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The Rugby Union Rules

1. A drop (kick) is made by letting the ball fall and kicking it as it rises. 2. A place kick is kicking the ball from a nick or hole in the ground made to keep it steady. 3. A punt is a kick made before the ball touches the ground when dropped from the hands. 4. The goals shall each be two upright posts exceeding eleven feet high and placed eighteen feet and a half apart with a cross-bar ten feet from the ground. 5. A goal can be obtained only by kicking the ball from the field of play direct, and clear over the cross-bar of opponents' goal, whether it touch bar or posts or not. If it go over a post, it is called a "poster," not goal. A punt kick cannot gain a goal. 6. A try is won when a player touches the ball down in his opponents' goal. 7. A match is decided by the majority of goals. If no goal is kicked, or goals are equal, then by tries. If neither be obtained, a match is drawn. Should goal be kicked from a try, the former only is scored. 8. The ball is said to be "dead" when lying absolutely motionless in the field. 9. Touch-down is when the player stops the ball with his hand on the ground in touch or in goal. 10. A tackle is when the possessor of the ball is held by his opponents. 11. A scrummage is when the holder of the ball puts it down in play, and the contending parties close in to kick the ball to goal, and to drive their opponents back. A scrummage ceases in touch or in goal. 12. A player may take up the ball except in a scrummage. 13. It is not lawful to take up the ball when dead except to bring it out after a touch-down. If so taken up unlawfully, it shall be returned and put down again. 14. The players must not touch the ball with their hands in a scrummage. 15. Any player who has the ball may run with it. This is called a run. If he so run and get behind his opponents' goal-line, and touch it down, it is a run-in. 16. It is lawful to run in anywhere across goal-line. 17. The goal-line is in goal. The touch-line is in touch. 18. If a player running or holding the ball be tackled, and the ball fairly held, he must cry "down," and put it on the ground. 19. A maul in goal is when the holder of the ball is tackled inside goal-line, or pushed across it as he or his opponents endeavour to touch it down. The ball so touched down shall belong to the side that first had possession before the maul began, unless the opposite side have entire possession of it. 20. In a maul in goal only those players who are touching the ball when it crosses goal-line shall continue the maul. No player having let go of the ball inside goal-line shall again join in the maul. If he attempt to do so, he may be dragged away by the opposite side. If a player who is making a run-in is tackled inside goal-line, then only the men who first tackled him, or those who tackle him simultaneously, may join in the maul. 21. When the ball enters touch in goal, whether held or not, it is "dead" and out of the game, and should be kicked out (see Rules 41, 42). 22. A player is put off-side by entering a scrummage from his opponents' side, or in a scrummage by getting in front of the ball, or when the ball is kicked, touched, or run in by any of his own side behind him (i.e. between him and his own goal-line). No player is off-side in his own goal. 23. A player off-side is out of the game, and shall not touch the ball, nor interfere in any way until he is again on-side. 24. A player is put on side when the ball has been run with five yards, or kicked by, or touched, any of his opponents; or when his own side has run in front of him either with the ball or kicked it from behind him. 25. If a player have the ball, no one off-side may interrupt him till he (the first-named) has run five yards. 26. It is lawful for any one who has the ball to throw it back towards his own goal, or to pass it back to any of his own side behind him in accordance with rules of on-side. 27. Knocking on and throwing forward are not lawful. If the ball be so knocked on (with the hand) or thrown forward (in the direction of opponents' goal-line), unless a fair catch is made (see below), the captain of opposite side may have the ball carried back to the place it was knocked or thrown and there put down. 28. If a catch be made from a kick, or a throw-forward, or a knock-on, or from a punt out, or punt-on (see two next rules), and the catcher make a mark with his heel at the spot he caught the ball, and no other of his side touch it, it is called a fair catch (see Rules 43, 44). 29. A punt-out is a punt made after a touch down by a player behind his opponents' goal-line towards his own side, who must stand outside goal-line and either make a fair catch or run in and drop a goal (see Rules 49--51). 30. A punt-on is similar to punt-out from touch if necessary, by a player who has made a fair catch from a punt out or a punt-on. 31. Touch, If a ball go into touch, the first player (on his side) touching it down must bring it to where it crossed touch-line. If a player running with the ball cross touch-line, he must return with the ball to where he crossed, and return it to play as per next rule. (If there be boundaries beyond the touch-lines, and the ball go over or hit such boundary, the ball shall belong to the opposite party to that of the player who caused the ball to hit the boundary.) 32. The player must then bound the ball into play himself or through one of his side--and run with, kick, or throw it back to his own side--or throw it at right angles to touch line or walk with it (at right angles) not less than five and not more than fifteen yards from the line and put it down. The player in this last case must say how far he intends to walk out. 33. If two or more players holding the ball are pushed into touch, the ball in touch belongs to the player who first got hold of it, and who has kept his hold. 34. If the ball be not thrown out straight from the touch-line, the opposite side may claim to have it thrown out again. 35. A catch made from a throw-out of touch is not a fair catch. 36. Kick-off is a place-kick from the centre of play, and cannot count a goal. The opposite side must stand off ten yards at least in front of the ball till it has been kicked. If it pitch into touch, it must be kicked again. 