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Rugby league is a relatively
simple game. Combining the strategy of Grandmaster chess, the high-speed
decision making of formula 1 and the physical challenge of bear wrestling!
Yes, this is truly a game for the strong, courageous, and intelligent. As a
fan you may sit back and appreciate fully the spectacle that takes place in
front of you. To assist your enjoyment it is helpful if you can understand
what is happening on the pitch. Now in Featherstone it is not difficult to
gain a little of this knowledge. Simply walk into any pub, stand at the bar
and state to the bar staff that you have been living in a cupboard for the
major part of your life and now want to understand the finer points of the
best game on Gods earth. Immediately you will be surrounded by up to a dozen
well meaning individuals who will baffle you with science as they move
ashtrays, pint pots, crisp packets across the bar top saying, "imagine this
is the centre", "acting half back passes to prop with second row running
blind" or "this packet of Cheese and Onion would be obviously offside."
Clearly gibberish, but sink enough beer as you listen and some of it may
make sense. An alternative path, for the more studious or fainthearted,
would be to read the following notes on our great sport.
At "kick off” two teams, 13 players on each, take to the field. Each team
may also have 4 substitutes/replacements available to bring on at any
appropriate moment in the game. Commonly this is when a teammate is injured
or in need of a rest. Each teams starting "13" is made up of 7 "backs"
(numbers 1 to 7) and 6 "forwards" (numbers 8 to 13). The backs are generally
regarded as the attacking players and usually have more pace than the bigger
more powerful forwards who are usually the "yard" makers. It is also usual
for the two sets of players to bicker. A Back views forwards as someone big
and ugly who enjoys running head first into immovable objects. Forwards see
backs on the other hand as posing tarts that drop the ball whenever the
forwards have done the hard graft of setting up a good field position.
The object of the game is fairly straightforward. Each team attempts to
score more points than the other team. There are 80 minutes in which to do
this. Either team can score points through scoring a "try" or kicking a
"goal".
When a team has the ball they are given six tackles or chances to score. If
after six tackles they have not managed this, then the ball is given to the
other team who then also have the chance to score with six tackles. If a
team has not scored by the fifth/last tackle then the "acting half-back"
will generally pass the ball to the teams "kicker" who will punt the ball
downfield in order to gain "territorial advantage" The only disadvantage to
this tactic is that if the ball goes out of play on the "full", that is
before bouncing, the opposition gain possession of the ball from where the
kick was originally made.
This is Rugby League in a nutshell. Easy. Ah but there are a million and one
different tactics that may be employed to complicate matters and make the
game into the compelling contest it is. To explain further here are some of
the main terms you will hear during a match.
A try:
A try is worth four points and is scored when a player touches the ball down
over the try line of the opposition. A conversion attempt follows, worth a
further two points if successful. This is achieved by kicking the ball over
the cross bar and between the goal posts. The ball is kicked from a position
directly behind, but as far back from as the kicker wishes, the spot where
the ball was touched down. Whilst the kick is being taken the opposition
must stand in a bunch under their own posts. There they will be tormented by
fans for conceding a try and will attempt to put off the kicker by lavishly
scratching various parts of their anatomy.
Forward Pass/knock on:
Unlike rugby union the
ball can only be passed in a backward motion between players. Therefore, if
the ball is passed in a forward motion towards the opponents goal-line or
knocked forward by the attacking team when attempting to catch it, then play
will stop and will be re-started with a scrum awarded to the opposing team.
(There are certain exceptions to this rule, for further details see the
section on referees.)
Scrum:
The two sets of "Forwards" (six
from each team) lock together and the ball is put into the middle by the
"Scrum-half" of the team that have been awarded the scrum (called the feed).
In modern day rugby, the team feeding the scrum will nearly always win
possession from the scrum. This used to be a fierce contest of skill between
forwards but is now a chance for a breather and, particularly on cold days,
a warm up without anybody criticising you for hugging your mates.
Play the ball:
After a tackle is made, the tackled player restarts the action and the next
"tackle" by standing upright and rolling the ball through his legs to a
team-mate stood directly behind him. The tackled player must use their foot
to guide the ball along the ground. The opposing team must stand at least 10
metres in front of the player when this is taking place.
Offside:
There are several different
types but the most common is when at least one member of the opposing
defending team encroaches within the ten metres at the play the ball - a
penalty will result. This offence usually leads to the greatest number of
penalties within a game and causes the most distress amongst the fans! Once
again see the section on referees for a fuller explanation.
Penalty:
Awarded for any foul or rule contravention. The team awarded the penalty can
either kick for goal, or kick for touch and take six more tackles level with
where the ball landed in touch or continue with six more tackles.
Acting half-back:
This is a player from the
attacking team who picks up the ball immediately following a play the ball
and passes it to a team mate or makes an attacking run. He is generally the
hooker. This is because you are in danger of getting tackled immediately in
this position, and as hooker you are generally used to getting crushed in
the middle of a heap of bodies. Hookers would argue that it is because of
their skillful distribution, sleight of hand and fleetness of foot. You make
your own mind up.
