by Mathew BrownPatrick GuthrieGreg Growden

RugbyFOR

DUMmIES‰

2ND EDITION

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page i

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page iv

by Mathew BrownPatrick GuthrieGreg Growden

RugbyFOR

DUMmIES‰

2ND EDITION

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page i

Rugby For Dummies®, 2nd EditionPublished byJohn Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.6045 Freemont BoulevardMississauga, ON L5R 4J3www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this book, includinginterior design, and icons, may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, pho-tocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for theRest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related tradedress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the UnitedStates and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendormentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP-RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CON-TENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUTLIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE-ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON-TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THEUNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OROTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF ACOMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THEAUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATIONOR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR-THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFOR-MATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE.FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVECHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.

For general information on John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., including all books published by WileyPublishing Inc., please call our warehouse, Tel. 1-800-567-4797. For reseller information, including dis-counts and premium sales, please call our sales department, Tel. 416-646-7992. For press review copies,author interviews, or other publicity information, please contact our marketing department, Tel.416-646-4584, Fax 416-236-4448.

For authorization to photocopy items for corporate, personal, or educational use, please contact in writ-ing The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visitwww.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free 1-800-893-5777.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data

Brown, Mathew (Mathew Timothy)Rugby for dummies / by Mathew Brown, Patrick Guthrie,Greg Growden. — 2nd ed.

Includes index.ISBN 978-0-470-15327-7

1. Rugby football. I. Guthrie, Patrick, 1962- II. Growden, Greg III. Title.

GV945.B76 2007 796.333 C2007-902522-6

Printed in Canada

2 3 4 5 TRI 11 10 09 08 07

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page ii

About the AuthorsMathew Brown is America’s foremost rugby writer. From 1999 to 2004 hewrote a weekly rugby column for Fox Sports.com, was a producer ofChampionship Rugby, and also hosted and produced the Fox Sports WorldRugby Report and tended bar at The Rugby Club. Since 2005 he has been therugby producer for MediaZone Rugby and writes the weekly Brownie’s Bestof the Weekend and Brownie’s Weekend Preview columns. Brown began hisrugby career at Occidental College, has been a member of various clubs fromMissoula to Riga, played international rugby for Latvia, and has coached atthe collegiate and club level.

Patrick Guthrie pioneered the delivery of rugby programming to NorthAmericans. He produced more than 700 rugby television shows includingChampionship Rugby and The Rugby Club for the International Channel, FOXSports International, ESPN, ESPNU, and Versus from 1995 to 2007. Mr. Guthrieis the Executive Producer of the USA Sevens from 2003–07 and Churchill Cupin 2006. He was instrumental in launching the MediaZone Rugby broadbandservice worldwide and has been Director of Rugby at MediaZone.com since2005. A former member of the USA Rugby Board of Directors from 2003 to2006, he currently serves on the USA Rugby Congress.

Greg Growden is one of Australia’s best-known sports writers. He beganwriting about rugby union in 1981, and since 1987 has been the chief rugbywriter for the Sydney Morning Herald. He is also a regular on New Zealandtelevision rugby shows.

Greg’s other books include A Wayward Genius: The Fleetwood Smith Story andGold, Mud ‘N Guts, The Incredible Tom Richards: Footballer, War Hero,Olympian.

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page iii

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page iv

DedicationThis book is dedicated to rugby and all who have ever played, watched, orenjoyed it. The sport has been the driving force in both our lives and we’rehopeful that this attempt to enlighten the uninitiated will bring a greater audi-ence to this fascinating and wonderful game.

—Mathew Brown and Patrick Guthrie

Authors’ AcknowledgmentsThanks to Train and Vandy for getting me started and to Godfree for instillingin me a deep and abiding love for the game. Thanks to all of the teammatesI’ve ever played with from the Blackshirts, Oxy Olde Boys, Powell River, All-Maggots, Miesnieks, Exiles, Vail, Flies, Tsunami, and many more over theyears. Special thanks to Guthrie for convincing me to join him on the quest toexpand the rugby audience and to Jan for giving me the opportunity toimmerse myself even more fully in the worldwide game. Thanks to Reid forkeeping me housed and my family for putting up with me forever and under-standing how important this sport is to me.

