| Term |
Definition |
| Advantage
Law |
Allows
play proceed after an infringement in the case of the non-offending
team receiving an advantage. |
| Attacking
Team |
The team in possession of the ball. |
| Backs
|
Players
who spread out and attempt to run the ball delivered from a scrum
or lineout. |
| Dead
Ball Line |
The
limit to which a try can be scored beyond the goal line. |
| Defending
Team |
The
team not in possession of the ball. |
| Drop
Kick |
A
kick made after the ball has reached or bounced off the ground.
Worth three points if it clears the goalposts; also used to restart
play after a score or certain other occasions. |
| Forward
Pass |
A
violation that usually results in a scrum to the non-offending
side. |
| Forwards
|
Players
who pack in a scrum or throw and jump in a lineout. |
| Free
Kick |
A
relatively minor law violation that allows the non-offending side
to restart play in an unopposed fashion. Opponents must retreat
10-meters and wait for the non-offending team to kick the ball
through the mark. A free kick cannot be taken for goal. |
| Infringement
|
A
breaking of a law. |
| Intercept
|
To
catch a pass intended for a member of the opposition. |
| Knock
On |
The
accidental hitting of the ball from the hands or arms toward the
dead ball line. Results in the same scenario as a forward pass
-- a scrum to the non- offending team. |
| Lineout
|
Restarts
play after the ball goes out over the touchline. The team that
didn’t touch the ball last has the throw-in. |
| Mark
|
The
place where the referee signals play will be restarted. For example,
the referee marks where the scrum will take place, or where the
penalty has occurred. |
| Offside
|
Players
in front of a member of their own team who was last in possession
of the ball, or in front of established lines at a scrum. Lineouts
of loose play are said to be offsides. In some instances, one
can retreat to an onside position without penalty; other times
the infraction is automatically a violation. |
| Pack
|
Forward
unit of a team, engages in scrum and lineouts. |
| Penalty
|
Awarded
after a serious infringement of the laws. Offenders are required
to retire 10-meters while the opposition is given possession to
restart play unopposed. Many times the non-offending team will
attempt a kick at goal, worth three points. |
| Put
In |
Rolling
the ball down the center of the scrum tunnel. |
| Ruck |
A
ball-winning activity following a tackle and release; a ruck is
formed if a player from both teams is in physical contact over
the ball. |
| Scrum
|
A
way to restart play where a bound group of players form a tunnel
with the opposition. |
| Sevens
|
An
abbreviated game of rugby that follows the same laws but for the
number of players and time of the contest. A 7s team fields only
seven players; each half is seven minutes long. Much like a game
of three-on-three full court basketball, it’s a wide-open
contest. |
| Set
piece |
A term for scrums and lineouts. |
| Support
Players |
Players
who position themselves to increase the ball transfer options
of the ball carrier. |
| Tap
Kick |
A
gentle kick to oneself, followed by a pick up, used to restart
play after either a penalty or free kick is awarded. |
| Throw
In |
Throwing the ball down the middle of a lineout. |
| Touchline |
The side boundary of the field (sideline). |
| Try |
Forcing the ball onto the ground with downward pressure over the
opposition’s goal line. |
| 22-meter
Line |
Balls
kicked out of bounds from behind the "22" restarted
by a lineout where the ball went out; balls kicked out of bounds
from in front of the 22 are restarted by a lineout where the ball
was kicked. The exception is a ball kicked out of bounds immediately
after a penalty has been awarded; the lineout is held where the
ball went out and the non-offending team retains the throw-in.
|
