Rugby sevens is a form of rugby union played with seven players in each team instead of the traditional fifteen. This variation is known for its fast pace and high scoring. Let’s learn all about rugby sevens?
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All about Rugby Sevens: what is it?
Rugby sevens is a sport of running away and creating space so that players can reach the opposition goal and score points.
Every start or restart of a match takes place through a contest for possession of the ball. The team that gains possession seeks to advance territorially towards the goal line;
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To face the defense, the support of all the players is crucial, receiving passes or providing support in formations.
The correct execution of these principles leads the team to its goal: the score, the try; and consequently to an extra bonus, the conversion kick.
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All about Rugby Sevens: history
Between 1500 and the end of the 18th century, medieval soccer was played in Europe, similar to calcio fiorentino, known in Great Britain as “folk soccer”;
At the beginning of the 19th century, the sport began to be practiced in schools, with some allowing the use of both hands and feet (as at Rugby College) and others only the feet;
William Webb Ellis, a student at the rugby school, was the one who devised soccer using his hands and feet.
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Around 1860, the UK’s main colleges met in London to harmonize the rules;
The rugby college, which was the only one to support the use of hands and feet, chose to withdraw from the meeting and, in collaboration with other colleges, developed “Rugby Football” or “Rugby Union”;
The other schools, which advocated only the use of the feet, founded the “Football Association” or “Association Football”.
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At the end of the 19th century, the IRFB (International Rugby Football Board) emerged, predecessor of the IRB (International Rugby Board), the sport’s highest regulatory body;
In the 1880s, in Scotland, the sport of Rugby Sevens was created, which would later become Olympic. The inclusion of rugby in the Olympic Games was strongly supported by Baron de Coubertin.
The sport was part of the program in Paris 1900, was excluded in the next edition, Saint Louis 1904, and returned four years later in London;
Coubertin’s departure from the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1925 resulted in rugby being excluded from the Games again.
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All about Rugby Sevens: rules and structure of the game
Rugby sevens has a specific set of rules that adapt to the game’s faster and more dynamic format. Here are the main rules:
Basic Structure
- Number of players: Each team has seven players on the pitch. Up to five substitutes are allowed.
- Game Duration:
- Regular season: matches are divided into two halves of seven minutes each, with a two-minute break.
- Finals: in finals or decisive matches, times can be extended to two ten-minute periods.
- Field:
- Dimensions: the pitch is approximately 100 meters long by 70 meters wide, similar to traditional rugby union.
- Markings: the pitch has the same goal lines and 22-meter lines, among other markings.
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Beginnings and new beginnings
- Game start: the game begins with a kickoff, and the teams battle for possession of the ball.
- Start: after a try, the game is restarted with a kickoff, and the ball must be kicked forward.
Score
- Try: a try is won when a player places the ball on the ground inside the opponent’s goal area, worth 5 points.
- Conversion: after a try, the team has the chance to convert by kicking the ball between the posts, worth 2 additional points.
- Drop Goal: a drop goal is worth 3 points and is scored when a player kicks the ball between the posts and over the bar during the game in progress.
- Penalty: a penalty can be converted into a shot on goal, worth 3 points.
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Specific rules
- Scrum: scrums are less common in 7-a-side rugby and are mainly used to restart the game after a short delay.
- Lineout: lineouts are rarely used and are used to restart the game after a ball has been kicked out of play.
- Faults:
- Typical fouls: include obstruction, high tackle, tackle in the air, and use of hands.
- Punishments: can include shots on goal or a foul, depending on the severity.
- Cards:
- Yellow Card: for minor infractions, resulting in a period of ten minutes off the pitch.
- Red Card: for more serious infractions, resulting in the player’s immediate exclusion from the game.
- Possession of the ball:
- Advances: the ball can be passed sideways or backwards, but not forwards with the hands.
- Kicks: kicking the ball forward is allowed.
- Contact:
- Tackles: tackles must be made below the shoulder line. A high or dangerous tackle can result in penalties or cards.
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Gameplay
- Fast pace: Due to the small number of players, the game is characterized by a very fast pace and is demanding in terms of physical and technical endurance.
- Strategy: Teams generally employ speed-focused strategies, with less emphasis on scrums and lineouts and more on quick runs and passes.
- Substitutions: Substitutions are unlimited, allowing teams to adjust their strategies during the game as necessary.