—Mathew Brown

My father comes first for his support, love, and recognition early on that Iwas on a crusade to grow the game, no matter the personal costs. Specialthanks to Bo Kelly for his trust and financial backing to get the whole projectstarted. Kudos to Bob Watkins, Ed Hagerty, and Dennis Storer for being mythree wise men. Thanks also to Jan Steenkamp for sharing my dream of build-ing a global home for the game. But most of all, thanks to the Oxy Olde Boys,Kev, Yauch, and Brownie in particular for introducing me to my life’s greatpassion.

—Patrick Guthrie

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page v

Publisher’s AcknowledgmentsWe’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration formlocated at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Editor: Robert Hickey

Copy Editor: Kelli Howey

Cover photography: Russell Cheyne/Stone Collection/Getty Images

Illustrations: Paul Lennon, Adrian So

Anniversary logo design: Richard J. Pacifico

Cartoons: Rich Tennant(www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Publishing Services Director: Karen Bryan

Project Manager: Elizabeth McCurdy

Project Coordinator: Lindsay Humphreys

Graphics: Stacie Brooks, Kim Monteforte,Heidy Lawrence Associates

Layout: Claudia Bell, Carl Byers, Alicia B. South

Proofreader: Laura Albert, Aptara

Indexer: Belle Wong

John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.

Bill Zerter, Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Smith, Vice President and Publisher, Professional & Trade Division

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies

Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Photo Credits:

Fig 8-2: Getty Images/Daniel Berehulak; Fig 9-2: Getty Images/John Gichigi; Fig 9-3: Getty Images/Clive Brunskill; Fig 10-3:Sport the Library/Action Photos Rugby Union; Fig 10-4: Sport the Library:Tom Putt; Fig 10-6: Newspix/Mark Evans; Fig 10-8, 13-1, 15-1, 17-2, 23-2, Fig 15-2: courtesy KevinRoberts; Fig 15-3: courtesy of Jen Doan, USA Rugby; Fig 16-1: Dave Stephenson (www.luminaphoto.com); Fig 16-2: courtesy of Chuck Bruce; Fig 16-3: courtesy of Pat Sayer; Fig 17-1: DaveStephenson (www.luminaphoto.com); Fig 21-1: International Rugby Academy; Fig 22-1: Sport theLibrary; Fig 23-1: Doug Crosse; Fig 23-3: Dave Stephenson (www.luminaphoto.com)

01_153277 ffirs_2.qxp 1/25/10 2:02 PM Page vi

Contents at a GlanceIntroduction .................................................................1

Part I: Rugby: Roots, Boots, and All...............................7Chapter 1: Rugby’s Beginnings, Allure, and a Basic Overview.....................................9Chapter 2: The Basics ......................................................................................................19Chapter 3: Grab Your Rugby Gear ..................................................................................33

Part II: Getting Down and Dirty...................................45Chapter 4: Location, Location, Location: Positions on the Pitch...............................47Chapter 5: Laying Down the Laws..................................................................................65Chapter 6: Understanding the Fundamentals...............................................................77Chapter 7: Playing the Game...........................................................................................97Chapter 8: The Art of Scrummaging.............................................................................113Chapter 9: Line-outs: Restarting from Touch..............................................................127Chapter 10: Individual Skills..........................................................................................143Chapter 11: Tactics and Teamwork..............................................................................167Chapter 12: Talented Training ......................................................................................183

Part III: Welcome to the Oval Planet..........................195Chapter 13: The World Cup...........................................................................................197Chapter 14: The International Calendar ......................................................................213Chapter 15: North American Rugby.............................................................................227Chapter 16: Amateur Rugby in North America...........................................................241Chapter 17: Collegiate, High School, and Youth Rugby in North America..............249

Part IV: Coaching and Refereeing ..............................257Chapter 18: Coaching.....................................................................................................259Chapter 19: Coaching Certification and Advancement .............................................271Chapter 20: Managing the Game — The Referee........................................................279

Part V: Following the Game: The Informed Fan............287Chapter 21: Get Your Game — Rugby on TV...............................................................289Chapter 22: Spectating and Staying in Touch with Rugby News..............................297

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page vii

Part VI: The Part of Tens ...........................................309Chapter 23: The Ten Greatest North American Players ............................................311Chapter 24: The Ten Best Rugby Moments.................................................................319Chapter 25: Ten Peculiar Facts about Rugby..............................................................327

