Rugby: The Complete Guide for Players, Parents and Coaches

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A muddy Saturday in April: two club sides on a public park field, a scrum collapsing into laughter, and afterwards both teams sharing food and drinks in the clubhouse, because that’s how rugby has always ended. A few months later, a stadium in Carson, California, will fill for Olympic sevens at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, and in 2031 the men’s Rugby World Cup comes to the United States for the first time. Rugby is a running, passing, tackling game played by more than 7 million players in 135 national unions, according to World Rugby, and it’s growing in American schools, colleges and cities.

This page is rugby for players, parents and coaches: how union, sevens and league work, what the game looks like from flag rugby for kids to the pros, and, most of all, how to stay healthy. Sports health is the heart of it: the rugby injuries players get most, the warm-up that research says cuts injuries and concussions, the new lower tackle height, how to spot a concussion and when to see a professional. Then training, recovery and the gear you really need.

Rugby at a glance

Players per side	Rugby union (15s): 15. Sevens: 7. Rugby league: 13. Kids start with non-contact flag rugby in small teams.
Game length	Union: up to 80 minutes, two 40-minute halves. Sevens: two 7-minute halves (finals two 10-minute halves). League: 80 minutes.
Field	Union: field of play 94–100 m long and 68–70 m wide, plus an in-goal area of 6–22 m at each end. Grass, artificial turf and other approved surfaces.
Scoring (union)	Try 5, conversion 2, penalty goal 3, dropped goal 3, penalty try 7.
Governing bodies	World Rugby worldwide (union and sevens); USA Rugby in the US, with USA Youth & High School Rugby for players 5–18; International Rugby League for league.
Most common injuries	Ligament sprains (knee, ankle), shoulder injuries, muscle strains, concussion; in youth rugby the tackle causes most match injuries.

How rugby works

Two teams try to carry, pass or kick an oval ball forward and ground it in the other team’s in-goal area for a try. The catch: you may only pass the ball sideways or backwards, so a team moves forward by running, offloading and recycling the ball. A player brought to the ground in a tackle must release the ball at once; players from both teams then bind over it on their feet in a ruck and try to drive the other side off it. Forwards contest the ball at scrums (eight players a side, binding and pushing) after small mistakes such as a knock-on, and at lineouts (a straight throw down the middle of two lines of players, who may lift a jumper) after the ball goes into touch.

After a try, the scoring team kicks for a two-point conversion. Penalties can be kicked at goal for three points, kicked to touch for a lineout, or tapped and run. A yellow card sends a player to the sin bin for 10 minutes (2 minutes in sevens); a red card sends them off. Our rugby rules page explains scoring, the tackle laws, set pieces, sevens and league in more detail.

Union, sevens and league

• Rugby union (15s): the classic game, 15 players, with contested scrums, lineouts, rucks and mauls. It’s the game of the Rugby World Cup and most US clubs, colleges and high schools.
• Sevens: union’s laws on a full-size field with seven players a side and 14-minute games. Lots of open space, lots of running, and tournaments with several games in a day. It’s the Olympic version.
• Rugby league: a separate code with 13 players, a try worth four points, and six tackles per set before the ball changes hands. Big in Australia, England and the Pacific; in the US it’s a smaller, amateur game.
• Flag, tag and touch: non-contact versions where a “tackle” is pulling a flag or a two-handed touch. It’s how most American kids start, through clubs and USA Rugby’s Rookie Rugby program in schools.

Rugby at every level

Kids and youth

USA Youth & High School Rugby, an affiliate of USA Rugby, is the sanctioned governing body for youth rugby, with more than 900 clubs and 47 state youth rugby organizations. Its age-grade path starts with non-contact rugby for the youngest players (U5–U10), brings in contact gradually from about U10 to U14, and reaches full-contact rugby in high school. In a typical state program, for example Rugby NorCal’s youth rules, U8 is non-contact flag with a size 3 ball, and tackling starts at U10 with tackles only below the armpits and a size 4 ball. Rookie Rugby, a free flag-rugby program for school PE classes run with Major League Rugby, aims to reach 50,000 schools by the 2031 World Cup. Our youth rugby guide covers ages, safe tackling and parents’ questions.

High school

Most US high school rugby is organized through state youth rugby organizations rather than the school athletic associations that run football or soccer, with school-based and club teams, boys’ and girls’ divisions, 15s in one season and sevens in another, and state championships. Under USA Rugby’s 2026-27 game-management guidelines, under-19 rugby adds safety limits at the scrum, such as limits on pushing and wheeling.

College

Most college rugby is club rugby. National Collegiate Rugby (NCR), “The Home of College Rugby”, runs men’s and women’s competitions from Division I to Division III, with 15s national championships and a National 7s championship. Women’s rugby is also an NCAA Emerging Sport: the NCAA directory lists 30 schools sponsoring it as a varsity sport, and 40 are needed before an official NCAA championship can be considered. Those varsity teams play their championships through the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) and NCR.