37. A kick-off shall be made at the beginning of the game, after a goal is obtained, and after change of ends at "half-time." 38. Each side shall play from either goal for the same length of time. 39. The winner of the "toss" before the match shall have option of choice of goals or the kick-off. 40. The side that loses a goal shall have the "kick-off" after a goal is won. After change of goals at half-time the side which did not kick off at the commencement of the game shall kick off then. 41. Kick-out is a drop-kick by one of the side which has had to touch the ball down in their own goal, or into whose "touch in goal" the ball has gone. Such kick cannot count as a goal, as by it the ball is brought back to "play." 42. The kick-out must be a drop-kick from not more than twenty-five yards outside kicker's goal-line. If ball fall in "touch," it must be kicked again. The kicker's side must be behind him when he kicks out, and his opponents may not obstruct him within twenty-five yards of his own goal-line. 43. A player taking and claiming a fair catch may take a punt, a drop-kick, or a place-kick. 44. After a fair catch, the opposite side may come up to the catcher's mark, and (except under Rule 50) the catcher's side retiring, the ball shall be kicked from such mark or a spot behind it, parallel with touch-lines. 45. A player may "touch down" in his own goal any time. 46. The ball having been touched down in an enemy's goal, the side touching shall try for goal by either a punt-out or place-kick. 47. If the try for goal is made by a place-kick, a player of the side which has "touched down" the ball shall bring it up to goal-line (see Rule 48) in a straight line from and opposite the spot where it was "touched down," and there make a mark on the goal-line. Thence the player shall walk straight out with it at right angles as far as he pleases, and there place it for one of his side to kick. The side must be behind the ball when it is kicked, and the opposite side must be behind their goal-line till the ball has been placed on the ground. (Rules 54 and 55.) 48. If the ball has been touched down between the goal-posts, it must be brought out in a straight line from either of them. 49. If a try at goal be made by a punt-out, a member of the side which has touched down the ball shall bring it straight to the goal-line, opposite to the place where it was "touched down;" there he shall make a mark on goal-line and then punt out. The opponents must keep behind the goal-line till the ball is kicked. (Rules 54 and 55.) 50. If a fair catch is made (Rules 43 and 44) from a punt-out or punt-on, the catcher may take a punt-on or proceed as per rules quoted. If the first course be adopted, the heel-mark made shall be considered (for determining position of players) as the mark made on goal-line in the case of a punt-out. (See above.) 51. A catch made in touch from a punt-out or punt-on is not a fair catch. The ball must then be taken (or thrown) out of touch (see Rule 32). But if the catch be made in "touch in goal," the ball is "dead," and must be kicked out as per Rules 41 and 42. 52. When the ball has been "touched down" in opponents' goal, none of that (the opponents') side shall touch it, or displace it, or interfere with the player of the side taking it up or out. 53. A ball is dead when a goal has been obtained; but if a try at goal has failed, the kick shall be considered as an ordinary kick in the game. 54. Charging is lawful, for the opposing side, if a player bringing out the ball, after a try has been obtained, fails to make a mark on goal-line (see Rules 47 and 48)--in cases of a place-kick after a fair catch or upon a try at goal as soon as the ball touches (or is placed) on the ground; and in cases of a drop-kick, or punt, after a fair catch, as soon as the player holding the ball begins to run or tries to kick, or if the ball has touched ground. But the player may always draw back, and unless he has actually dropped or kicked the ball or touched it with his foot, they must retire to the mark. (Rule 56.) In case of punt-out or punt-on, the opposite side, and the player's side in all cases, must never charge till the ball has been kicked. 55. The opposite side may charge if a player with the ball goes outside goal-line to punt it out, or if he, when about to punt on, come nearer to his own goal-line than his mark made when he got a fair catch; or if, after the ball has been touched down in his opponents' goal, or a fair catch has been made, more than one player of the side which has so touched down or made a fair catch touch the ball before it is again kicked. 56. In case of a fair catch, the opponents of catcher may come up to and charge from anywhere on or behind a line drawn through the mark made by the catcher, and parallel to their goal-line. But in case of fair catch, from a punt-out or punt-on, the opponents must not come farther in the direction of the mark than a line drawn through such mark to their goal-line, and parallel to such touch-line. Except in a punt-out or punt-on, the kicker's side must be behind the ball when it is kicked, but must not charge until it has been kicked. 57. No hacking or tripping or hacking over shall be permitted. No one shall be allowed to play who wears iron plates, projecting nails, or gutta percha on any part of his boots or shoes. 58. In the case of any law being broken, or any irregularity of play occurring on the part of either side not otherwise provided for, the opposite side may claim that the ball be taken back to the place where the breach of law or irregularity of play occurred, and a scrummage formed there. 59. If no umpires be appointed, the captains of the sides shall be sole arbiters, and their decisions shall be final. If the captain of a side challenge any construction placed upon the rules, he may appeal to the Rugby Union Committee. 60. Neither "half-time" nor "no side" shall be called till the ball is fairly held or goes out of play; and in the case of a try or a fair catch, the kick at goal shall be allowed.

The great essentials for foot-ball are pluck, endurance, and good temper. Half the disputes at foot-ball which are ascribed to "hacking" and "shinning" would not have occurred had good temper been observed. No one "hacks" or "shins" wilfully, except he loses his temper; and a player in foot-ball, as in other games, who cannot keep his temper is unfit in every way to enjoy the game. As a match at foot-ball is now made, two parties, containing any number of competitors, take the field, and, having tossed up for sides, stand between two goals, placed at a distance of some eighty yards apart. The party that loses the toss has the privilege of "kick-off." The goal is marked by two upright poles, driven into the ground about ten yards apart. The ball, which used formerly to be made of a blown bladder, is now made of an inflated vulcanised India-rubber case, inclosed again in a case of laced and well-sewn leather. The object of each party is to drive the ball through the goal of their antagonists. The skill of the players is best employed in attacking and defending the goals.