Try
This article refers to the use of the word try in rugby football terminology.A
try (at goal) is the major way of scoring points in
rugby league and
rugby union. A
try is scored when a player grounds the ball in the opposition's in-goal area (on or behind the try line), or alternatively touching the goalposts and ground at the same time. The scoring player must be holding on to the ball and using downward pressure when it is grounded.
A try is analogous to a
touchdown in
American football with the major difference being that a try requires the ball to touch the ground. In both forms of rugby the term
touchdown refers only to the physical act of touching the ball down behind the goal line.
In rugby league a try is worth four points (increased from three in the early
1980s). In rugby union a try is worth five points; this point value having
varied over time. Though a try is worth less in rugby league it is much more the main method of scoring in the game as opposed to rugby union where there is also heavy reliance placed on
goals to accumulate points.
In both rugby league and in rugby union, if the referee believes that a try has been prevented by the defending team's misconduct, he may award the attacking team a
penalty try. Penalty tries are always awarded under the posts regardless of where the offence took place. In rugby union, the standard applied by the referee is that a try "probably" would have been scored. The referee does not have to be certain a try would have been scored. In rugby league, the referee must be left in no reasonable doubt that a try would otherwise have been scored, before a penalty try can be awarded.
When a try is scored, the scoring team gets to attempt a
conversion, which is a kick at goal to convert the try from one set of points into another larger set of points. The kick is taken at any point on the field of play in line with the point that the ball was touched down for the try, and parallel to the
touch-lines. This is so the kicker can position the ball in a more advantageous position to increase the chance of scoring. If successful, additional points are scored. For the conversion to be successful the ball must pass
over the crossbar and between the uprights. This kick at conversion in rugby union may take place as either a place kick or a
drop kick whereas in rugby league, a conversion may only take place as a place kick. Note, however, that in both
rugby sevens (usually, but not always, played under union rules) and
rugby league nines, conversions may only take place as drop kicks.
In both rugby union and rugby league a
conversion is worth two points; a successful kick at goal thus converts a five point try to seven and four point try to six for rugby union and rugby league respectively.
In early forms of rugby football the point of the game was to score
goals. A try was awarded for a touch down behind the posts; It had zero value itself, but allowed the team that touched down to
try to kick at goal without interference from the other team. This kick, if successful, would
convert a
try into a
goal.
Modern rugby and all derived forms now favour the try or touch down in place of goals and thus the try has a definite value, which has increased over time and now eclipses the value of a goal. In rugby league and rugby union, a conversion attempt is still given, but is simply seen as adding extra points, converting four points for a rugby league try to six or five points for a rugby union try to seven.
*
Drop/field goals*
Line-out*
Penalty*
Rugby league*
Rugby union*
Scrum*
Touchdown
