When it comes to team systems, I have a crib sheet for carte jaune (yellow card) or carte rouge (red card). And for each person that might be carded, I have…
Rugby Basics
Rugby World Cup bonus points explained
Bonus points have been part of the Rugby World Cup ecosystem since Australia 2003. For longer-term fans, they are now part of the tournament furniture, but for anyone relatively new…
GPS – ‘why are rugby players wearing a sports bra?’
The rugby GPS conversation generally runs something like this. “What’s that rectangular lump on the back of professional rugby players’ shirts?” a relative newcomer to the game may ask. “That’s…
When a try is not a try – rugby’s laws on grounding the ball explained
Grounding the ball to score a try in rugby – it sounds so easy. And yet… We’ve all done it. We’ve all pointed at the TV and insisted that there…
Why is a try called a try in rugby?
Find out how the term 'try' originated and how the scoring system has changed
What is a penalty try?
A penalty try is awarded when foul play prevents a probable try from being scored. A referee will run under the posts and signal a try in the traditional way…
Measuring pressure on playmakers in rugby
Is this rugby's hidden arms race? We delve into the world of measuring pressure on playmakers, half-backs and kickers
Should we explain scrums on TV better?
Graphics, explainers and knowledgable coverage could help transient fans
What is a jackler?
What is a jackler? The jackler is the first arriving team-mate of the tackler at the tackle, or the first person to get to an isolated ball carrier who is…
Who kicks off after a score in rugby?
Who kicks off after a score in rugby? Let’s start at the very start, with the first kick-off: At the start of a rugby match, one team’s captain will have…