Rugby is a sport most Americans know by name and not much else. Plenty of people have seen a clip of players in a big pile, or heard it described as football without pads, and that is about as far as it goes. The rules are not hard, though, and they can be picked up in the afternoon.
Rugby on betting sites
Rugby has a small place on US sportsbooks. Bet365 lists both rugby union and rugby league, with moneylines, point spreads, totals, and team props, and Fanatics Sportsbook has Major League Rugby games. The moneyline can be two-way or three-way, and the three-way version includes a draw as an outcome, since matches do end level now and then. Most of the interest comes during big tournaments such as the Six Nations, when there are more games on the schedule.
Pennsylvania online sports betting has been live since May 2019 and is regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). In total, eleven sportsbooks are licensed by the board. A bettor has to be 21 or older and physically inside the state, and the apps check the phone’s location before a bet is accepted.
Offshore sites are not legal in Pennsylvania. Once an account is opened, rugby is found in the sports menu of the apps that carry it, and the markets change depending on which matches are on that week.
How rugby is played
In the rugby union, there are 15 players on each side and the match duration is 80 minutes, with two halves of 40. The ball is oval and can be carried, kicked, or passed with the hands. Passing forward is not allowed, so the ball only moves forward when a player either runs with it or kicks it.
A player who is tackled has to let go of the ball. The team with the most points at the end wins. There are no helmets and no pads, and the clock keeps running for most stoppages.
Scoring
A try is worth five points and is scored by putting the ball down in the area behind the other team’s goal line. The scoring team then takes a kick at the posts for two more points, called a conversion. Penalty kicks and drop goals are worth three points each. A converted try adds up to seven points.
Key rules
A knock-on happens when a player loses the ball forward and play restarts with a scrum. In a scrum, eight players from each team bind together and push against each other while the ball is put in between them. A lineout is used when the ball goes out of play over the sideline.
After a tackle, players from both teams can contest the ball on the ground in a ruck, and they must stay on their feet to do it. Players are offside if they are in front of the ball when they should not be, and the referee awards a penalty. High tackles, around the head and neck, are also penalized.
Watching and learning
Beginners can start by watching a match with the commentary on, since the commentators usually name each penalty and restart as it happens. Sevens tournaments are shorter, and Major League Rugby has matches in the US during its season. Ask your online friends who live abroad if they follow rugby, because in places like New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, it is one of the main sports and most people have an opinion on it.
Rugby World Cup 2027
The next big event in the world of rugby is the World Cup. Australia is hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2027 this time. It is the first men’s tournament with 24 teams, in six pools of four, and the first with a round of 16.
The USA missed the 2023 tourney, which was held in France, but this time, the team has qualified by beating Samoa 29-13 in Denver. The Eagles are in Pool E with France, Japan, and Samoa and open against France in Melbourne. The USA also hosts the men’s tournament in 2031.