EDMONTON CLANSMEN JUNIOR/MINI RUGBY CLUB

11060 - 111th Avenue

PO Box 11990

Edmonton, AB

T5J 3L1

 

To contact us:

Phone: 780-619-0685

E-mail: devinvandenberg@shaw.ca

RUGBY IS UNIQUE

 

Rugby is a world-wide sport with over 3 million participants in over 100 countries. The Rugby World Cup held every four years is reputed to be the third largest world sporting event after the Olympics and the football (soccer) World Cup. The largest stadiums in the world specially built for rugby house almost 80,000 fans (London, England and Sydney, Australia)

 

The sport grew out of soccer in the mid 1800’s in England and spread around the world in the following 100 years.  To quote the Charter for Rugby as set out by the International Rugby Board (the governing body for the sport), rugby is:

 

A Sport For All

Rugby provides players of different physiques, skills, genders and ages with the opportunity to participate at their levels of ability in a controlled, competitive and enjoyable environment. It is incumbent upon all who play Rugby to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Laws of the Game.

 

Rugby is valued as a sport for men and women, boys and girls. It builds teamwork, understanding, co-operation and respect for fellow athletes. Its cornerstones are, as they always have been, the pleasure of participating; the courage and skill which the game demands; the love of a team sport that enriches the lives of all involved; and the lifelong friendships forged through a shared interest in the game. It is because of, not despite, Rugby’s intensely physical and athletic characteristics that such great camaraderie exists before and after matches. The long standing tradition of players from competing teams enjoying each others company away from the pitch and in a social context, remains at the very core of the game. Rugby has fully embraced the professional era, but has retained the ethos and traditions of the recreational game. In an age in which many traditional sporting qualities are being diluted or even challenged, Rugby is rightly proud of its ability to retain high standards of sportsmanship, ethical behaviour and fair play.”

 

Contest and Continuity

The Object of the Game is that two teams observing fair play, according to the Laws and in a sporting spirit should, by carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball, score as many points as possible.

 

The contest for possession of the ball is one of Rugby’s key features. These contests occur throughout the game and in a number of different forms:

· in contact

· in general play

· when play is re-started at scrums, line-outs and kick offs.

 

The contests are balanced in such a way as to reward superior skill displayed in the preceding action. For example, a team forced to kick for touch (out of bounds) because of its inability to maintain the play, is denied the throw-in to the line-out (the restart when the ball goes out of bounds). Similarly, the team knocking the ball on (dropping the ball forward) or passing the ball forward is denied the throw-in at the subsequent scrum (the restart from a stoppage on the field of play). The advantage then must always lie with the team throwing the ball in (the team in possession at the restart), although, here again, it is important that these areas of play can be fairly contested. It is the aim of the team in possession to maintain continuity by denying the opposition the ball and, by skilful means, to advance and score points. Failure to do this will mean the surrendering of possession to the opposition either as a result of shortcomings on the part of the team in possession or because of the quality of the opposition defence.”

 

Keys Aspects of Rugby

There are many different types (formats) of rugby that can be played:

 

‘normal’ which comprises two teams of 15 players with considerable body contact including tackling and takes 80 minutes to play (2 x 40 minute halves) with no time stoppages except for injury. In Toronto these games are organized into a season lasting from May to late October.

 

‘7-a-Side’ which, as the name suggest has about half the players but on the same-sized pitch with almost the same rules as the 15-a-side game except it only lasts for 15 minutes – played in a tournament setting over one or two days. This format has been recommended for possible inclusion in the 2012 Olympics.

 

’10-a-side’ played by younger participants with less technical experience

 

‘Flag’ rugby which requires no physical contact and is suitable to younger players and that will feature both girls and boys on the field at the same time (similar to hockey and soccer for younger players)

Wheel-chair rugby

 

In all cases, most scoring plays require the contributions of many players working together passing or running with the ball.  Individual skills are important, but strong teamwork will succeed every time.

 

Rugby is also sometimes called ‘rugby football’ or ‘rugger’. The term now most favoured is simply ‘rugby’. The sport is very different from its sporting cousins of soccer (‘football’ to most of the world), football (‘gridiron’ in the UK), ‘Australian rules football’ (or ‘footie’ as it is called down under) and ‘gaelic football’ (an Irish-based sport). A form of professional rugby played in England, France, New Zealand and Australia is called ‘Rugby League’.

 

- Rugby emphasizes discipline, control, mutual respect, sportsmanship and teamwork

 

- Participation is from all parts of the world and all ethnic backgrounds

 

- Professional rugby is played in about 10 countries but not in Canada although Canadians have distinguished themselves professionally overseas

 

- While a very physically demanding sport, very little equipment is used by the players. At a minimum, a sweater, shorts, socks and boots are all that are needed. This keeps the cost of participation down.

 

- Funding for the sport is mostly done by the participants with minimal funding from government, some commercial sponsorship and other fundraising

 

- The sport is organized by clubs, which form regional associations (called branch unions), and provincial governing groups (also called unions). The provinces have formed a national body (in Canada called Rugby Canada). Rugby is also organized by high schools, colleges and universities.

 

· Rugby is dependent on strong coaches and strong game officials (referees and touch judges). Game officials have their own association that supports the recruitment and development of match officials.

 

Rugby is also a sport with a strong heritage, important traditions and a unique culture. There may be aggression on the field, but when the final whistle blows and the game is over, that aggression is left behind.  When the game is over, it’s over.  It’s time to move on.  It’s time to shake hands and offer congratulations.  Win with grace, lose with dignity. In rugby, there is still a strong respect for both opponents and game officials. Perhaps because everyone understands how hard it is to play this sport, respect has endured.