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Rugby union (often referred to as just rugby, or union) is a variant of rugby football. Rugby union is normally played by teams with 15 players, although there is also rugby sevens, a quicker game with 7 players a side. The name comes from the name of the game's original governing body, the Rugby Football Union. It is one of the two codes of rugby, the other being rugby league.
Like other forms of rugby football the game was developed from the rules used to play football at Rugby school in England. The crucial differences from football (soccer) are that in rugby the ball is a prolate spheroid instead of a sphere and that the players are allowed to pick the ball up and run with it. The players are also allowed to throw the ball from player to player, but unlike American football they are not allowed to throw it forwards; ie the ball must only go sideways or backwards.
Rugby union was invented in Rugby, England in 1823. It has established itself as a major global sport, especially popular in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Wales, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa. Rugby is also gaining popularity in Italy and Japan, following Italy's acceptance into the Six Nations and Japan's unsuccessful bid to host 2011 Rugby World Cup, which will be hosted in New Zealand.
More on [ Rugby union ]
Flash BBC Sport â Rugby Union â Irish: sss http://bit.ly/8DXn0A
VANews0verviews (Virginia News) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:18:28 -0000
Flash BBC Sport – Rugby Union – Irish: sss http://bit.ly/8DXn0A
New Overview BBC SPORT | Rugby Union: The latest BBC Rugby Union news plus Guinness Premiership, sc.. http://bit.ly/4Bwe04
newsoverviews (USA News Overviews) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:14:53 -0000
New Overview BBC SPORT | Rugby Union: The latest BBC Rugby Union news plus Guinness Premiership, sc.. http://bit.ly/4Bwe04
BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Irish http://bit.ly/5rRIh5
mitch92021 (Benny Mitchell) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:55:52 -0000
BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Irish http://bit.ly/5rRIh5
Sat 28th Nov: Rugby Union, France v New Zealand, International http://tinyurl.com/y8hs4f3
livesportontv (livesportontv.com) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:45:02 -0000
Sat 28th Nov: Rugby Union, France v New Zealand, International http://tinyurl.com/y8hs4f3
#rugby Re-Union http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=57&cgid=0&cid=16075
skysportnz (SKY Sport NZ) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:18:58 -0000
#rugby Re-Union http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=57&cgid=0&cid=16075
RUGBY UNION: Jonathan Sexton will start Irelands clash with South Africa at fly-half on Saturday. http://bit.ly/4C16a7
cliqzuksports (cliqzuksports) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:02:54 -0000
RUGBY UNION: Jonathan Sexton will start Irelands clash with South Africa at fly-half on Saturday. http://bit.ly/4C16a7
International Rugby Board (IRB) - With its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, the IRB is the world governing and law-making body for the sport.
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