The Rules of Rugby are called the laws of the game and are defined by World Rugby (www.worldrugby.org), the governing body over Rugby Union and Sevens Rugby.

These laws are guided by rugby’s unique character-building values that constitute the ethos of the sport on and off the field: integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect —for the rules, the opponents, officials, teammates, coaches, family and oneself.   

The laws vary slightly for the different modalities of the game and different age groups, mostly to support player development and safety.  If on August 31, 2024 a player is:

•16 or 17 years old, the player is U18s

•14 or 15 years old, the player is U16s

•12 or 13 years old, the player is U14s

•10 or 11 years old, the player is U12s

•8 or 9 years old, the player is U10s

•7 years old or younger, the player is U8s

Waivers for lighter players can be requested from Southern California Youth Rugby (www.socalyouthrugby.org) 

The design of the season also varies by geography, age group and modality.  In Southern California, club rugby is played from December through March for the U8s-U14s age groups and from February through May for the U16s-U18s age groups. 

Rugby is played by fifteen players on each team (fewer players for younger age groups) over two halves of forty minutes each (shorter halves for younger age groups).  After the game it is customary for the home team to host a “third half” where both teams partake of food and refreshments together. 

Rugby is played on a field, called a pitch, approximately 70 meters wide and 100 meters long plus 5-10 meter long try zones behind each of the H shaped goal posts.  Play only stops for infractions (if the team that has been infringed upon cannot take advantage of continuing play), when the ball is dead (unplayable), or sometimes, when the ball goes out of bounds.  The clock only stops for injuries.

All players on the pitch play offense and defense.  The number on a player’s jersey denotes that player's position. Substitute players wear Jersey numbers above fifteen.  Players numbered one through eight are forwards whose main job is to win possession of the ball. Players numbered nine and ten are the midfielders whose main job is to direct and distribute play.  Players eleven through fifteen are backs, whose main job is to exploit possession of the ball won by the forwards. 

The game starts with a kick from the mid field that must travel at least 10 meters. The object of the game is to score more points than the opposition through tries and goals.  A try is worth five points and is scored when a team grounds the ball in the opposition's in-goal.

Once a try has been scored, the scoring team can attempt a conversion kick by either placing or drop-kicking the ball between the H-shaped goal posts and above the crossbar. If successful, the conversion is worth two additional points.  Penalties are awarded for major infringements or foul play. The non-infringing team can choose to kick at goal in an attempt to score three points by converting the kick. They can also use the penalty to kick for territory, tap the ball and continue running it, or ask the referee for a scrum. Three points are also awarded if a player drop-kicks a goal during general play.

To score points, the team in possession of the ball needs to advance the ball towards the try zone.  A player can advance the ball by carrying the ball forward, by passing the ball (in rugby the ball can only be passed laterally or backwards) to an open teammate, or by kicking it.  Supporting players whether on the attacking or defending team are not allowed to block, and stopping an opponent carrying the ball typically will require a tackle, which must always be below the shoulders and wrapping the tackler’s arms around the ball carrier.  Player safety is paramount in rugby.  Thus, a player whose feet are in the air cannot be tackled until he is back on the ground, nor is spear tackling allowed.

When the ball, or the player carrying the ball goes out of bounds, play is re-started with a quick throw in (if the ball hasn’t touched an extraneous object or person) or an organized formation, called a line-out, where players from both teams line up and compete for the ball, which is thrown in the air through a tunnel in between both lines. Typically, the ball is thrown in by the team that didn’t take the ball out of bounds, except in the event of a penalty kick, where the kicking team retains possession. 

Sometimes after a tackle a ruck is formed when the ball is on the ground and supporting players on both sides bind and push forward to gain possession of the ball.  Other times, the player carrying the ball is stopped but is not taken to ground and supporting players on both sides likewise bind and push forward to gain possession of the ball.

When the ball gets buried and it becomes unplayable, the game is resumed through a scrum, where the forwards interlock together and the scrum half (number nine), of the attacking team in the event of a ruck or the defending team in the event of a maul, introduces the ball through the tunnel in between the two front rows for the hooker (number two) to hook the ball back, while both teams push forward to help the ball make its way to the back of the scrum.

When a player commits a minor infraction, like a forward pass or dropping the ball forward —which is called a knock on— the game also resumes with a scrum with possession for the non-infringing team. In rugby, a player can find him/herself offside when they compete for the ball from the other team’s side of the ball.

To gain a deeper understanding of the game, here are some helpful links to the laws of rugby and law variations:

•A Beginner’s guide to Rugby http://passport.worldrugby.org/?page=beginners

•World Rugby Laws laws.worldrugby.org

•Southern California Youth Rugby Variations https://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0081/5446/SCYR_Youth_Law_Variations_Mar2017_updated.pdf 

•Southern California Youth Rugby Variations Quick Reference Guide https://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0081/5447/SCYRYouthVariationsQR_091616.pdf)

•Southern California Youth Rugby Policies http://www.socalyouthrugby.org/page/show/1959351-policies-documents-bylaws-and-meeting-minutes