User:POds/Sandbox/Rugby league

Rugby league is a team sport, played at amature and professional levels in many nations through out the world.

Confusingly, the game of rugby league or as it is also known, rugby 13, has nothing to do with the International Rugby Board or any of its members. Although, the sports of rugby league (adminstered by the RLIF) and rugby union (administered by the IRB) share some similarities and most importantly their origins.

Rugby league firstly emerged as just an alternative governing body, the Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU), in the north of england to the institutionalised and already establish Rugby Football Union, which was headquatered in the south of England. The split in rugby football admninistrations was brought forth by a group of northern rugby football clubs, who where increasingly frustrated with the over representation of southern clubs (who where outnumbered by northern clubs) in the RFU and the RFUs stance on broken time payments.

These two grevencies where inexplicitly linked. The northern and southern clubs where classes appart with the norther consisting mainly of lower and the south of middle to upper class members.

Rugby league is a team sport, played by two teams of 13 players. The aim is to carry an oval ball up the field towards the opponents in-goal where the ball is grounded to score a try. The opposing team attempts to prevent the attacking team from carrying out this objective by tackling the player with the ball.

Rugby league started out as a break away after the Rugby Football Union charged clubs and players for giving and receiving match payments. The break away faction, known as the Northern Union eventualy dropped the use of the word union in its title and changed its name to the Rugby Football League following similar moves in other nations. Thus, the game became known as rugby league.

History

Rugby league's roots can be traced to early football history, like most forms of football, through the playing of ball games, which bear little resemblance to modern games. It is then important to acknowledge the development of the modern codes and two separate schisms in football history.

During the period when private schools were the most important players of football, each school had its own rules based on the playing field that was available to them. However, each school could generally be categorised as playing either handling or kicking forms of football. The kicking and handling forms were later codified by the Football Association and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) respectively.^[1]

Rugby football later incurred the schism of 1895 which resulted in the formation of the rebel Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU) later known as the Rugby Football League (RFL). It was this schism and similar movements in other areas of the world that lead to a division in rugby football which became to be known as rugby league (RFL) and rugby union (RFU).^[2]

Playing rugby league

Typical markings for a rugby league field

Rugby league is played by two teams on a rectangular field. There is an in-goal area located at each end of the field which is used to score a try. At the intersection between the field of play and each in-goal area are also a set of goal posts in the shape of the capital letter H, used for point scoring via a field goal, penalty goal or conversion.

Method of play

Rugby league consists of an attacking team who has possession of the ball and a defending team who must attempt to stop the attacking team from scoring. In order to score points the attacking team must either force back or break the defensive line and then score try or a field goal. The defensive line can be forced back or broken using a combination of kicking and running head-on into the defensive line. The defence must devise tactics that limit the effectiveness of the attacking teams ball running and kicking.

The attacking team has six chances to attempt to score. The defending team tries to stop the attacking team from scoring by tackling the player with the ball. When a player is tackled, the entire defending team, with the exception of two markers, must move back 10 metres towards their in-goal area. The tackled player must then play the ball.

After each tackle the attacking team is usually closer to the oppositions in-goal area and hence goal posts. If the attacking team is tackled a sixth time, a change over takes place, where the defending team becomes attacking and visa versa.

Players

Players on field are divided into forwards and backs. Each position has a designated number, 1 through to 13. Numbers 14 and higher are given to players on the bench, who only come on to the field to replace a starting player who is either injured or tired.

Backs

The backs are generally smaller and more athletic. Backs are likely the most creative and evasive players on the field, preferring fine skills, tactics and/or set plays to break the defensive line in favour of brute force.

The title of full-back comes from the fullbacks defensive position where the player drops out of the defence line to cover the back half of the field.
The wings or wing three quarters may be the fastest players in a team and are responsible the left and right most portions of the field.
The centres or centre three-quarters are positioned one man in from the wings and together complete what is known as the three-quarter line.
The half-back or scrum-half in recent times have taken on a leadership role which has lead them to be considered the player that gives a team direction in attack. The term half-back comes from the position of the player relative to the team line and the scrum.
The stand off or 5-8th is usual seen as another centre or half back and could be considered an 'all rounder' they do not have any set duties. Althougth in recent times the stand off's job has to be to link play with the forwards. The stand off is usualy first reciever off the play the ball, bringing the forward runners into the game.