Pro, national teams and the Olympics

Major League Rugby (MLR), the men’s pro league, played the 2026 season with six teams; the Chicago Hounds finished a perfect season by beating the California Legion 35–17 in the final. Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) also has six teams, and the Denver Onyx won the 2026 title, their second in a row. The national teams are the Eagles: the men qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, and the United States will host the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2031 and the women’s in 2033.

Rugby sevens joined the Olympics at Rio 2016. At Paris 2024 the US women won bronze, beating Australia 14–12 with a try as time ran out: the first American Olympic rugby medal since 1924. At LA28, 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams will play at Carson Stadium. More in our rugby leagues and associations guide.

Adult and recreational

Senior club rugby is where most American adults play: men’s and women’s clubs, summer sevens tournaments, and touch leagues for people who want the running without the tackling. If you’re new or coming back after years away, build fitness first and learn tackling technique before full contact.

Sports health for rugby players

Rugby is a collision sport, so injuries come with the game. But the sport has changed a lot in the last decade: lower tackle heights, stricter concussion rules and a free, proven warm-up all aim to keep players on the field. The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) says about 90% of sports injuries are non-surgical. This section is general information, not medical advice; if you’re hurt, see a professional.

The most common rugby injuries

• The tackle is the main cause: a 2023 review of 69 studies of youth rugby found the tackle caused 55% of match injuries in boys and 71% in girls.
• Sprains and lower-limb injuries: in the same review, ligament sprains were the most common injury type in boys and the lower limb the most common site; knee and ankle sprains lead the list.
• Concussion: the most common injury type in girls in that review, with the head and neck the most common site. In elite men’s rugby in England, 77% of tackle-related concussions happened to the tackler, not the ball carrier.
• Shoulders: a 2026 review of 37 studies found shoulder injuries happen far more in matches than in training, keep players out a long time and come mostly from tackling, usually to the tackler; a shoulder that dislocates can stay unstable.
• Teeth and face: a 2026 review found dental injuries in about 1 in 5 rugby players, which is why a mouthguard is standard kit.

Injury prevention: World Rugby’s Activate warm-up

Activate is World Rugby’s free injury-prevention program: a short warm-up of balance, strength, jumping and landing, and neck exercises, in one adult and three age-grade versions. It was built from two large trials in England. In 3,188 schoolboy players aged 14–18, teams that did the program three or more times a week had 72% fewer match injuries and 59% fewer concussions than the comparison teams. In adult men’s community clubs, the program was linked to 40% fewer lower-limb injuries and 60% fewer concussions. If your team has no structured warm-up, ask the coach about Activate; it’s free on World Rugby’s Passport site.

Lower tackles

Upright tackles are the ones most likely to cause head contact, so World Rugby has lowered the legal tackle height in community rugby. After two years of trials in 10 unions and more than 150,000 tackles studied, a law effective July 1, 2026 lets each union choose the waist or the base of the sternum as the highest legal tackle point. USA Rugby uses the sternum line for community rugby in 2026-27; MLR and WER keep the shoulder line. A study of five seasons of English pro rugby backs the idea: lower tackles reduced the chance of concussion for ball carriers, and tacklers were safest making contact with the torso.

Concussion: recognize and remove

The CDC’s HEADS UP program asks coaches and parents to watch for a player who looks dazed or confused or is slow to react, and to listen for headache, dizziness or balance problems, sensitivity to light or noise, trouble concentrating or feeling “off”. World Rugby’s rule for community and youth rugby is the same idea: Recognise and Remove.

• Remove any player with a suspected concussion immediately, and don’t let them back on that day.
• Don’t leave them alone in the first 24 hours; no alcohol, no driving; they need to see a healthcare professional.
• Return slowly: World Rugby’s community guidance sets a minimum 21-day stand-down from playing (the day of injury is day 0), with a staged return to sport.
• Call 911 for danger signs: seizures, worsening headache, repeated vomiting, growing drowsiness or confusion, one pupil larger than the other, or weakness or numbness.

Scrum caps don’t prevent concussion: a 2026 study of professional players found no protective effect from soft-padded headgear. Wear one for ears and cuts if you like, but technique, law and Recognise and Remove are what protect the brain.

Heat and hydration

Summer sevens tournaments mean several games in the sun on one day. The EPA notes that about 9,000 US high school athletes are treated for heat-related illness each year, and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recommends easing into the heat over 7–14 days. Drink between games, find shade, and call 911 for confusion, collapse or a very high body temperature; for exertional heat stroke, NATA recommends fast cold-water immersion by trained staff on site.

