A try is one of four ways to score points in rugby. Photo: PhotoSport / John Cowpland
Been invited to watch the Rugby World Cup but have never seen a game before? RNZ has you covered.
Here is your beginners guide to rugby terminology.
AR- Stands for Assistant Referee. The two AR's patrol the sideines and assist the main referee in making decisions, particularly regarding offside, touchline, and in-goal matters.
Banana- A curved or spinning kick from the outside of the boot.
Blindside- The narrow side of the field in a scrum, ruck, or lineout. Usually where fewer defenders are, creating attacking opportunities.
Blood bin- When a player must leave the field due to a cut.
For the safety of other players, anyone bleeding has to leave the field for treatment. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Bone Cruncher- Term used to describe a particularly hard or brutal tackle.
Box Kick- A high kick from the base of a ruck or scrum from the halfback which gives chasing teammates a chance to contest and puts pressure on the receiver.
Coat-hanger- An illegal tackle where the defender is often thrown off balance and sticks out an arm to clothesline the ball runner.
Curtains- When a team is too far behind on the scoreboard and is effectivley shut out of a match.
Don't argue- A big "don't argue" is used to describe a fend-off by a ball carrier to push away an oncoming tackler.
Dummy- A deceptive move where an attacking player feigns a pass to confuse defenders.
Gary Owen- A high up-and-under kick which players time to chase and contest.
Up and unders can result in some nasty mid air collisions. Photo: AAP Image/Richard Wainwright/Photosport Ltd 2021
Goosie- Made famous by Australian winger David Campese, a subtle stall in momentum before accelerating again to confuse defences.
Grasscutter- A dangerous tackle technique where a player dives at the legs of a ball carrier.
Grubber- A low, bouncing kick along the ground with unpredictable results used to catch the opposition off guard.
Guard-dog- A player, usually a forward, who protects each side of a breakdown from ball runners.
Hooter- The sound used to signal the end of a half or the end of the game.
Hospital Pass- A pass that puts a player them in a vulnerable position for a bone cruncher.
Howler- A poor refereeing decision.
Lineout- A set piece that occurs when the ball goes outside the lines of play. Players from both teams line up and the hooker from the throwing team throws the ball back into play to be contested by jumping players.
The lineout evolved to include lifting jumpers in the late 1990's. Photo: Photosport
Maul- Multiple players from each team bind together and contest for possession when a player carrying the ball is held up.
Meat pie- Slang for a try.
Oranges- Another term for halftime.
Phase- A continuous sequence of plays, usually involving multiple instances of passing, running, and rucking.
Pick and go- When a player picks the ball up from the base of the ruck and runs.
Pilfer- To steal the ball from an opponent during a ruck or maul, by getting hands on it ball using a dominant body position.
Pill- Slang term for a rugby ball.
Ruck- A phase of play that happens after a tackle. Players from both teams bind together over the ball on the ground to secure possession.
Scrum- Another set piece where players from both teams bind together and compete for possession of the ball by pushing against each other. It is used to restart play after certain infringements.
One of the most off-putting aspects of modern rugby, the scrum collapse. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Sin Bin- The designated area, often a small plastic chair, where a player who has committed a serious foul or misconduct is sent off the field for ten minutes, as a punishment.
The Pine- A slang term for the substitutes' bench or reserve bench, where players who are not in the starting 15 sit.
Tight five- The players in jerseys 1-5 playing prop, hooker and lock.
TMO- Stands for Television Match Official. The TMO is the eyes in the sky acting as an off-field match official who reviews video footage to assist in decisions regarding tries, infringements, or foul play.
Truck and Trailer- When a player who is not bound in a ruck or maul influences the play, a penalty offence.
William Webb Ellis- The namesake of the Rugby World Cup trophy, William is an English schoolboy credited for inventing the game. The story goes that he defiantly picked up the ball and ran with it during a football game, though this is widely accepted as fiction.
The prize that will be played for in France. Photo: RWC
