For the love of rugby
The offspring of British soccer and the father of American football, the game of rugby is a blend of dynamic flow and hard physical contact. Requiring speed, strength and exceptional stamina, the game demands sure-handed ball movement, steadfast tackling and an acute eye for opportunities to gain possession or territory. Without forward passing, the ball is advanced by a combination of kicking, running and backward passes.
Fifteen players work as one cohesive unit -- maintaining possession, gaining territory and controlling ball movement at game pace. Meanwhile, their opposite numbers cover the field, tackling runners and working to regain possession. Players also direct kicks to gain territory and score points. Both teams work for the ultimate goal of touching the ball down in the try zone (end zone) and scoring a try. For a summary of how to play the game - and the rules that govern it - click on the links below.
	o An overview of the game
	o Scoring
	o The field or pitch
	o The battle for ball possession
	o Kicking the ball
	o Important penalties
To find all of the laws of the game set out by the International Rugby Board (IRB), click here.
Tough love
Rugby's intense, all-out competition spawns superb sportsmanship and lasting friendships. It's a long-standing tradition that teams gather after every game for a warm, social gathering where hostilities are dropped and friendships are forged. Rugby is not a game of personal preening and posturing; it is a game of hard team play that casts strong and lasting bonds - on both sides of the field. Played by people of all shapes and sizes, and by young and old alike, the game is a crucible that tests individual will while demanding cohesive play.
The intensity of game competition is matched only by the intensity of friendships spawned after the game. Brought together by a love of the rough and tumble, rugby players are part of a unique global community. This far-flung fraternity ensures that any club member who walks into any other club - anywhere else in the world - will find a warm and genuine welcome.
A tradition of innovation
Legend has it that the game was born on a playing field of Rugby Public School in England during 1832 when a young student, Webb Ellis, picked up the ball and ran with it during a soccer game. Thus, by breaking a sacred rule of soccer (or English football), the game of rugby began its evolution of innovation.
The type of football played at Rugby Public School was not soccer as we know it today. Rather it was a blend of both soccer and rugby rules. For instance, players could catch an airborne ball. However, after catching the ball the player had to stand still -- as did all other players on the field. The player who caught the airborne ball then had the option of kicking it wherever he chose or placing it on the ground for a kick at goal.
Canadian connections
Rugby isn't the only game developed by rugby players. Some historians believe that the first hockey game ever played in Canada was organized by rugby players looking for a physical, winter diversion. With hockey now a Canadian national passion, it gives the game of rugby and its supporters a special place in Canadian history.
The oldest sporting trophy in Canada is the Grey Cup. It's now awarded every year to the best professional football team in the Canadian Football League. However, when the Grey Cup was first competed for in 1909, it was awarded to the best rugby team in the country. Although the game of rugby was surpassed in popularity by football, it shows that the roots of the game are very old and well-established in Canada.
If you are interested in learning more about Canadians playing rugby around the world, please visit our Maple Leafs abroad page.
A world of competition
By the 1840s, the game we know today was up and running as fast the players who gleefully sprinted with ball in hand. By the 1870s, rugby clubs had sprung up all over England. The game quickly spread throughout the British colonies so that today rugby is played throughout the northern and southern hemispheres. The game is now played in more than 100 countries. In nations like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, it is a dominant sporting passion.
The modern game
The game has evolved to include professional rugby leagues that play in front of tens of thousands of fans. Europe, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia are home to hundreds of professional rugby clubs. The very best of these professionals play for their national teams every year competing in prestigious tournaments like the Tri-Nations and Six Nations Cups.
In North America rugby is still very much a hidden gem, played mostly by amateurs or students for the love of the game. British ex-nationals, looking to spread their game in Canada, founded many of the older Canadian rugby clubs. Names of established Canadian clubs like the Ottawa Irish and Toronto Welsh betray their native roots. New clubs, like the Kent Havoc, are doing their part to grow the game at a grass roots level in places where the game is little known or well understood.
The ultimate achievement -- playing the world's best
The best rugby playing countries in the world gather every four years to compete in the World Cup of Rugby for the Webb Ellis Trophy - awarded to the best men's national team in the world.
After winning their qualifying tournament for North and South American nations, Canada became one of 20 teams that competed for the World Cup of Rugby in Australia in 2003. This was Canada's fifth appearance in the world tournament.
The International Rugby Board (IRB), which sponsors the World Cup of rugby, also maintains a ranking for all national rugby teams. Rankings are updated monthly the IRB. For the most recent rankings click here.
Women's rugby
The Canadian national women's rugby team is ranked one of the best in the world. They too compete in a world cup format. In 2002, the Canadian Women's team finished fourth in the world.
For more information about all of the Canadian senior and junior national teams click here.