The half-back position mentioned above is named after the role or location of the player with respect to the scrum during 'scrum play' or scrummage. To understand the half back or any other players role in the scrum, see rugby league positions.

Forwards

The forwards two responsibilities can be broken into 'normal play' and 'scrum play'. For information on a forwards role in the scrum see rugby league scrummage. Forward positions are traditionally named after the players position in the scrum yet are equal with respect to 'normal play' with the exception of the hooker. Forward positions are traditionally broken into:

front row forwards (two prop forwards and a hooker).
- Props are normally the largest players on field and usually weigh over 100 kilograms or 15 stones
- the 'hooker' is most likely to play the role of dummy-half
second row forwards, of which there are two
the lock is the only forward in the 3rd and last row of the scrum.

For further information on a player role in the scrum see rugby league positions.

Rugby league abroad

Those nations that play rugby league are in their greater numbers in Europe and the Oceania. Of these two areas the Oceanic is arguably the strongest region; it consists of Australia who has dominated the sport for since the 1970s, New Zealand who's players may be found throughout both southern and northern hemisphere club competitions and Papua New Guinea which is the only country to call rugby league its national sport.

The Oceanic region has strong support for both forms of rugby. People of Islander heritage are typically larger then Europeans, which may explain a like for the game. Also, rugby games loosely resemble tribal ware fair, particularly in Papua New Guinea and thus integrates with their culture more easily then other sports that are less physical.

Among the European nations rugby league has traditionally been a game for Great Britain (consisting of England, Wales, Scotland and from 2003 - 2005 Ireland) and France only. However, early 21st century developments have seen Georgia, Germany, the Netherlands, Estonia, Malta and others take part in international rugby league tournaments or matches. There are now over 20 nations currently active in their rugby league pursuits.

Australia and England have since the beginning represented the worlds two leading rugby league playing nations; perhaps except during 1954 when France feel to England in the Rugby League World Cup final. Australia have won every world cup since 1978 and winning many more international tournaments. Until November 25, 2005, they had also not lost a tournament or series of any Kinda when they lost to New Zealand in the final of the Rugby league 2005 Tri-Nations Series.

Competitions

Representative

The Ashes, played from 1908 to 2003, was the first regular cometition between two nations in Rugby League. The inaugural match took place on 28 September 1908, and was named in honour of a similar event that takes part between the Australian and English national cricket teams.

The premier international competition is the Rugby League World Cup, first held in 1954. Australia has dominated the World Cup, winning nine of the twelve competitions. Recently, due to the disruption of Super League and the failure of the 2000 RLWC, the interval between tournaments has lengthened. The next world cup will be contested by ten nationals in 2008, co-inciding with the centenary of rugby league in Australia.[3]

Super League (Australia) was responsible for the introduction of the ANZAC Test, in which Australia and New Zealand contest the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy annually. It is played near ANZAC Day, a public holiday in both nations to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

The Tri-Nations were first contested in 1999 and became an annual event in 2004 at the behest of former Australian coach Wayne Bennett. The Tri-Nations will not be contested in 2007 as New Zealand will tour England to commemorate the centenary of clashes between the two nations and Australia will prepare for the World Cup.[4]

There are also many international competitions aimed at developing rugby league in Europe and the Pacific involving what are known as "Developing Nations". The Pacific Cup and the Pacific Rim Championship are international tournaments for developing nations from countries in the Oceania region. The European Nations Cup and the Mediterranean_Cup tournaments play a similar role in Europe.

The Australian Rugby League conducts the fiercely contested and well-attended State of Origin matches between New South Wales and Queensland which arguably overshadow international matches in terms of public interest within those states.

Club

The National Rugby League (NRL) of Australia and New Zealand is the premier fully professional competition of the region. The National Rugby League is the result of a merger between the Australian Super League and the Australian Rugby League (ARL) in 1998. The ARL took control of Australia's premier competition from the New South Wales Rugby League in 1995.

The European Super League (ESL) is the premier fully professional competition for the region. The ESL was formed by media magnate Rubert Murdoch in 1997 which has since been integrated into the Rugby Football League. Promotion and relegation between Super League and the National One League is due to be scrapped in 2009.[5]

At the beginning of each season the reigning NRL and ESL champions contest the World Club Challenge to determine the best club side in the world. The ESL clubs hold a 4/2 record over the NRL clubs since the event became annual in 2000.