Advantage:
Allowing the advantage means
allowing play to proceed if it is to the advantage of the team which has not
committed an offence or infringement. This rule always seems to be invoked
in favour of the opposition but how many times has Jamie Stokes been dragged
back in full flight………….?
Backs:
This is the term applied to a player who is not in the scrum. They comprise
of: Full Back, left winger, left centre, right centre, right winger and the
two most creative players; stand off and scrum half.
Blood-bin:
Occurs when a player has blood showing or flowing from a wound. The referee
instructs the player to leave the pitch in order to clear up the blood
injury so that it is not visible. The player may leave the field for a
maximum period of 10 minutes. Any longer and this temporary substitution
becomes a permanent one. It never fails to amaze me that anybody attending
A&E can wait for hours for a couple of stitches in a minor wound. RL players
on the other hand commonly go off with major lacerations and return within
the ten minutes with a neat row of six hundred stitches, all dressed and
ready to play on. Hats off to you guys, I’m a wimp where needles are
concerned.
Dead ball:
Means that the ball is out of play i.e. the field of play. In some games
this means that the match stops whilst a small boy is dispatched to get it
back from someone’s garden, driveway, roof or (on one occasion Mr. Knapper)
kitchen. In Featherstone we are much more professional and have bought two
balls.
Drop goal:
This type of kick is worth one point to a team if kicked successfully.
Sometimes referred to as a field goal, this is a goal scored by propelling
the ball on the full, over the cross bar by drop kicking it from your hands.
Dummy:
The pretence of passing or otherwise releasing the ball whilst still
retaining possession of it, in an attempt to cause confusion to the
defending team. This is also fun for your team mate who may have thought he
was going to get the ball only to go blundering into the opposition without
having first taken a pass.
40/20 Rule:
This was introduced to reward
excellence in kicking for touch. If a player kicks the ball into touch and
he is within 40 metres of his own line, (the 40 metre line is marked on the
field of play) if the ball BOUNCES into touch within the 20 metre area of
his opponents half, then the side who have kicked the ball will have head
and feed at the resulting scrum. This virtually guarantees possession in an
attacking position and is just reward for a precise kick covering over half
the length of the field.
Forward:
A player who takes part in the scrum. Consists of: Open -side prop, hooker,
blind side prop, 2 Second row forwards and a loose forward.
Full-time:
Means the end of the game (80
minutes).
Half time:
Means the end of the first half
40 minutes.
Kick-off:
The method of restarting the game at the beginning of each half or after a
try, drop-goal or goal has been scored.
Kicker:
Each side generally has a kicker who takes kicks either in general play
and/or kicks for goal. Any player from either side may kick at any point in
play however.
Obstruction:
Is the illegal act of impeding an opponent who does not have the ball.
Marker: Is a player from the defending team who stands directly in front of
the attacking player at the play the ball following a completed tackle. The
marker must stand directly in front of the tackled player and not move until
the play the ball has been completed otherwise he will be penalised. There
may be one or two markers employed at any tackle. It is usual for there to
be two as then they don’t have to knacker themselves running back the full
ten metres like their mates.
Referee:
The man in charge of keeping control of the game and making sure that the
game is played within the rules of the sport. He is present on the pitch at
all times and it is his job to award penalties to teams if required and make
any decisions whilst still maintaining the flow of the game. Now it is a
strange thing that off the field referees are, without exception, kindly,
normal, members of society, of good standing and impeccable judgement. Put
them on a field however and they become……..well it’s a surprise most can
remember to walk and breathe at the same time. They never see the bozos from
the other side that are standing offside all through the game so that they
can get up to tackle our brave lads quicker. They never see the sly punches
that our boys are subjected to, and I wouldn’t mind if ours did it, but they
don’t. And as for forward passes well, anything goes against Fev and we
never get the benefit of the doubt at all. Referees are a bit like piles,
you’d certainly notice if they weren’t there, but in general they’re useless
and irritating. All except the next one due at the Lionheart who will, I
know, prove me wrong, be a prince amongst men, and make the game flow
smoothly in our direction.
Sin-Bin:
Occurs when a player from either team commits an offence that the referee
deems to be more serious than an ordinary foul. The referee shows the
offending player a "yellow card" which means that the offending player must
leave the field immediately for a period of 10 minutes.
Substitutes:
There are 4 on each team and can be introduced at appropriate moments in the
game to replace another player from the same team.
Territorial advantage:
Each team aims to spend as much time as possible in the oppositions half,
this is known as having territorial advantage.
Zero tackle:
When a player receives the ball from an opponents kick in general play they
have the opportunity to perform a devastating piece of attacking rugby,
without the pressure of taking up a tackle. This is because they start on
the zero tackle. At Fev this means that everyone gets a bit of a breather
and watches Nathan Graham run about a bit before getting mashed. The term
can also be applied when recovering the ball lost by the opposition in a set
of six tackles. Effectively it creates seven tackles.
So there you have it, even if you are a novice you are now fully equipped to
enter the gladiatorial arena and shout at the referee, players and opposing
fans like the rest of us. Have a go, it’s great.
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