When to see a doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer

See a professional for pain that doesn’t settle, swelling, a knee that “pops” or gives way, a shoulder that slipped out or feels unstable, a joint you can’t put weight on, a broken or loose tooth, or any concussion signs. A sports medicine physician manages most sports injuries without surgery and refers to physical therapy or a surgeon when needed. A physical therapist guides rehab and return to play. Athletic trainers are licensed or regulated health care professionals in all 50 states; if your school or club has one, start there. Our rugby injuries page goes deeper.

Training and conditioning for rugby

Preseason: rugby needs repeated sprints, strength for contact and the fitness to keep working in rucks and mauls. Build it gradually: running intervals, speed and agility work (see our speed training equipment guide), and full-body strength with plenty of neck, shoulder and core work. Learn tackling technique before tackling at full speed: World Rugby’s free Tackle Ready resource breaks the tackle into tracking, preparation, connection, acceleration and finish.

In season: keep Activate or a similar warm-up going, ideally three times a week, keep some strength work and watch the total load. Many players track sleep, heart rate and training strain with a wearable (see Whoop vs Oura vs Garmin), and teams increasingly use GPS vests (see our GPS trackers for team sports).

Game day: the sports-nutrition position statement from the American College of Sports Medicine and two dietitians’ groups recommends a pre-exercise meal that is high in carbohydrate, moderate in protein, low in fat and fiber, made of familiar foods and eaten about 1–4 hours before. On hot tournament days many players add electrolytes (see our electrolyte powder guide).

Recovery after rugby games

After 80 minutes of contact, recovery starts with the basics. Sleep comes first: the CDC, citing the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, recommends 8–10 hours a night for teens and 7 or more for adults. Then real food and fluids; many players use a protein shake when a meal is hours away (see our protein powder guide).

Simple tools help many players feel better between games: a foam roller or massage gun for tight legs and backs, compression boots after a sevens weekend, and soft recovery shoes once the boots come off. They’re about comfort, not treatment; pain or swelling that doesn’t go away needs a professional. Our recovery tools guide compares them all.

Gear for rugby

Rugby needs less gear than football: boots, a mouthguard and a ball will get you started. Everything else must follow World Rugby Regulation 12, which allows only soft, thin padding.

• Mouthguard: USA Rugby says every player should wear one every time they play contact rugby, with nothing sticking out of the mouth (no football helmet strap).
• Boots: rugby or soccer boots; studs must meet World Rugby’s safety rules, and USA Rugby bans metal blades and screw-in studs made of mixed materials.
• Scrum cap and shoulder pads (optional): padding no thicker than 1 cm and carrying the World Rugby Approved label. No hard plastic of any kind.
• Ball size: size 5 for adults and older teens, size 4 and size 3 for younger players, depending on your league’s age-grade rules.

Three simple picks for a rugby bag: the Gilbert G-TR4000, a hand-stitched size 5 training ball (about $30); the OPRO Gold mouthguard, a self-fit guard with no strap (about $20); and the OOFOS OOahh Slide from our recovery shoes guide, for after the final whistle. Our rugby gear guide covers boots, scrum caps, pads and more.

For more after the game, browse Recovery & Regeneration and Training & Performance.

Rugby FAQs

What age can kids start rugby?

USA Youth & High School Rugby’s path starts at about age 5 with non-contact flag rugby. Tackling usually starts around U10 with tackles below the armpits, and full contact comes in the teens. Ask your state youth rugby organization how it runs each age grade.

How long is a rugby game?

A rugby union game is up to 80 minutes, two 40-minute halves, plus stoppages; youth games are shorter. Sevens games are two 7-minute halves (10-minute halves in finals). Rugby league is also 80 minutes.

What’s the difference between rugby union and rugby league?

Union has 15 players, contested rucks, mauls, scrums and lineouts, and a five-point try. League has 13 players, a four-point try and a play-the-ball after each tackle, with six tackles per set before the ball changes hands. Sevens is union’s laws with seven players.

Is rugby more dangerous than football?

Studies use different methods, so a fair head-to-head number is hard to find. Both are collision sports, and in both the tackle is where most injuries happen. What lowers the risk in rugby is good coaching of tackle technique, the lower tackle height, a warm-up like Activate and strict Recognise and Remove for concussion.

Do scrum caps prevent concussions?

No. Research hasn’t found that soft rugby headgear prevents head injuries. Scrum caps can help protect the ears and against cuts, and World Rugby allows them if they meet its 1 cm padding rule and carry the approval label.

Will rugby be at the LA28 Olympics?

Yes. Rugby sevens, men’s and women’s, with 12 teams each, at Carson Stadium. It will be sevens’ fourth Olympics since its debut in Rio in 2016.

Rugby asks a lot of the body, and the players who last are the ones who learn to tackle well, warm up, sleep and respect concussion. Keep exploring: rugby rules, youth rugby, Nutrition & Supplements for game days, our football guide for another collision sport, and every sport on our sports hub.