The Popularity Of Rugby: Few Background About This Recreational ...

This article has been viewed 10 times.

Today?s liberal world allowed women to participate in many a number of activities previously exclusively dominated by the male populace. Included in these activities are sporting events such as rugby. Rugby is a fast moving and high intensity field sport that is gaining worldwide popularity among both men and women. It is a ball game aimed at testing the stamina, skill, and speed of the players.

The history of rugby dates back to 10th Century England. At that time, players of rugby were great mobs and villagers who competed in kicking and throwing the rugby ball with the aim of getting the ball across the field. From kicking and throwing the ball, the laws and rules of the game changed in 1823 when William Webb Ellis, a 16-year old student in a rugby school in England, picked up the ball and ran downfield toward the goal instead of simply kicking it. That led to the development of the contemporary rules of playing rugby.

Rugby is a sport which combines the speed of basketball, the contact of football and the strategy of chess. It is a blend of dynamic flow and hard physical contact. Rugby competitions basically have two teams which comprise of 13 players per team for the Rugby League ? the professional game ? and 15 players per team for the Rugby Union ? the widely played amateur version. It is played in a rectangular field of roughly 100m (330ft) long and 55-68m (180-225ft) wide with goal lines 110 yards (101 m) apart and two in-goals 25 yards (23 m) deep. Goal posts of the letter ?H? are placed at the end of the each side of the rugby field. The ball used in the game is oval shape which is quite similar to the ball used in American football.

The main purpose of the rugby game is to touch the ball down in the opposition in-goal area or try zone (end zone) and scoring a try. The goal as in most ball games is to score more points than the other team. Points are scored by putting the ball down across the goal line (scoring a try) or by kicking the ball through the goal posts. It is played two 40-minute halves on the field. Combination of kicking running and backward passes will be seen during the rugby game. Also, during the 40-minute halves, players are required to show speed, strength as well as exceptional stamina as the game demands sure handed ball movement, steadfast tackling and eye for opportunities to gain possession of the ball or territory.

With the increasing worldwide popularity of rugby, various rugby associations and organizations have been established all over the world. Today, there are five major international competitions most rugby teams aspire to compete in. These are the Rugby World Cup, Heineken Cup, Six Nations, Super 14, and Tri Nations. Among these five, the one considered most prestigious and is being held only every four years is the Rugby World Cup. The next Cup is scheduled to be hosted by New Zealand in 2011.

Both men and women can definitely enjoy playing rugby. It is also a contact sport that discounts one?s age, size, fitness level, or experience, making it a sport that can be played by mostly everyone.

Lucas Denton is a rugby coach from London. Lucas has been playing rugby since he was 9-years old and is currently teaching said sports in a University in UK.

Source: http://freearticleshq.com/outdoor-recreation/the-popularity-of-rugby-few-background-about-this-recreational-activity/

carl sagan gloria estefan ahava ahava kelly cutrone kelly cutrone florida marlins