Rugby Sevens

Rugby sevens uses the same field and most of the same laws as fifteen-a-side rugby, but with seven players and halves of seven minutes. The space that opens up makes it a game of pace and one-on-one defending. Tournaments are usually played over two or three days with each team playing several matches a day.

group

PLAYERS

7 on field, 12 in the squad, 5 substitutions

schedule

DURATION

2 × 7 min (10 min halves in a final)

stadium

PLAYING AREA

Full rugby pitch, 100 m × 70 m plus in-goal areas

scoreboard

SCORING

Try 5 · Conversion 2 · Penalty 3 · Drop goal 3

HOW IT IS PLAYED

Core Rules

Scoring

A try is worth five points and is scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area. The conversion adds two, a penalty kick or drop goal three each.

Conversions and restarts

All conversions must be taken as drop kicks within 30 seconds of the try. The scoring team then restarts play, the reverse of fifteen-a-side.

Passing backwards

The ball may be carried, kicked or passed, but any pass must travel backwards or level. A forward pass or a knock-on results in a scrum to the opposition.

The tackle

A tackled player must release the ball immediately and the tackler must release the player and roll away. Tackles must be below the shoulder line and may not be made on a player in the air.

The ruck

Once a ruck forms, players must join from behind the hindmost foot and may not use hands to play the ball. Entering from the side is offside.

Scrums

Sevens scrums use three players a side rather than eight. They must be stable and square, and the ball must be fed straight down the middle.

Offside

A player in front of a teammate who last played the ball is offside and must not interfere. At rucks, mauls and scrums, the offside line is the hindmost foot of the last player involved.

Lineouts

Lineouts are contested with a minimum of two players per side. The throw must be straight and the receiving side may lift a jumper, who must be lowered safely.

Extra time

Knockout matches level at full time go to sudden-death extra time in five-minute periods; the first score of any kind wins.

WATCH OUT

Fouls & Penalties

errorHigh tackle, shoulder charge or a tackle on a player in the air — penalty and often a card.
errorNot releasing the ball or the tackler after a tackle.
errorOffside, obstruction, and joining a ruck from the side.
errorDeliberate knock-on, or collapsing a scrum, ruck or maul.
errorYellow card — a two-minute sin bin in sevens; red card — permanent removal with no replacement.

WHO DECIDES

Match Officials

sportsReferee — sole judge of fact and law on the field.
sportsTwo assistant referees — rule on touch, foul play and kicks at goal.
sportsTelevision match official (TMO) — reviews tries and foul play.
sportsCiting commissioner — may cite foul play missed during the match.

GOVERNED BY WORLD RUGBY · RUGBY INDIA

Play Rugby Sevens On A Real Arena

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