The Challenge Cup is a knock-out competition for all British clubs, amateur and professional, held since 1896. In recent years the entry has been expanded to allow French and Russian teams to take part.

Most of the high profile competitions are located in Australia, Britain and New Zealand. There are however many more semi professional and armature competitions located through out the world: Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League, American National Rugby League, Bartercard Cup, French Rugby League Championship, Russian Rugby Football League and many more in other nations.

Glossary

‘ball-runner’ vs ‘ball-player’ (also ‘ball-running’ vs ‘ball-playing’)

A descriptive categorization of a players technique based upon their favoured ‘action’ (play) when receiving the ball. A ‘ball-runner’ prefers to run at the defensive line and will look to pass/offload to his supporting teammates upon reaching, breaking or busting through the defensive line but not before. Alternatively a ‘ball-player’ prefers to pass before the defensive line rather than at or after meeting it, and can imply they possess a degree of creativity in their ‘passing game’. Although not mutually exclusive (players can combine both ‘ball-running’ and ‘ball-playing’ in their overall ‘game’) it is an important distinction in playing styles that requires a different approach from coaches & players and different sets of skills to employ and counter in attack and defense.

calls

Plays across the Rugby League field often originate not from set plays but from the spontaneous ‘calls’ of players on field. Players will call for passes, kicks etc… when they sense an opportunity and playmakers will often respond. Teams sometimes have a high priority call meant to override other calls, e.g. the NSW in State of Origin have for many years used an “Arko” call in reference to the nickname of the former head of the Australian Rugby League – Ken Arthurson, because he always got his way… The Dummy-half must decide between many competing pass calls (and his own play options) which he will choose to service at every play-the-ball

change over or handover

Change over refers to the attacking team relinquishing possession of the ball and the defending team gaining possession of the ball. This means the previous defending team becomes the current attacking team and visa versa.

dummy-half

In attack the player who stands behind the tackled player at the ruck and receives the ball from the 'play-the-ball' which he can then pass or run with. Any player who receives the play-the-ball is called the dummy-half for that play, although it is common for the hooker to be referred to as the teams "dummy-half" independent of individual plays.

chip kick

A chip kick is simply a punt kick that is very short and very low. It is usually performed so that the kicker or another member of the team can quickly recover the ball; thus the ball must not go out of reach of the receiving player.

first receiver, second receiver etc...

The order a player receives the ball starting with a pass from the dummy-half, hence being the 'first receiver' and so on, of a pass in that play. (The dummy-half is excluded from this numbering scheme i.e. he is the 'zero receiver', as although he is the first ball handler he does not receive a pass)

game

‘Game’ is a catch phrase that can be used to describe the total sum of an individual players or teams collective talents, skills, limitations, playing style, on-field playing actions etc… in Rugby League. Often it is limited to describe a particular group of skills e.g. a “players passing game” or a “teams kicking game”, but it can be used generally e.g. “they were off their game tonight” or “the fullback still has mistakes in his game”.

Alternatively ‘game’ can refer to an individual match or the game of Rugby League itself.

goal line

The goal line is the line between the 'field of play' and the in goal area, thus there is a goal line for both in goal areas. The goal posts are also situated on the goal line. The goal line represents the goal of the attacking team. A try can be scored by 'touching down' on the goal line.

head and feed

A team is said to have the head and feed of a scrum. The feed refers to the action of placing the ball into the scrum.

in goal area

The in-goal area is a special area where points are scored in the form of a try. There are two in-goal areas on the field, one for each team. A defensive team must defend the in-goal area behind them from the attacking team. The attacking team must defeat the oppositions defences to score a try in their in-goal area.

left/right arm carry:

When running with the ball a player can employ a one-arm (hand) carry by tucking the football into their shoulder/arm-pit. This allows a more secure hold when impacting in the tackle, it frees one hand to fend off tacklers, and allows one-arm offloads. Often players secure the ball exclusively with either their left or right arm. Being predictable, this becomes an important consideration for defenders trying to avoid the fend of the empty arm whilst targeting the ball-carrying arm to try and wrap the ball up and shut down the possibility of an offload, or to attempt to strip the ball from the attackers possession (Strips are only legal in a one-on-one tackle).

offload

A pass, usually short & one-handed, made by an attacking player to his supporting teammates after he has reached the defensive line, i.e. while the defenders are attempting to tackle him. The advantageous opportunity for the attackers created by the offload is called second-phase play.