All about Rugby Sevens: positions and roles
In rugby sevens, positions are less rigid than in rugby 15s, with players often playing various roles throughout the game;
However, some positions are commonly recognized and can be categorized as follows:
Fly-half (half-opening)
- Function: Responsible for dictating the pace of the game, making strategic passes and shots. Often acts as the team’s main playmaker.
- Characteristics: good vision, the ability to make precise passes and the ability to read the game.
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Scrum-half
- Function: Acts as the link between the forwards and backs, distributing the ball quickly after the scrum or ruck. It’s essential for building fast moves.
- Characteristics: agility, speed and good decision-making.
Centers
- Function: The centers have the responsibility of breaking down the opposing defense with quick runs and passes. Generally, one center back acts more like a defender, while the other can be more attack-oriented.
- Features: physical strength, speed and dribbling ability.
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Wingers
- Function: Wingers are usually the fastest players in the team, specializing in finishing plays and scoring tries. They often stand at the ends of the pitch, ready to take advantage of counter-attacking opportunities.
- Features: speed, agility and the ability to make quick cuts.
Fullback (Last defender)
- Function: The fullback acts as the team’s last defender, responsible for covering the back line and recovering balls kicked into the field. He can also support attacks and score tries.
- Characteristics: good reading of the game, speed and ability to make tackles.
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All about Rugby Sevens: in Brazil
In Brazil, rugby began to become popular in 1960, and three years later, the Rugby Union of Brazil was established. However, in 1972, the Brazilian Rugby Association (ABR) took control;
In 2009, there was a major victory: Rugby Sevens was approved as an Olympic sport for the 2016 Games;
In early 2010, the Brazilian Rugby Confederation (CBRu) was created, succeeding the ABR.
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All about rugby sevens: the difference to rugby XV
The differences between the two disciplines are many: from the pitch to the playing time, formations, shots and defending. Check them all out now!
Field
Although the pitch is the same size for both sports (70x100m), the number of players present is different.
As the name suggests, rugby sevens is played by seven players, while rugby XV involves fifteen players.
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Playing time
In rugby sevens, where there are less than half the number of players of rugby XV, the total duration of the match is reduced;
A full match lasts 14 minutes, divided into two seven-minute halves, with a break of between one and two minutes.
On the other hand, a rugby XV match consists of two halves of 40 minutes each, with a break of no more than 15 minutes.
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Restart kick
In rugby XV, after conceding a try, the team restarts the game with a drop-kick from the center of the field or from a position just behind the center line.
In rugby sevens, the team that scores the try also restarts the match with a drop-kick from the center of the field or just behind the center line.
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Scrum
One of rugby’s most iconic scenes, the scrum is a fundamental part of both rugby XV and sevens, although it is executed differently in each sport.
In sevens, the three forwards of each team line up in a single front row. The ball is introduced by the scrum-half and can be contested by the opposing team;
In rugby XV, the scrum is made up of eight players, all forwards. It is divided into a first line with three players, a second line with two, and a third line with three, including two wingers positioned at the ends and an eighth player further back, in charge of keeping and controlling possession of the ball.
As in sevens, the ball is introduced by the scrum-half and can be contested by the defending team.
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Kicks
In rugby sevens, penalties and conversions are not taken with a tee (ball carrier), but through drop-goals.
Shots, in general, are rarely used during the game.
This is very different from rugby XV, where the kicking strategy is essential to create space, gain time to reorganize and advance territorially, even without having possession of the ball.
In rugby sevens, the main strategy is to keep possession of the ball, which is quite logical. If you choose to kick the ball, as is done in rugby XV to gain territory, you end up giving your opponent an almost certain opportunity to score points.
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Defense
In rugby sevens, the defense can be structured in formations such as 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0, similar to what you see in handball, where the higher number indicates the number of players dedicated to defense.
All about Rugby Sevens: curiosities
- Rugby is played all over the world. In several countries, it is considered the national sport, while in others, it shares its popularity with soccer;
- The sport of sevens (rugby sevens) originated in Scotland in 1884, when a local team organized a one-day event with several teams from the region;
- Rugby with fifteen players per team was part of the Olympic program in four editions: Paris 1900, London 1908, Antwerp 1920 and Paris 1924. In 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, the sport returned as rugby sevens, with seven players per team.
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