Appendix A: U.S. and Canada Tests............................337

Appendix B: Glossary ................................................351

Index .......................................................................365

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page viii

Table of ContentsIntroduction..................................................................1

About This Book...............................................................................................1Conventions Used in This Book .....................................................................2Why You Need This Book................................................................................2How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................2

Part I: Rugby: Roots, Boots, and All .....................................................2Part II: Getting Down and Dirty.............................................................2Part III: Welcome to the Oval Planet ....................................................3Part IV: Coaching and Refereeing .........................................................3Part V: Following the Game: The Informed Fan ..................................3Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................................................3The Appendixes......................................................................................4

Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................4Where to Go from Here....................................................................................5

Part I: Rugby: Roots, Boots, and All ...............................7

Chapter 1: Rugby’s Beginnings, Allure, and a Basic Overview . . . . . .9Rugby’s Roots — The Birth of the Game ......................................................9

The mythical pick-up of William Webb Ellis......................................10A century of amateurism.....................................................................11

How the Game Is Played................................................................................11The field.................................................................................................11The scoring ...........................................................................................12The gear.................................................................................................12

Understanding the Essentials of the Game.................................................13Puzzling out the positions...................................................................13Grasping the laws of the game............................................................14Scoping out skills, tactics, and training.............................................14

Rugby’s a Worldwide Game ..........................................................................15An international affair..........................................................................15North America gets into the action....................................................16

Coaching and Refereeing...............................................................................16Keeping Informed about the Game ..............................................................17

Chapter 2: The Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Figuring Out the Field ....................................................................................19

Dimensions of the playing area ..........................................................19What do all those lines mean? ............................................................20Recognizing the goalposts and flags..................................................22

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page ix

Understanding the Scoring System..............................................................23Scoring a try..........................................................................................23Awarding a penalty try ........................................................................24Converting a try....................................................................................24Kicking penalty goals ...........................................................................26Drop-kicking goals ................................................................................26

Timekeeping on the Field..............................................................................27When the clock runs and when it stops ............................................28When someone’s injured .....................................................................28When the TMO is looking at play .......................................................28When the hooter sounds.....................................................................28

Introducing the Players .................................................................................29Taking up position................................................................................29Positions by the numbers ...................................................................30The reserves .........................................................................................31

Chapter 3: Grab Your Rugby Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33Getting It Together: The Essentials of the Kit Bag .....................................33

Having a ball..........................................................................................34Kicking in with a kicking tee ...............................................................35Miscellaneous kit items .......................................................................36

Getting the Gear .............................................................................................36Rugby jerseys........................................................................................37Rugby shorts.........................................................................................37Booting up .............................................................................................38Socking it to you ...................................................................................39

Protecting Your Assets ..................................................................................40Choosing protective equipment .........................................................40Avoiding serious injury........................................................................42Knowing what’s barred on the pitch..................................................43

Part II: Getting Down and Dirty ...................................45

Chapter 4: Location, Location, Location: Positions on the Pitch . . . .47A Place for Everyone .....................................................................................47Playing the Numbers Game...........................................................................48Fearless Forwards ..........................................................................................50

Getting in tight with the tight five ......................................................51Facing off in the front row ...................................................................52The second row: Exerting in the engine room..................................55The back-row forwards: Breaking loose with the loosies ...............56

Get to the Back of the Line............................................................................58Passing and pestering for profit: The scrumhalf..............................58Feeling footloose and fancy-free: The flyhalf ....................................59Mastering the midfield: Centers .........................................................60

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition x

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page x

Running wild out wide: The wings .....................................................62Roaming the range: The fullback........................................................62

Chapter 5: Laying Down the Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65The Laws of the Game ...................................................................................65

The IRB writes the law.........................................................................66The laws are dynamic and ever-changing.........................................67Reading the law book...........................................................................68Building up your knowledge ...............................................................68

Introducing the Match Officials....................................................................70The referee: The one with the whistle ...............................................70Touch judges: The ones with the flags ..............................................71The substitution official: The one with the numbers ......................72The TMO: The one with the video screen.........................................73

Recognizing the Referee’s Signals ................................................................73

Chapter 6: Understanding the Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77The Object of the Game.................................................................................78Running, Passing, and Kicking......................................................................79

