Scoring in Rugby Union
The Try, Converted Try, Goal and Other Methods of Gaining Points
Jul 16, 2009
For a try to be awarded there must be some downward pressure applied to the ball by the hands, arms, or the front of the torso between the neck and waist.
Falling backwards or sitting on the ball, or using your feet, legs, or head to force it, won’t do.
The “in goal area” includes the goal line itself; and the ball being forced against the base of the goal posts is also a legitimate try.
A Converted Try
A team that scores a try has the right to attempt a goal kick from a point on the field not farther from the touchline than where the try was scored, which, if successful, will net an extra two points. The kick must be either a place-kick, where the ball is placed on the ground and kicked, or a drop-kick, where a player lets the ball fall from his hands to the ground and kicks it on the first rebound as it rises.
This goal kick is known as a “conversion”, and in modern times a try so converted is usually referred to as a “converted try”. In the very early days of rugby a try was worth no points unless the conversion was successful, and a converted try was referred to as a “goal”. In the first ever international rugby match between England and Scotland, for example, both teams scored a try but England were awarded no points for their effort, allowing Scotland to win by dint of their having scored a goal kick.
The rules were soon changed to allow the scoring of a try without a subsequent conversion to be worth three points, and the value of a try has since been increased, first to four points and then five. The term “goal” in the sense of a converted try is rarely used these days.
The Penalty Goal
The penalty goal is an attempt at kicking the ball over the crossbar and between the uprights of the opponents’ goal posts that is awarded for various infringements by the opposition. The kick must be a place-kick or a drop-kick. The value of the penalty kick has remained constant at three points.
The Field Goal
Also called the “dropped goal”, a field goal is scored when any player who is onside and in the field of play manages to drop-kick the ball over the crossbar and between the uprights of his opponents’ goal posts. A controversial method of scoring, the field goal is worth three points.
