ORLANDO, Fla. – Invented in Scotland in the 1800s, “Rugby Sevens” is seeing a huge rise in popularity — among women.
The recent Paris Olympics provided a terrific spotlight for the sport and one Central Florida team is reaping the reward!
Jesenia Haigh, the head coach of the Orlando Rugby Sevens, said that more and more women have expressed interest in joining the Central Florida team.
She said anyone interested is more than welcome, adding that inclusivity is part of the rugby culture. It was apparent at the practice News 6 checked out recently.
The Orlando Rugby Sevens are a team of about a dozen working women, bonded by their love of rugby.
Below are some of the main rules to know when it comes to the Rugby Sevens.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 7 PER TEAM; 3 FORWARDS, 4 BACKS
- TIME OF GAME: 14 MINUTES, DIVIDED INTO HALVES OF 7 MINUTES
- OBJECT: TO TOUCH THE BALL DOWN IN THE OPPOSITION’S END ZONE AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE WHICH IS CALLED A “TRY” AND WORTH 5 POINTS
- A CONVERSION: FOLLOWS A “TRY,” TEAM WILL GET 2 POINTS IF ALL IS SUCCESSFULLY DROP-KICKED BETWEEN 2 GOAL POSTS
- A SCRUM: METHOD OF RESTARTING PLAY; FEATURES 3 PLAYERS FROM EACH TEAM, PACKING CLOSE TOGETHER TO GAIN POSSESSION OF THE BALL
- PASSING THE BALL: MUST BE LATERAL OR BACKWARD; NO FORWARD PASSES ALLOWED
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