and it appeared to me that it is a rule?...no blood on jerseys??? Be gentle.


Pete

[Big Boy]

OK Pete, I'll give it a go - might get one out of three correct

1. Obviously you were not watching a good game. Everybody knows that the lower you tackle, the better it is. If the legs are taken out, the body has to fall.

2. The intention is usually one of 3 things ie:

a. A high up and under ball that it is hoped either the kicker will actually follow through and catch.

b. A cross field kick in to an area that is not well defended, and it is hoped that a member of the kickers team will get to the ball first.

c. Kicking for touch - although you will lose possession at the resultant line out, it is hoped that you will win the line out.

3. Its not just blood on the shirt, its any blood at all. The player must go off, and a blood substitution is allowed until the blood has been eliminated.

[caller]

I have a hunch Pete was watching league? I could be wrong?

Would explain the kicking before the 6th tackle and the above waist body checks. Its aussies main sport, well that and rules, but in the UK is a northern game.

I think Pete's opened a can of worms here, be interesting to see how it develops.

I'll start. The whole rugby thing allegedly started when a guy called william webb ellis picked up a ball in a football match (the round ball version) in c1823 and the game was invented, sort of..........

[Jaime]

Agree with all of the above except also to say:

1. Tackling 'high' has become fashionable in recent years as a more aggressive form of tackle (if executed properly) that can stop and even reverse the momentum of the ball carrier, whereas tackling the ball carrier below the waist allows him to continue forward momentum when falling and consequently offload the ball to a team mate, or even score a try. Tackling above the waist is therefore intended to turn defence into offence through sheer aggression and can intimidate the opposition, forcing them to think about where 'the next hit is coming from!'

2. Rugby is a game of both territory and posession. If you are defending a lead and time is running out for the opposition to score, then sometimes it is good tactics to simply keep the opposition penned into their own half of the field by kicking, even if it means surrendering posession.

3. The blood bin is a fairly recent addition to the game, which coincided with recognition (paranoia) of the perceived risk of contracting AIDS and other communicable diseases.

Going back to BB's point 2(a), I always prefer the term 'Garryowen' to 'up and under', which always reminds me of Eddie Warings rugby league commentaries of the 1970's but for an intro to rugby union terminology Pete, go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:R ... erminology

The terms, Garryowen & up & under are explained under the section on 'bomb kick.'

[Jaime]

I have a hunch Pete was watching league? I could be wrong?

Would explain the kicking before the 6th tackle and the above waist body checks.

I wondered the same thing. Pete - in RL, the team in posession of the ball basically have six tackles (after each of which they can retain the ball) in which to either score a try or kick the ball. Upon the last tackle, if they haven't scored or kicked the ball then it is surrendered to the opposition.

[chelsea]

Pete, in answer to the blood, in all codes of sport here they have what the call a blood rule.

This means the player has to leave the field of play if there is any sign of exposed blood anywhere on the body, and not allowed back on the field of play until the bleeding has stopped. Was bought is a few years ago. I think it was classed as health and safety issue in relation to catching Hep A,B,C and Aids from anyone that was infected.

If it was Rugby League, most of the tackles I see here are mainly made between the waist and top of the shoulders, mainly I think to try and make sure that the tackle is made 100%, in league if the tackle is not made correctly it is not counted in the six tackle count and can be a big advantage to the attacking team.

In none of the Rugby or AFL Codes are you allowed to tackle anywhere round the head (Englands Adrian Morely Still Has Not Learnt That Yet). In League you can be sent from the field for the whole game or put in the sin bin for 10mins.
Not sure in Union, may be the same thing

In AFL you get reported and then they have the option to suspend you if found guilty.

In relation to the kicking of the ball, if it is league u are watching, if you have had 5 tackles made on your team, if you get caught in possesion when the 6th tackle is made, the ball is automatically turned over to the other team.

What they are doing is trying to feed the ball to one of their team to run ono to try and score a try without being tackled again, or they put the ball high up in the air hoping that the opposition fumbles the ball.

If that happens, the attacking side gets the ball again and have a fresh set of 6 tackles to attack with again.

[ozuncle]

Pete,
What were you watching?
AFL, or Rugby?
If it was AFL, you are not allowed to tackle below the waist.
You also have to either kick the ball or punch (handball).
Obviously kicking gains more distance.

[PeteC]

Great replies (thanks) and good question as to what I was watching. I didn't see much of it as the power went out here and so did the cable. It was not on UBC but cable Australia Broadcasting Channel (Asia) which shows a few Australian rugby games weekly, substituted by Australian rules football on Sundays I think. Anyway, this game had "scrums" and I thought someone said in a previous post that scrums were not allowed in league? Pete

PS: I don't remember the names of the teams but I think the same league (or union) the Blues and Lions play in?

[ozuncle]

The Blues and the Lions are AFL

The scrums maybe wern't scrums bu some ugly AFL play.

[PeteC]

The Blues and the Lions are AFL

The scrums maybe wern't scrums bu some ugly AFL play.

OK, we've now clarified that it was league. Another observation on a tackle was that one defender had the man around the waist/chest and another defender clearly had the man by the right leg, so much so he lifted the leg so the guys knee was almost in his face. There was no penalty called on that play. My assumption then is that if one defender initiated a proper tackle, others can then do what they want (minus a head shot) to bring the man down? Pete

[ozuncle]

Pete,
Rugby league and AFL are two entirely different games.
When you say league, which one do you mean?

[STEVE G]

Another observation on a tackle was that one defender had the man around the waist/chest and another defender clearly had the man by the right leg, so much so he lifted the leg so the guys knee was almost in his face.

Pete, I don't really understand these sports much either, but what you are describing there sounds like a fight; did this move happen on the pitch or in the bar afterwards?

[Jaime]

Pete,

It is certainly possible that you were watching rugby union as teams called The Blues (from Auckland, NZ) and The Lions (from J'burg, SA) both take part in the Super 14 union competition. Australian sides also take part so that could well have been what you were watching.

[PeteC]

Pete,
Rugby league and AFL are two entirely different games.
When you say league, which one do you mean?

No, this was not Australian Rules Football, it was Rugby. So, now we may be back to if it was 'league' or union'. I'll have to wait until next weekend to take another look at whatever games are on then. Pete

[PeteC]

Another observation on a tackle was that one defender had the man around the waist/chest and another defender clearly had the man by the right leg, so much so he lifted the leg so the guys knee was almost in his face. There was no penalty called on that play. My assumption then is that if one defender initiated a proper tackle, others can then do what they want (minus a head shot) to bring the man down? Pete

From the info I have now per above, is what I describe legal in 'league' or not? The camera zoomed in on it, no way the ref could have missed the two man tackle with the leg hoist if it was a penalty. It went of for 5 seconds or so as the ball carrier was hopping forward on one leg with these two on his back and leg. Pete