Running..................................................................................................79Passing...................................................................................................79Kicking ...................................................................................................79

What Can Go Wrong? .....................................................................................81Knock-on................................................................................................81Forward pass ........................................................................................82

The Tackle Law — Where Football Ends, Rugby Begins ...........................82The tackle situation and continuity ...................................................83The tackled player................................................................................83The tackler ............................................................................................84Tackling no-no’s ....................................................................................84

The Advantage Law — When Play Stops and When It Continues............85Observing the Offside Law............................................................................87

In general play ......................................................................................87From set pieces.....................................................................................90At tackles, rucks, and mauls ...............................................................91

Playing Foul.....................................................................................................92Obstruction ...........................................................................................92Unfair play .............................................................................................93Repeated infringements.......................................................................93Misconduct............................................................................................93Taking penalties....................................................................................94Kicking at goal.......................................................................................94Kicking for touch ..................................................................................94Choosing a scrum.................................................................................95Taking it quick.......................................................................................95Free kicks...............................................................................................95

xiTable of Contents

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xi

Chapter 7: Playing the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97Getting Started ...............................................................................................98

Kickoffs to begin each half ..................................................................98Restarts after scores and 22s............................................................100

The Tackle Situation ....................................................................................101The tackled player..............................................................................102The tackler ..........................................................................................102What happens next?...........................................................................103

Breaking Down the Breakdown ..................................................................103Tackle, Ruck, or Maul?.................................................................................104Roughing It in the Rucks .............................................................................104

Rucking rules ......................................................................................106Directing the ruck...............................................................................108Working the pick-and-go....................................................................108

Mastering the Maul ......................................................................................109Mauling laws .......................................................................................110Directing the maul ..............................................................................111Stopping the maul ..............................................................................112

Chapter 8: The Art of Scrummaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113Scrum Is Not Synonymous with Mayhem .................................................113Sections of the Scrum..................................................................................115

The front row ......................................................................................115The second row ..................................................................................117The back row ......................................................................................117The ninth forward — The scrumhalf ...............................................118

Engagement...................................................................................................119The put-in ............................................................................................120The contest for possession...............................................................120

Laws at Scrumtime.......................................................................................121Binding and releasing.........................................................................121Collapsing............................................................................................122Driving in and up ................................................................................122Feeding.................................................................................................123

Strategic Scrummaging................................................................................123Attacking from the scrum..................................................................123Wheeling the scrum ...........................................................................124Getting a shove on..............................................................................125Pushing it over the edge....................................................................126

Chapter 9: Line-outs: Restarting from Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127When Does a Line-out Occur? ....................................................................128Where Does a Line-out Take Place? ...........................................................128

Directly into touch .............................................................................129Indirectly into touch ..........................................................................129

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition xii

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xii

Who Gets the Throw-in?..............................................................................130Lining Up for a Line-out ...............................................................................131

Forming a line-out...............................................................................132Calling the play ...................................................................................132Throwing in the ball ...........................................................................134Taking the throw.................................................................................135

Starring Roles in a Line-out.........................................................................136Jumpers and lifters.............................................................................136The receiver ........................................................................................138Movement in the line-out ..................................................................138

Talking Tactics Down the Line....................................................................139Peeling off ............................................................................................139Throwing to the front.........................................................................139Setting up the maul ............................................................................140Quick off the top.................................................................................140

Things You Can’t Do ....................................................................................140Taking It Quick..............................................................................................141

Chapter 10: Individual Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143Running Rampant.........................................................................................144

Receiving a pass on the run ..............................................................145Side-stepping the tackler...................................................................145Curving into the swerve ....................................................................146Fending off forcibly ............................................................................147Going into a hit and spin ...................................................................148Doing the goose step .........................................................................148Throwing the dummy.........................................................................149

Passing with Panache ..................................................................................149Bringing tactics into play ..................................................................150Spiral pass ...........................................................................................151Cut-out pass ........................................................................................152Lob pass ..............................................................................................153Pop pass ..............................................................................................153Dive pass .............................................................................................154Scrumhalf pass ...................................................................................154

Kicking Cleverly............................................................................................154Spiral punt kick...................................................................................155Up and under ......................................................................................156Chip kick ..............................................................................................157Grubber kick .......................................................................................158Drop kick .............................................................................................159Goal kicking.........................................................................................160

