Rugby
Where can I find information and statistics about rugby?
Entry last updated: 13/01/21
Introduction
Rugby is a team sport that is played on a field, using an oval ball. The ball can be kicked or thrown between players, and teams score points by kicking the ball over a goalpost, or by carrying it over the line at the end of the field. There are usually 15 players in a rugby team, but there are some versions of the game that have 13 or 7 players.
History of rugby
There are some great websites that you can use to find out about the history and rules of rugby.
This site comes from the official organisation for rugby in New Zealand, which was founded in 1892. It has lots of information about rugby's history here in New Zealand and in other countries around the world.
- Look under About us to find their History section.
- This includes a link to their timeline New Zealand Rugby 125 years.
- Choose the years you want to know about, then select the little gold plus signs to read more about particular events.
- You can learn about famous players, competitions, and important events in rugby history.
Tips: Many web pages have links to further information or to other recommended sites. Following these links is a great way to find out more.
Britannia School is an EPIC resource. It is a great place for learning about the history and basic rules of rugby, including the difference between rugby union and rugby league.
- Select the Primary level.
- Search for 'rugby' and select the rugby article.
- Change the Article Reading Level tags at the top of the page to make the article easier or more difficult.
- Select Related to find links to other articles that might be useful for you.
Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians between 1 and 6pm Monday to Friday and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.
World Rugby Laws of Rugby Union
On this website you can learn the rules of rugby, as well as the signals that referees use. This page also has the rules for different versions of rugby, like seven-a-side and other touch rugby.
Rugby in New Zealand
Rugby is a very popular sport in New Zealand. You can find out about rugby in New Zealand on these websites.
Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Te Ara is an excellent starting point for all questions about New Zealand Aotearoa.
- Search for 'rugby' to find page about Rugby Union.
- There's information about past and present New Zealand rugby teams, players, and competitions.
Tips: If we scroll down to the bottom of the page we can see that the website belongs to the Ministry for Culture & Heritage, so the information is well-researched and reliable.
This is the official website of New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks. Here you can find out about players and their competitions, and keep up-to-date with news about them.
- Go to Teams to find All Black Stats.
- Look under Stats and Lists to find fun facts about the All Blacks, like records for the tallest and heaviest players.
This is also a good place to find out about other New Zealand rugby teams, and how you can get involved playing rugby wherever you are in New Zealand.
Sometimes politics and sport get caught up in each other. When the South African rugby team, the Springboks, visited New Zealand in 1981 there were a lot of people who were upset.
- Check out the page on the 1981 Springbok tour to find out more about apartheid and why this tour was so controversial.
Tips: We like sites like this because they’re reliable. You can tell because of their web address – they have either .govt or .ac, meaning they are from government or educational organisations. They’re also New Zealand sites, so relevant for us.
Rugby World Cup
Every four years, the top international rugby teams compete in the Rugby World Cup. The winning team gets to take home the Webb Ellis Cup. The next World Cup will be held in 2019.
This website has everything you need to know about the Rugby World Cup, including which teams are competing, and where games will be played.
- Go to RWC2019 to find out more about the next Rugby World Cup competition.
- Look under Info to find the World Rugby Stats Hub, with facts on players and teams.
Books
There are lots of books about rugby that might be helpful for you. Check out your local public or school library to see what they have available.
Some recommended books about famous rugby players are:
- Dan Carter by Dan Carter and Duncan Greive
- Richie McCaw by Richie McCaw
- Real McCaw: Richie McCaw by Richie McCaw and Greg McGee.
