Rugball

Overview

Rugball is a sport in Bostopia, and behind Association Football is the second-most played sport in the country.

Rugball is played on a standard Rugby (Union) pitch, with a rugby ball, in a manner similar to Association Football. However, a Rugby League pitch or Association Football pitch can be used during recreational games.

The object of the game is to score more points than the opposing team. This can be played in a variety of ways, such as over a period of time, such as in the Rugball League of Bostopia (RLB), or as is most common in recreational games, the first team to score so many points wins variation.

The Game

Terms

Offence – The team who are deemed in possession of the ball Defence – The team who are deemed not be in possession of the ball Kicking Team – The team kicking the ball toward the opposition/goals Receiving Team – The team receiving the ball/defending a kick at the goals

The Pitch

The Pitch is 100 metres long, and 69 metres wide. There is a 8 metre area behind the goalposts known as the endzone. The lines either side of the pitch width-ways are known as the dead ball lines. This also applies to the line behind the endzones. The halfway line is marked at 50 metres, with a centre-mark at 34.5 m in from the dead-ball line. Lines at the 10 and 22 metre mark are placed from the halfway line toward either endzone.

The lines are always painted onto the grass for professional games. Teams can be fined if the lines are either wrongly marked, or barely visable. Loss of visability during the game would not constitute a fine.

Players

In professional games, teams play with 11 players on each time, with 5 substitutes, of which 3 are allowed to be used, for either injuries or tactical changes.

Unlike association football, if a team has made 3 substitutions and a player then gets injured, they can make an injury-substitution. A substitution of this type gives the opponents the use of an extra substitute which must be made within 10 minutes of the injury-substitute.

In recreational games, teams can be made up of any number of players, usually of an equal number each.

Officials

The game has 3 officials. The main referee, who follows the play on the field, and then two linesmen who run along the length of the dead-ball lines. The linesmen notify the referee when the ball crosses the dead ball-line, or can signal a foul. They also help the referee see if a free-kick has stayed between the posts, and above the crossbar.

Playing the Game

Pre-Start

Before the start, the two teams enter the pitch via the players tunnel from the changing rooms, and line up on the pitch for the Bostopian National Anthem. Following this, the two captains are called to the centre-mark on the halfway line, and, after picking heads or tails, a coin is flipped to determine what end the winning side will be attacking towards in the first half. It is usual for some teams to always attack toward a certain end either in the first or second half. This is largely respected by the away team.

Starting The Game

At the beginning of play, the referee stands on the sideline at the halfway line, with one player from each side facing him, at least 5 yards from the sideline. The referee then throws the ball into play, above the heads of the two players, signalling the start of the game. The two players then jump into the air, and attempt to get the ball to their team mates using their hands. The ball cannot be grabbed out the air by the player at this point, they must knock it toward their team-mates. The start of the game is also known as the tipoff.

Gameplay

Scoring

The ball can be kicked through the goal posts and under the bar (as in Football) for one point, or through the goal posts and over the bar (as in Rugby) for two points. It is possible to run with the ball into the endzone, and put the ball down, to gain two points.

General Gameplay

The ball can be kicked along the ground or through the air using the feet and passed either forward and backward with the feet, as is common in Association Football.

While the ball is being kicked along the ground, the use of ‘slide tackles’ or ‘block tackles’ is allowed.

Heading the ball is allowed, but not recommended.

If a player ‘slide tackles’ an opponent, and misses the ball, but makes contact with the opposition player kicking the ball, this will result in a foul.

The ball can alternatively be picked up (or flicked up, using the feet) into the hands of a player, who can then run with the ball, pass it backwards, or drop the ball to the ground.

Only passing backward is allowed while the ball is being carried. If the ball is passed forward, this will result in a foul.

While the ball is being carried, a standard ‘rugby tackle’ can be used, as long as the head is not used to pull the player carrying the ball down. Use of the head for taking down an offensive player will result in a foul.

If the ball comes loose at any time while being carried, it will be deemed an open ball, and can therefore be picked up or kicked by either team, regardless of the direction it is kicked or knocked in.

The ball can be only be dropkicked while being carried, however it is not allowed to pick the ball up off the ground and immediately dropkick it toward the goals, the ball must be passed once after being picked up.

After 5 ‘rugby tackles’, the ball must be kicked to the opposing team, or through the posts and under or over the bar, for the gaining of one or two points respectively. The kicking team cannot recover the ball from this type of kick.

The player on the receiving team can call for a ‘fair catch’, meaning they catch the ball, and cannot be touched by any player on the kicking team, but the receiving player cannot move from the spot he caught the ball at.

If this after-5 kick goes out of bounds, the ball will be put on the receiving team’s 22m line, and they will gain possession of the ball.

Ball Out Of Play

If the ball is knocked over the sideline at any time other than a kick, then the team who did not knock the ball over the sideline will be allowed to throw the ball in from the sideline, toward their team. The ball can then be carried, or kicked along the ground.

Blocking

While the ball is being carried, one player from the offence is allowed to run infront of the player carrying the ball, in order to clear a path through the defence. This can be done by the use of hands, to push a player in the chest or shoulder out of the way, or by the use of the shoulder or chest to knock a defensive player out of the way of the player carrying the ball. The use of hands to the face, or head, will result in a foul. If the blocker uses their own head to block an opponent, this will also result into a foul.

The blocker is not allowed to push a defensive player toward the ground intentionally, as this will result in a foul. If, however, a defensive player is pushed and then falls to the ground, the referee must use their own discretion as to whether or not this constitutes an intentional push to the ground.

Fouls

All successful free kicks at goal (ball travels above the crossbar, through the posts) result in 3 points, and the team taking the free-kick becomes the receiving team in the after-score kickoff. A kick of the ball below the crossbar counts only for one point, and the ball is kicked off toward the team who committed the foul.

• The ball being ran with immediately from an initial kickoff – Ball placed on that sides 10m line, possession of the ball handed to opposing team.
• The ball being kicked out of play from an after-score kickoff – Ball placed on receiving team’s 10m line.
• Slide or block tackling an opponent, missing the ball but making contact with opposition player – Fouled team gains a free kick at goal from opposition 22m line.
• The ball being passed forward – Ball placed on opposing team’s 22m line, defence becomes offence & vice versa.
• Tackling an opponent using said opponents head – Fouled team gains an automatic 2 points, free kick at goal.
• Picking up the ball off the ground and immediately dropkicking it toward the goals – Ball placed on opposing team’s 22m line, defence becomes offence & vice versa.
• Not regarding a fair catch call - Fouled team gains a free kick at goal from opposition 22m line.
• Use of head to block an opponent - Fouled team gains a free kick at goal.
• Use of hands to the face of an opponent - Ball placed on opposing team’s 22m line, defence becomes offence & vice versa.
• Intentionally pushing an opponent to the ground - Ball placed on opposing team’s 22m line, defence becomes offence & vice versa

Equipment

The equipment worn for professional games must consist of;

• Jersey - In the clubs colours. Both teams cannot play in similar colours, at which point one team - usually the away team - uses their change strip. The materials used are usually lightweight. Long or short sleeves can be uses. All jerseys must be numbered individually from any other jersey on that team.
• Shorts - The shorts are usually the same colour as the jersey, but do not necessarily need to be.
• Shinpads - specifically the type with ankle padding and a strap running behind the calf and another strap that runs under the foot.

No footwear may be worn. The kicker, however, may wear a pad on the top of the kicking foot to protect it while kicking the ball for kickoff or free kick.