Tackling Tough .............................................................................................162Front-on driving tackle.......................................................................163Side-on tackle......................................................................................165Tackle from behind ............................................................................165

xiiiTable of Contents

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xiii

Ball-and-all tackle ...............................................................................166Stationary tackle.................................................................................166Ankle tap..............................................................................................166

Chapter 11: Tactics and Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167Creating a Game Plan...................................................................................168

Understanding your team’s strengths and weaknesses ................168Analyzing the opponent ....................................................................172

Weathering the Conditions .........................................................................174Adapting to inclement weather ........................................................175Playing the pitch.................................................................................175

Deciding on a Game Plan.............................................................................176Attacking Artistically ...................................................................................177

Launching an effective attack ...........................................................178Breaking through................................................................................178

Defending Devilishly ....................................................................................179Coordinating the defense ..................................................................179Blocking the advance: Defensive systems ......................................179Commitment and trust ......................................................................182

Chapter 12: Talented Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183Getting Match Fit..........................................................................................183

Warming up and having a good stretch...........................................184Stretching for performance...............................................................185Developing a fitness program ...........................................................187

Psyching Up for a Stellar Performance......................................................190Eating Your Way to Victory.........................................................................191

Choosing a balanced diet ..................................................................192Taking in fuel .......................................................................................192Choosing your supplements carefully .............................................193

Part III: Welcome to the Oval Planet ..........................195

Chapter 13: The World Cup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197The Crown Jewel of Rugby..........................................................................197The Origins and History of the Rugby World Cup ...................................198

1987 World Cup — Australia and New Zealand ..............................1991991 World Cup — Great Britain, Ireland, and France...................1991995 World Cup — South Africa .......................................................1991999 World Cup — Wales, England, Scotland,

Ireland, and France.........................................................................2002003 World Cup — Australia .............................................................2002007 World Cup — France, Wales, and Scotland ............................201

Qualification and Finals Tournaments ......................................................201

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition xiv

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xiv

North Americans in the World Cup............................................................203Fighting Eagles ....................................................................................203Competing Canadians ........................................................................203

Mammoths and Minnows............................................................................204Great World Cup Moments..........................................................................205

Australia versus England — 2003 final ............................................205South Africa versus New Zealand — 1995 final ..............................206Australia versus South Africa — 1999 Semifinal #1 .......................206New Zealand versus France — 1999 Semifinal #2 ..........................207

Other Cups on the World Stage..................................................................208Sevens World Cup...............................................................................208Women’s Rugby World Cup...............................................................209The Under-21 Rugby World Cup .......................................................210The Under-19 World Championships...............................................211

Chapter 14: The International Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213How the Game Is Organized........................................................................213

Rugby’s rulers — The IRB .................................................................214National unions...................................................................................214Provincial unions................................................................................215Local unions........................................................................................215

The Powers That Be.....................................................................................216Where tradition is king — The Six Nations .....................................216South versus North — The SANZAR home tests............................217The battle of the Big Three — The Tri Nations ..............................217North versus south — The Fall tests ...............................................219The British & Irish Lions ...................................................................219The Barbarian Football Club.............................................................220The World Sevens Series ...................................................................221

Interprovincial and Provincial Rugby........................................................221The sensational Super 14 ..................................................................222The Heineken Cup overfloweth ........................................................222The Celtic scene .................................................................................223The Air New Zealand Cup..................................................................224The South African ABSA Currie Cup ................................................225The English domestic scene .............................................................225The Top 14...........................................................................................226

Chapter 15: North American Rugby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227Checking Out Rugby in the United States .................................................227

Origins and Olympic gold..................................................................228Formation and reformation of USA Rugby ......................................229Soaring with the Eagles .....................................................................232Eagles atop the world: Women’s rugby ...........................................234Sevens ..................................................................................................235

xvTable of Contents

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xv

Investigating Rugby in Canada ...................................................................235The birth of Rugby Canada ...............................................................236Canadian women on the rise ............................................................237Canadian National Women’s League ................................................238Sevens ..................................................................................................238

Going Global: North American Internationals ..........................................238Barclays Churchill Cup ......................................................................239North America 4 .................................................................................239

Chapter 16: Amateur Rugby in North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241Clubbing with the Yanks..............................................................................241

