Rugby is typically played between teams of fifteen players on a rectangular surface called a pitch utilizing an oval-shaped ball. Both ends of the Field include H-shaped goalposts. But what is 7s rugby? In Rugby 7s rules, sometimes called Seven-a-side rugby, there are only seven players on each team rather than the standard fifteen in rugby rules.
How rugby differs from rugby 7s?
Normally a 15-man team plays on a rugby pitch, but rugby sevens involves a 7-man team on the field.
How the team in rugby 7s is shared?
The rugby 7s team is mainly composed of forwards and backs. Also, there is seven roles for players – prop (1 left and 1 right), hooker, anterior, scrumhalf, flyhalf, center and wing.
How are the points counted in rugby 7s?
Scoring is no different from regular rugby. You get 2 points for conversion, 3 points for penalties and drop goals and 5 points for a try.
What a rugby ball looks like?
The rugby ball is oval in shape. The ball has 4 shields and should weigh about 400 grams.
What are the most important matches for rugby 7s?
Rugby 7s is all about the Rugby World Cup Sevens and the IRB Sevens World Series, because if rugby 7 weren’t for these events, it might not be so popular.
The game is played on a regulation-sized rugby field with a few rule changes. In this article, you will learn about rugby sevens rules.
What is 7s Rugby
You might ask – what is sevens rugby? Seven-a-side rugby, or rugby sevens, is a subset of the rugby union game. Sevens rugby is a form of rugby played on a regulation rugby field with just seven players instead of the customary fifteen in a full union match. The emphasis is on speed and power.
As a result of the sport’s meteoric rise in popularity, it has been officially recognized as an Olympic sport.
In addition to being played at every Commonwealth Games since 1998, the sport is also given widespread exposure thanks to the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens, two of the most prestigious international tournaments in the sport.
Rugby 7s Rules
A variation of Rugby Union played with seven players per side rather than the standard fifteen. Rugby Sevens is commonly known simply as Rugby 7s.
The game takes place on a regulation-sized rugby field, but each half only lasts seven minutes, with a one-minute intermission between them. Some of the guidelines for playing Rugby Sevens are as follows:
Team size
The following requirements for minimum and maximum roster sizes apply to all teams: Each team must have at least seven (7) players on the Field at all times or face a forfeit.
Time
Time spent in a match Fourteen minutes plus stoppage time and overtime is the maximum length of a match. Each half of a contest lasts up to seven minutes. At the half, time The team’s switch ends at halftime. The break is at most two minutes.
In the event of a draw (a tie) that necessitates extra time, that extra time is played in periods of five minutes, separated by a one-minute break. Without a break between periods, the team’s switch ends.
Scoring
If you score a try in Rugby Sevens, you get five points, and if you kick a conversion, you get two points. A penalty kick and a drop goal are worth three goals in a soccer game.
Kickoff
The kickoff occurs in the middle of the Field to start play. After a try or a penalty kick, the side that scored kicks off to resume play.
Tackles
The shoulders and knees are off-limits for tackling. When tackled, a player must immediately give up possession of the ball.
Lineouts
The team must start with a lineout when the ball falls out of play. The teams line up with their long axes parallel to the sidelines, and the team that doesn’t have the ball tosses it into the lineout.
Offside
A player is considered offside if they are in front of the ball during a kick or pass and cannot play until they return to the inside line.
Substitutions
Each side is allowed seven (7) players on the pitch during a match. Due to injury or for tactical reasons, a player may be replaced. During a game, a team may bring in up to five (5) substitutes.
A player who sustains a blood injury may use a temporary substitute during the original healing. No substitutions or replacements are allowed unless called for by the referee during a break in play.
Final Whistle
Whether or not the ball is in play at the time, the game is over when the referee blows the final whistle.
Rugby 7s Roles, the Field, and the Gear
- Support (to the left, Prop)
- Hooker
- Anterior (to the right, Prop)
- Scrum-half
- Fly-half
- Centre
- Wing
How Points Are Scored in Rugby Sevens
- To score a try and have it converted is worth two points.
- Each penalty and drop goal is worth three points.
- Tryouts are worth five points.
The Officials and Referees of Sevens Rugby
- Referee (for more on this position, see “official” in the context of rugby union).
- Principal Deputy Referee
- Referee’s Mate in the Rear
- Two goal-line officials serve as the in-goal referees.
Aim of Playing Rugby 7s
The goal of Rugby 7 is speed, and more speed, and even more speed! The game is played at a high pace and does not place a premium on strong or strategic kicking.
The rules for rugby sevens differ from those for rugby union because of the greater focus on speed, running, and passing. As a result, the 7s game is exciting and thrilling to watch.
The Roles of the Forwards and the Backs in Rugby 7s
Each team in rugby sevens consists of seven players. Players on a rugby 7s team are divided into forwards and backs, much as in the XV-a-side form of the sport.
There are seven players on the Field at once in rugby sevens; a hooker, two props, and a scrum-half, fly-half, centre, and winger. All players need to be able to run and pass well, but certain positions additionally demand specialized knowledge.
For instance, the forwards and the hooker must battle it out in the scrums. In addition, each player is responsible for a distinct part of the offence or defence to maintain the rugby 7s rules.
Playing sevens rugby
How does rugby 7s work? What about rugby 7 rules? The standard format for a game of sevens consists of two halves of seven minutes each, separated by a one-minute halfway break (although this is often changed to two halves of ten minutes each during the finals).
Since the games are typically only a few hours long, a tournament can be wrapped up in a single day or throughout a weekend.
Only rugby 7s rules state that there are many chances for playmakers and ball runners to shine thanks to the three forwards and four backs (plus one scrum-half) in a side. Only three allowed replacements are in each half, although five players are listed.
Rugby Sevens is a full-contact sport. Therefore, the players must work hard to cover the ground and make tackles. Good seven players tend to back or lose forwards in 15s rugby due to the need for exceptional mobility to keep up with the end-to-end attacking style of the game.
The scoring is the same as in a traditional 15-a-side game, with 5 points for a try, 3 points for penalties and drop goals, and 2 points for a conversion, and that is how to play rugby 7s.
Conclusion
Rugby 7s is a thrilling and fast-paced sport that has won the hearts of many spectators across the globe. The two teams, each consisting of seven players, compete to see who can amass the most points by advancing the ball through the goal line. A great degree of skill, speed, and athleticism is encouraged by the Rugby 7s rules and regulations.
The scoring system includes points for both tries and conversions, halftimes of 7 minutes each, and a restricted number of substitutes, all important aspects of the regulations. Now you know, what is rugby seven.
