Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by sam from Christchurch. sam Wonders, “What is Rugby? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, sam!

Have you ever run the length of a pitch? Have you been part of a scrum? Are you the master of the drop goal kick? If you haven’t figured it out yet, today’s Wonder of the Day is about rugby!

Have you ever played rugby? Many people compare it to American football. However, rugby has actually been around longer. In fact, American football is based on rugby and soccer.

Rugby is played on a field called a “pitch.” The pitch is 110 yards long and 75 yards wide. Each team has 15 players whose goal is to score by getting the ball across the other team’s goal line.

But unlike American football, crossing the goal line with a rugby ball isn’t enough to score. To make a “try,” which is the name of a goal in rugby, players have to cross the goal line and touch the ball down to the ground. 

After scoring five points with a try, the team can earn two more points with a conversion kick. That’s when a player kicks the ball through the other team’s goalposts. Teams can also score with a penalty kick, which is awarded for infractions. There is also the dropped goal kick, which is when a player drops the ball on the ground and kicks it when it bounces.

Rugby is like soccer in that play is continuous. It only stops for infractions or if the ball is out-of-bounds. When the ball goes out of bounds, it re-enters the field in a line-out. That means each team forms a line, and a player throws the ball between the two lines. Players from both teams try to get possession.

One rugby game is two 40-minute halves, with a 15-minute halftime. After halftime, play starts again with a scrum. That’s when the front eight players from each team lock arms and then collide with each other. During a scrum, the goal is to get possession of the ball. Referees also sometimes call for scrums after infractions

When a team has a ball, they run, kick, and pass it to move it down the field. However, they can’t pass the ball to just anyone. In rugby, a player can only pass the ball to a player who is behind them, so they can’t use a pass to get the ball farther down the field. 

The other team can tackle, but not block, the player with the ball. When a player is tackled, they have to let go of the ball and roll away. Then, other players have the chance to pick the ball up. 

Rugby is most popular in New Zealand and Wales. It’s also popular in Fiji, Samoa, and Madagascar, and it’s catching on in the United States. In fact, many famous Americans played rugby at one time in their lives. This includes President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.

Are you thinking of trying rugby? Gather a few friends and have fun! It’s always a good time to start enjoying a new game.

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.W.4, CCRA.SL.1

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