What Is Rugby?

 Rugby is a fast-paced, creative game in which players attempt to score "tries" by touching down the ball in the end zone, much like a touchdown in football. Players may move the ball by carrying it, kicking it, or passing it laterally or backward to teammates. The action is constant, and players must play both offensively and defensively (as in basketball or soccer) because possession of the ball can change hands at any time. And, in rugby, all players get a chance to run with the ball if they can keep up with the play.

 Touch rugby, played with 7 players per team on the field, differs from the standard game only in that two-hand touch replaces the tackle. Nearly all other elements of rugby—including scrums (uncontested), mauls, and lineouts—are allowed.

Players and parents should be aware that rugby requires a lot of running, and even in the touch game involves some incidental contact.