The USA Rugby Super League...........................................................243USA Club Championships..................................................................245

Considering the Canadian Club Scene.......................................................246The Rugby Canada Super League.....................................................246Canadian National Championships..................................................247

Chapter 17: Collegiate, High School, and Youth Rugby in North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249

Playing the American Collegiate Game .....................................................249Starting Young: High School and Youth Rugby in the U.S.A. ..................251

High school championships..............................................................252Youth rugby.........................................................................................253

Canadian Collegiate Championships .........................................................255High School and Youth Rugby in Canada..................................................255

High school rugby ..............................................................................256Youth rugby.........................................................................................256

Part IV: Coaching and Refereeing...............................257

Chapter 18: Coaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259Grand Obsession: The Making of a Good Coach......................................260

Improving skill levels .........................................................................260Getting your team fighting fit............................................................261Motivating your team.........................................................................261

Coaching Safety ............................................................................................262Keeping your players safe .................................................................262False assumptions and the truth about injuries in rugby.............263

Tackling a Tough Job ...................................................................................264Deciding Whether Coaching Is for You......................................................266You’re Not Alone: Support Staff..................................................................267

Coaching: Assistant coach ................................................................267Coaching: Defense coach ..................................................................268Managing the team.............................................................................268Training the team ...............................................................................269

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition xvi

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xvi

Massaging the players: The physiotherapist..................................269Calling on the team doctor................................................................269

Chapter 19: Coaching Certification and Advancement . . . . . . . . . . . .271Coaching Accreditation in the U.S. ............................................................271

Looking at the Coach Development Program.................................272Getting certified..................................................................................272

Coach Training in Canada ...........................................................................273The International Rugby Academy ............................................................273Coaching Hatchlings to Eagles ...................................................................274

Nurturing the youth ...........................................................................274Having an oval ball in high school ...................................................275Corralling collegians ..........................................................................275Catering to the clubs..........................................................................276

Chapter 20: Managing the Game — The Referee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279The Responsibility of the Whistle..............................................................279

Knowledge...........................................................................................280Consistency.........................................................................................280Communication ..................................................................................280Temperament......................................................................................281Fitness..................................................................................................282

Becoming a Ref in the States ......................................................................282Getting started....................................................................................282Moving up............................................................................................283Reaching the top ................................................................................284

Picking Up the Whistle Up North ...............................................................284

Part V: Following the Game: The Informed Fan ............287

Chapter 21: Get Your Game — Rugby on TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .289The History of Rugby on TV in North America ........................................289Rugby on Television in the U.S.A. ..............................................................290Rugby on Television in Canada ..................................................................291Speaking the Language ................................................................................292

Rugby’s TV jargon glossary...............................................................292Marvelous Mextedisms......................................................................293The best of the commentators .........................................................294

Chapter 22: Spectating and Staying in Touch with Rugby News . . .297Finding a Match to Watch ...........................................................................297Blending In with the Crowd ........................................................................298

Following rugby etiquette .................................................................298Dressing for the occasion..................................................................299Spectating across North America.....................................................300

xviiTable of Contents

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xvii

Going to watch a test match .............................................................300The club experience...........................................................................301Sounding like a rugby expert ............................................................302

Touring Overseas .........................................................................................302Learning More about the Game..................................................................303

North American magazines...............................................................303Rugby matches on the Web...............................................................305Rugby news in cyberspace................................................................305North American focus........................................................................307IRB and union Web sites ....................................................................307

Part VI: The Part of Tens............................................309

Chapter 23: The Ten Greatest North American Players . . . . . . . . . . .311Gareth Rees...................................................................................................311Dan Lyle.........................................................................................................312Al Charron.....................................................................................................313Dave Hodges .................................................................................................314Mike James....................................................................................................314Brian Vizard ..................................................................................................314Patty Jervey ..................................................................................................315Jen Crawford.................................................................................................315Gillian Florence.............................................................................................315Heather Moyse .............................................................................................316Honorable Mentions ....................................................................................316

Chapter 24: The Ten Best Rugby Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319Top Five Around the World.........................................................................319

The greatest test ever ........................................................................319The 2003 World Cup final ..................................................................320Barbarians versus New Zealand 1973..............................................321The Bulls win the Super 14................................................................3221995 World Cup final ..........................................................................323

