I'm new here and I just started to get really into rugby. I play American football but after some of their changes in the rules the past few years I probably want to play professionally in rugby now so I have some questions
1 which is more popular worldwide rugby union or league?
2 what kind of training do you need to do like it seems to me rugby is about endurance rather than short spurts of power so do I have to run like 5 miles a day or something?
3 are their any super elite players who I need to watch like the lebron James of rugby someone who's considered one of the greatest
4 how do you get on a team in rugby union or league do you try out?
5 how many games are there in a season?
6 what are the most important rules in rugby?
thanks
1. Rugby Union by quite some margin. Only a handful of countries compete at a reasonable level in League - with Australia, New Zealand and England the three countries which compete the the highest international level consistently. Australia are consistently the best team by far, however New Zealand is currently the Rugby League World Champions.
In Rugby Union - there are more professional competitions (one may soon be starting up in the U.S) - with At least 10 international teams playing in the highest of two competitions - New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina (The Rugby Championship) and England, Wales, France, Scotland, Italy, Ireland (The 6 Nations). Internationally there are other important competitions such as The Pacific Nations Cup which include U.S.A, Canada, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji - as well as the European Nations Cup Division 1 which currently feature Georgia, Romania, Spain, Belgium, Russia and Portugal.
In terms of club competitions - the main ones are
Super Rugby (which currently feature 15 teams - consisting of five teams in three conferences of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia).
Aviva Premiership (England's domestic league which consists of 12 English clubs),
Top 14 (France's domestic competition which consists of 14 French Clubs),
Rabo Pro 12 (A league which consists of four Irish clubs, four Welsh clubs, two Scottish clubs and two Italian clubs),
Japan Pro League (Japan's domestic league). The English Premiership, Top 14, Pro 12 compete in several cross competitions, most notably the Heineken Cup which is like a European Club Championship. There are also professional leagues in Georgia and Russia - however they are not as big as the others.
2. Training in rugby in a general sense, fitness is important. Different positions require different attributes however. The most generic attributes which help are skills training (so learning to catch, pass, tackle - compete in rucks), fitness and core work. However there are more important things when it comes to different positions. If you are especially strong and big you may be suited to play in the front row in which
scrummaging is very important (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnEYJSY7x8). If you're very tall and a good jumper you may be suited to being a lock who gets lifted in
lineouts (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCQfggoUSNU). If you are especially quck/very good passer and kicker you may be suited to the backs.
It's worth noting the positions are usually split into two groups:
forwards: Whose important jobs is to do hard work close to rucks - so make a lot of tackles, scrums, lineouts etc (these positions are given the numbers 1-8) - in addition to tackling, carrying the ball etc - each player has specialist duties as part of his position).
1. Loosehead Prop - Scrums on the loosehead side (so has left arm free from the scrum).
2. Hooker - Throws in lineouts and 'hooks' the ball with his feet from the centre of the scrum.
3. Tighthead Prop - scrums on the tight side of the scrum (so has no arms free)
4. Lock - Jumps in lineouts and pushes in the second row of the scrum (the props and hookers are called the front row).
5. Lock - Jumps in lineouts and pushes in the second row of the scrum (the props and hookers are called the front row).
6. Blindside Flanker - Defends the most narrow side of the field.
7. Openside - Defends the most open side of the field
8. Number 8 - Links with backline. Packs at the back of the scrum. (6, 7 and 8 are known as 'loose forwards' and their jobs are primarily to contest the ball in a ruck)
In the
backs there are an additional seven players.
9. Halfback - clears ball from the ruck
10. Fly Half - Directs play similar to a QB in American Football. Has to be a good kicker and passer. Usually kicks goals but not always. (9 and 10 are known as halfs)
11. Left Wing - Should be quickest players on the field.
12. Inside Center - Second reciever behind the flyhalf.
13. Centre - Should be a very good passer, creates space for outside backs (12 and 13 are called 'inside backs)
14. Right Wing - Should be quickest players on the field.
15. Fullback - Defends from the back. Should be a good kicker and quick. (11, 14 and 15 are knwon as outside backs).
Each position has different training requirements specific to their role. Importantly though, fitness and core training as well as general skills are vital to all positions.
3. There are players like that, yes. Each position has different examples. The biggest athletic freak and legend in rugby is probably Jonah Lomu (a left winger) (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n2weoYjNNs) who played top level rugby from 1994-2006. Another is Christian Cullen (fullback) (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0945lQKP7I) who played from 1995-2006. Those are some outside backs that made me want to play rugby as a kid. Players generally regarded as the best in the world (not necessarly in the best form anymore - but are playing legends) Daniel Carter (NZ), Richie McCaw (NZ), Kieran Read (NZ), Bryan O'Driscoll (Ireland), Johnny Wilkinson (England) etc.
4. As others have mentioned - playing for a local club you usually register with them, train with them and then they will give you a run on. If you play well enough you make the starting team. From there to get any kid of professional contract you have to stand out in the domestic league. If you're good enough USA may select you and depending whether or not the USA pro league kicks off or not - you would have to travel off shore to play professionally.
5. Depends on the league. In my club compeition there is around 20 games a season. In pro leagues, Japan Pro League has 12 games a season, Super Rugby has around 18 games (with other domestic competitions such as NZ's ITM Cup or South Africa's Currie Cup having slightly fewer games) a season and some European teams have nearly 40 games a season. I'd imagin in the USA there would be around 15-20 games a season.
6. Hard to select only a few. You can't pass the ball forward or knock it forward. That results in a scrum. Have to release a ball when tackled. Can't be offside (when a ruck has formed you have to be behind your side of the ruck). There are lots - others have posted useful links to the IRB offical rule book which is certinaly worth a look.
Good luck getting into rugby! It's a great game.
I can sort of answer some of your questions, but I'm just a fan, never played the game, and so my knowledge is limited in some areas. But I'll try to answer the ones I know from an American standpoint.