place kick

The place kick is a kick from a tee. This act of kicking the ball from the tee is similar to hitting a goal ball from the tee. The tees in both sports provide the same support, to lift the ball off the ground. In rugby league higher tees are used to kick the ball higher.

playmaker

A player who provides the organizational structure and creative impetus in a team via his passing game, (and usually though not always) his kicking and running game. A playmaker will organize his team by talking and structure attacking sets with his plays. From first receiver halfbacks are usually the teams primary playmaker, although 5-8ths often play a similar role in the modern game.

play-the-ball

After a player has been tackled, and provided the team has not completed the number of tackles allocated to it under the six tackle rule, the player stands facing the opposition try-line, places the ball on the ground, and projects it backwards with one foot to the waiting dummy-half.

rushing up

Rushing up is the act of a defender coming out of the defensive line in a hurry in anticipation of a pass. The aim is either to intercept the pass or tackle the player upon receiving the ball from a pass. It is somewhat risky to leave the defensive line but is very effective in stopping the attacking play. Also called a 'shooter'.

'Rushing up' can also refer to the entire defensive line (or sections of it) moving up quickly together, not just a single player coming out of the line.

the halves

Narrowly defined they are the halfback and 5-8th. They form a ‘halves combination’ and are usually the teams organizers and creative playmakers. The definition can sometimes be extended to others who play a traditional halfback 5/8th role in a team from another position, most commonly fullback, lock or hooker. Sometimes the hooker, as ‘dummy-half’ is automatically included when ‘the halves’ are referred too.

the ruck

In Rugby League the structure formed at the play-the-ball after a player has been tackled. It is often cited as a reference point in describing play, e.g. "they passed two-wide of the ruck and scored". In compromises of the tackled player who 'plays the ball', the dummy-half who receives the play-the-ball, two optional defensive markers who ignore the 10m offside rule and stand face to face with the player playing the ball, although they must stand directly in line with that player, and the A and B Defenders who stand either side of the gap in the defensive line that is left behind the play-the-ball ('A' usually refers to the defender on the left of the gap, and 'B' to the defender on the right as viewed from the attacking team).

second-phase play

The play generated by an offload, which is effectively a second play under the same tackle, hence the name. The defensive line is typically standing still or retreating after an offload and is often disorientated and disjointed, presenting an excellent opportunity for the attacking team to capitalize on.

short-side & open-side

From a play-the-ball (ruck), tap or scrum the ‘short side’ is the segment of the field to either the left or right that is shortest, and the ‘open side’ is the segment of the field to the left or right that is longest. The defensive line on the short-side doesn't usually push up as quickly as the open side prsenting oppurtuinites for the attack against defenders who think that the lack of space means the attack will ignore them go to the open side. Often teams ‘switch the point of attack’ by passing to one side from dummy-half only to have the 1st receiver throw a long pass (or run) behind the ruck to attack the other side in an attempt to catch out lazy defenders who have ‘switched off’ once the ball initially moved away from them.

slide defense:

A defensive technique where each defender in the line will mark up against an opponent and (on the open-side) ‘show them the outside’ by standing several metres inside their opposite, encouraging them to try and beat them out wide. The defensive line will then ‘slide’ sideways with their opposite attackers as they attempt run wide and tackle them side on. The weakness of slide defense is the inside pass & run that cuts back towards the centre of the field, catching the defenders wrong-footed. See ‘Up & In Defense’ (to be added).

References

bbc.co.uk (2005) "World Cup set for 10-team format" bbc.co.uk November 25, 2005. Retrieved December 17, 2005
bbc.co.uk (2005) "Super League set for 2009 changes" bbc.co.uk May 19, 2005. Retrieved December 17, 2005.
Rugby Football League (2005) "RFL reveal 'road map' for future". Retrieved December 17, 2005.
^ Fagan, Sean (2003) "The Rugby Game in the 1800s" RL1908. Retrieved 19 December, 2005
^ Fagan, Sean (2003) "The Great Divide of 1895" RL1908. Retrieved 19 December, 2005

External links

Laws of rugby league - Rugby Football League
Official site of premier Australasian league - National Rugby League
Official site of premier European league - European Super League
Leader in World Rugby League Journalism - Total Rugby League
Leading fan site; International news, opinion pieces & forums - World of Rugby League
History of rugby league - RL1908