Top Five North American Moments...........................................................323Women’s Rugby World Cup final 1991 .............................................324Canada versus France 1994...............................................................324U.S. Olympians versus France (1920 and 1924)..............................324Wales versus Canada 1993 ................................................................325Canada versus Argentina 2005..........................................................325

Chapter 25: Ten Peculiar Facts about Rugby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327Rugby Attracts Some Surprising People ...................................................327Unlikely Lads Can Make It to the Top........................................................328

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition xviii

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xviii

Siblings Like to Battle It Out Together ......................................................329Players Injure Themselves in Bizarre Ways..............................................330Rugby Players Hate to Cancel Games........................................................330Rugby Is Played in Extreme Weather and in Strange Locations.............331Players Score in Unorthodox Ways............................................................332Sometimes Officials Make Unofficial Calls ................................................333Rugby Blunders into Multicultural Minefields .........................................333If It’s Going to Happen, It’ll Happen on Tour ............................................334

Appendix A: U.S. and Canada Tests ............................337

Appendix B: Glossary.................................................351

Index........................................................................365

xixTable of Contents

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xix

Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition xx

02_153277 ftoc.qxp 8/22/07 12:00 AM Page xx

Introduction

Welcome to Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition. This book is your intro-duction to a sport that has attracted a passionate following around

the world for more than a century, but is just now exploding in popularity inthe United States and Canada. As rugby devotees ourselves, we understandthe natural appeal of the sport and why you feel the need to find out moreabout it.

Rugby is the world’s third-most popular team sport and is played in morethan a hundred countries. The nonstop action is breathtaking as the athletesconfront each other over 80 minutes of gut-wrenching competition.

Although it was first introduced here more than 133 years ago, up until veryrecently rugby was a mystery to most North Americans. In the past few yearsrugby has made the transition from being a totally amateur game to a fullyprofessional sport. This revolutionary development has increased the fitnessof the players, sped up the game, and created a vastly more entertaining,television-friendly product that is growing by leaps and bounds all acrossNorth America.

This book is intended to help parents, players, coaches, and their families get acquainted with the basic elements of this fantastic game. We hope thisbook lifts the veil of mystery that has shrouded the sport and enables you toappreciate both the excitement on the field and the camaraderie off it thatmakes rugby truly unique.

About This BookRugby For Dummies includes all the information you need to get started in the sport, whether you want to be a player, coach, or spectator. It’s the firstcomprehensive guide to all things rugby and was written specifically for aNorth American audience. Plenty of foreign books talk about rugby, but toour knowledge (and we know it all!) this is the only one that explains thegame in terms that Americans and Canadians can easily understand.

We’ve made ease of access and cross-referencing a priority at all times, soyou can use this book to quickly locate a specific topic, find the informationyou’re looking for, and get on with your life.

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 1

Conventions Used in This BookRugby has its own language, so to help you understand what we’re talkingabout we’ve made a point of putting rugby jargon in italics and then definingthose terms right away. If we missed one here or there, however, and youencounter a term you’re not familiar with, check the glossary in Appendix B.

Why You Need This BookIf you tried to figure out rugby on your own, it would take you at least adecade of constantly watching, playing, asking questions, and absorbing theatmosphere for you to get a good feel for the game. We know, because that’show we did it. Until we wrote this book there was no easy way to access andassimilate all the information needed to gain a solid understanding of thegame — other than personal experience through trial and error.

Whatever your reasons for reading this book — whether you’re barelyacquainted with the game or possess a wealth of knowledge about it — RugbyFor Dummies answers your questions and increases your understanding ofthe sport.

How This Book Is OrganizedThis book is organized into six parts. Each of the parts covers a major aspectof the game.

Part I: Rugby: Roots, Boots, and AllThe first chapter tells why rugby is a unique sport and gives you a preview ofall the information that’s contained throughout the book. Then we cover thebasics of the field, explain the scoring system, and take a quick look at all thepositions. To prevent you from showing up unprepared, we also list all thegear you need to play.

Part II: Getting Down and DirtyThe second course is the meat-and-potatoes portion of this book. First, weexplain the various responsibilities and skills needed to play all 15 positions.

