A full-contact team sport played with an oval ball where players advance by running, passing backward, and kicking.
Origin and rules
Rugby union began at Rugby School in England in 1823 when William Webb Ellis allegedly picked up the ball during a football match. Two teams of fifteen contest possession through scrums, lineouts, and open play, passing only backward.
How it plays
Matches last 80 minutes in two halves. A try grounded over the line scores five points, conversions two, penalties and drop goals three. Tackles must be below the shoulders, and the ball-carrier must release on the ground.
Competition
The Rugby World Cup, held every four years, is the top international event. The Six Nations and the Rugby Championship are leading annual tournaments. Rugby Sevens, a faster variant, returned to the Olympic programme in 2016.
Find more sports by letter
Rugby Union starts with R and ends with N. Browse other sports along the same letter.
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