Rugby Union, also commonly referred to as regular rugby, is a contact team sport originating in England in the late first half of the nineteenth century. One of two codes of rugby league, it chiefly revolves around running with the ball continuously in hand. It can be played at any level from elementary school level to the professional club level. A high quality rugby union game requires players who are both powerful and agile, highly conditioned and well balanced. A well-developed rugby Union game is a perfect platform for developing a number of essential skills such as fitness, mental alertness, stamina and general well being.
Rugby Union is played at both the club and international levels, and is usually the most exciting part of any rugby union game. There are three phases to a scrum, with the forward and back row positions defined as the beginning and end of a scrum respectively. The scrum can be broken up into three phases: the forward and back, then the scrum carry, and finally the scrum finish. In line with this structure, there are four distinct types of kicks, each with different set ups and resultant movement patterns. At the start of a scrum, any player can kick the ball either straight ahead or backward. The purpose of this kick is to try and gain ground or to put the opposition under pressure, thus giving you a starting opportunity to wear down the opposition.
There are three refereeing bodies in the game of rugby union, the referee (a centre judge who is also typically a senior player) the linesman who lines up opposite the play maker in the scrum, and the babysitter who signals an infringement by raising his/her arm above the head from a marked position. The playing organisations also have their own set of rules and regulations that need to be adhered to. These include the basic rules about wearing the correct kit, what is acceptable behavior on the field and how to referee the sport. These rules are designed to create a fair game for all players and teams. It is these fundamental rules that form the basis of rugby league – it is a sport where skill, strength, and courage can all earn you a place in the top table.