2 Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 2

Second, we introduce the laws of the game and the match officials, which leadsto an explanation of the object of the game, what happens after a tackle, andthe concepts of offside and foul play. Then we discuss the differences amongtackles, rucks, and mauls. Next, we analyze scrums and line-outs. We thenshift gears to address the individual skills of running, passing, kicking, andtackling, and finish off with a look at tactics and training for rugby.

Part III: Welcome to the Oval PlanetThis part spans the globe to survey the annual calendar of provincial, inter-provincial, and international competitions. We move next to the Rugby WorldCup and the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) stable of events. Then we moveback closer to home with a look at the USA National Team — the Eagles, fol-lowed by a look at the pride of Rugby Canada — the Canadian National Team.We conclude with a tour of the heart and soul of North American rugby — theclub game.

Part IV: Coaching and RefereeingPart IV covers the full spectrum of coaching — from the minis to the SuperLeague — and explains how you can become a certified coach. The refereeingsection reviews the responsibility of the ref and what you need to do to becomeone so that we can address the current shortage of whistle-blowers.

Part V: Following the Game: The Informed FanThe fifth part brings joy to your household, as we lay out when and where youcan watch rugby on TV and on the Internet. We survey the various channelsand Web sites and tell you what’s on tap so you can watch rugby across NorthAmerica. Next, we tell you how you can find a local match to attend. In orderto satisfy your thirst for more knowledge, we also detail all the rugby-relatedmagazines, books, and places on the Web to access rugby information.

Part VI: The Part of TensIn the sixth part we offer three top ten lists. The first provides our ten bestNorth American players. The second covers the ten best rugby moments ofall time. The third list conveys ten peculiar facts about the oval game.

3Introduction

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 3

The AppendixesFinally, we’ve included two appendixes for easy access to information you’relikely to need. Appendix A includes the USA Rugby and Rugby Canada testrecords. Appendix B contains a handy glossary of rugby terms for your edification.

Icons Used in This BookTo help you navigate your way through this book, seven icons appear in themargins. The icons point you to a particular type of information, dependingon your needs. The icons mean the following:

This icon indicates useful information for players looking to improve theirskills. Even if you’re not a player, they’ll help you understand what playersare trying to accomplish and elevate your knowledge and enjoyment.

This symbol is used when we offer advice to coaches. All of these sugges-tions have worked for us in our coaching experience, so we hope you’ll findthem useful and we encourage you to give us feedback.

Whenever we use a word or phrase that is unique to rugby speak, we employthis icon to identify the term and then define it.

This icon indicates a technical discussion is underway. You can skip this infor-mation if you want to, because it isn’t necessary for an understanding of thebasics. If you do read it, though, your rugby expertise goes up a few notches.

Whenever safety is an issue, we use this symbol to alert you of the potentialrisk and then explain how to minimize or avoid harm.

When you see this icon, get buckled in for an entertaining tale from yourauthor’s vast reservoir of rugby exploits, recounted from his unique rugby-centric perspective of the universe.

When you find this icon, remember that your author has been at the forefrontof bringing rugby to the North American audience for a dozen years and has,by necessity, become a self-educated expert in everything related to the game.

4 Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 4

Where to Go from HereSo now you’re ready to start your incredible journey into the world’s mostamazing game. Where you go from here depends on your experience and thetype of information you’re looking for. If you’ve got no clue at all, start at thebeginning and enjoy the ride. If you have a question about a particular phaseof play, head directly to that chapter and get the answers you need.

Regardless of where you begin, we’re confident that by the time you reachthe end of your trip through these pages, you’ll see the light and share ourlove for the game they play in heaven. Welcome to the rugby family!

5Introduction

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 5

6 Rugby For Dummies, 2nd Edition

03_153277 intro.qxp 8/21/07 11:51 PM Page 6

Part IRugby: Roots,Boots, and All

04_153277 pt01.qxp 8/21/07 11:56 PM Page 7

In this part . . .

To make you feel comfortable about everything rugby,this part provides an introduction to the game and

lays out the basic parameters of the sport.

To start, we tell you why rugby is so awesome and one of the most widely played sports around the world. Weexplain what’s required to win, describe how the scoringsystem works, show the field on which the game is played,and spell out what goes on during a match. Finally, we tellyou what gear you’ll need to have when you show up forthat first training session.

04_153277 pt01.qxp 8/21/07 11:56 PM Page 8