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Rugby union, commonly known as just 'rugby', is a popular sport played around the world. It is a full-contact sport played without protective gear. Players are renowned for strength, speed and cunning. Although the game has been known for its brutality, fans of the sport say that it is played in heaven.

Rugby union is played by two opposing teams of 15 players on a field with two H-shaped goalposts at opposite ends. Players attempt to move the ball to one end of the rectagular field via carrying, kicking and throwing the ball. An oval-shaped ball is used and teams are awarded points for scoring tries (touching the ball on the ground) at the opponents end of the field and can then do a conversion (kick the ball over the post) for more points.

rugby union scrum

Rugby Union Variations

• Rugby 7s — like the regular 15-a-side Rugby Union, except with fewer players and played over shorter time period.
• Rugby Tens — also known as ten-a-side and Xs, is a variant of rugby union that originated in Malaysia, and is popular in many Asian countries.
• Rugby X — a variant of rugby sevens, though with teams of five on a ¼ sized pitch with shorter matches.
• Arena Rugby — a variation of Rugby Union, played indoors on a smaller field resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game.
• Snow Rugby — rugby union matches played on fields covered with snow.
• Beach Rugby — a version of rugby union played on sand.
• Mini Rugby — a modified version of rugby union, to make the sport suitable to be introduced to children.
• Touch Rugby — a team sport derived from rugby football, in which the tackling is replaced with just a touch.
• Tag Rugby — a team sport similar to touch rugby in which instead of a tackle, a velcro attached tag is pulled off the ball carrier.
• Walking Rugby — a variation of rugby in which players can only walk, developed for older people to keep active.
• Wheelchair Rugby — a full-contact indoor team sport conducted for players with disabilities.
• Rugby League — a rough game involving tackling the players in a bid to get the ball, with each team attempting to carry it over the end line.
• Lelo Burti — a Georgian folk sport, a full-contact ball game very similar to rugby.
• Yubi Lakpi — a seven-a-side traditional football game with similarities to rugby played in Manipur, India, using a coconut as a ball.

Rugby By Name Only

• Rugby Fives — a variation of the traditional sport of fives handball, played in doubles format with a harder ball.

Related Pages

• Rugby at the Olympics
• Rugby Major Events
• Eton Wall Game — a bit like rugby union, the objective of the sport is to move the ball along a curved brick wall towards the opposing team's goal. Played only at Eton (from Unusual Sports).
• More about the sport of rugby union
• Football Decoder — variations of what is called football around the world
• Complete List of Sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports — a list of every sport from around the world.

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