Rugby is referred to as Rugby league and Rugby union. Union is played by 15 players per side, where league is played by 7 players per side. The game started in England and was first played in schools across the country. The ball is sphere like and can picked up thrown, carried and kicked. Unlike American football the ball must be thrown backwards and not forwards.

In rugby union the game is 80 minutes long and consists of 2 40-minute halves. Rugby union differs from association football in that the hands can be employed to move the ball. However, a player can only pass the ball backwards or laterally. A rugby union field consists of a maximum playing area of 144x70m on a grass sruface. The number of palyers consist of eight forwards numbered 1 to 8, and seven backs, numbered 9 to 15. To score a player must do the following

The aim of rugby union is to score more points than the opposition. Teams score in several ways:

• Touching the ground over the opponents' goal line with the ball using the hand, hands, arm or arms. Also by pressing the ball down (with controlled downward pressure) with any point on the body from the waist to the neck, over the opponents' goal line. The opponents' goal line includes the base of the posts, which is considered to be part of the goal line. These results in a try, worth 5 points. A penalty try can be awarded if, following any infringement of the laws, in the judgment of the referee a try would have been scored had the infringement not occurred. The try got its name because originally the touching down of the ball only gave you a "try" at scoring by successfully kicking for goal, which were the only points scored if the kick was good.
• After scoring a try, the scoring team attempts a conversion: a player takes a kick at goal in line with where the touch-down occurred. Scoring the goal earns 2 points.
• Kicking the ball above the crossbar and between the uprights of a large 'H'-shaped set of posts. This may either occur from a penalty kick or kicked from the hand during play. In the latter case, the ball must strike the ground before being kicked (drop goal) Both types of goal score 3 points.

In order to prevent scoing the opposing team will do the following to stop the other team.

A tackle is when a player brings an opposing player down who has the ball or holds him while bringing him to ground.

Once a tackle has grounded a player, he must release the ball and try to move out of the way, as must the tackler. The first player(s) arriving from either side may pick up the ball; however as soon as two players, one from each side, bind together - usually by locking shoulders as they face each other - with the ball at their feet they have formed a ruck, as more players arrive they may join the ruck, but must do so from the last or back foot (also known as the "gate") of their own side. In a ruck no player may use his hands to win the ball, instead each side attempts to push the other side back, and players use their feet to hook the ball backwards towards their own side - an action known as "rucking the ball" where it will be picked up by the scrum-half or half-back who waits behind the ruck. Players in a ruck may not deliberately go to ground themselves. If the ball becomes trapped in a ruck, the referee awards a scrum to the side going forward.

And finally a maul is when a player carrying the ball is held by one or more opponents, and one or more of the ball carrier's team mates bind on the ball carrier. Once a maul has formed other players may join in but, as in a ruck, they must do so from their own side. If the maul stops moving forward, and the ball is not available to be played, then the referee awards a scrum to the side not in possession when the maul began.

These are the main tactics used in Rugby.