A Game that started out as a simple pastime has been transformed into a
global network around which vast stadia have been built, an intricate
administrative structure created and complex strategies devised. Rugby Union,
in common with any activity that attracts the interest and enthusiasm of all
kinds of people, has many sides and faces.
Apart from the playing of the Game and its ancillary support, Rugby
embraces a number of social and emotional concepts such as courage, loyalty,
sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork.
What this Charter does is to give the Game a checklist against which the
mode of play and behaviour can be assessed.
The objective is to ensure that Rugby maintains its unique character
both on and off the field.
The Charter covers the basic principles of Rugby as they relate to
playing and coaching, and to the creation and application of the Laws. It is hoped that the Charter, which is an
important complement to the Laws of the Game, will set the standards for all
those who are involved in Rugby, at whatever level.
Integrity
Integrity is central to the fabric of the Game and is generated through
honesty and fair play.
Conduct
The legend of William Webb Ellis, who is credited with first picking up
the football and running with it, has doggedly survived the countless
revisionist theories since that day at Rugby School in 1823. That the Game should have its origins in an
act of spirited defiance is somehow appropriate.
At first glance it is difficult to find the guiding principles behind a
Game which, to the casual observer, appears to be a mass of
contradictions. It is perfectly
acceptable, for example, to be seen to be exerting extreme physical pressure on
an opponent in an attempt to gain possession of the ball, but not wilfully or
maliciously to inflict injury.
These are the boundaries within which players and referees must operate
and it is the capacity to make this fine distinction, combined with control and
discipline, both individual and collective, upon which the code of conduct
depends.
Spirit
Rugby owes much of its appeal to the fact that it is played both to the
letter and within the Spirit of the Laws.
The responsibility for ensuring that this happens lies not with one
individual - it involves coaches, captains, players and referees.
It is through discipline, control and mutual respect that the Spirit of
the Game flourishes and, in the context of a Game as physically challenging as
Rugby, these are the qualities which forge the fellowship and sense of fair
play so essential to the Game’s ongoing success and survival.
Old fashioned traditions and virtues they may be, but they have stood
the test of time and, at all levels at which the Game is played, they remain as
important to Rugby’s future as they have been throughout its long and
distinguished past. The principles of
Rugby are the fundamental elements upon which the Game is based and they enable
participants to immediately identify the Game’s character and what makes it
distinctive as a sport.
Passion
Rugby people have a passionate enthusiasm for the Game. Rugby generates excitement, emotional
attachment and a sense of belonging to the global Rugby family
Object
The object of the Game is that two teams, each of fifteen players,
observing fair play, according to the Laws and in a sporting spirit should, by
carrying, passing, kicking and grounding the ball, score as many points as
possible.
Rugby is played by men and women and by boys and girls world wide. More than three million people aged from 6-60
regularly participate in the playing of the Game.
The wide variation of skills and physical requirements needed for the
Game mean that there is an opportunity for individuals of every shape, size and
ability to participate at all levels
.
Contest and Continuity
The contest for possession of the ball is one of Rugby’s key features.
These contests occur throughout the Game and in a number of different forms:
- in
contact
- in
general play
- when
play is re-started at scrums, lineouts and kick-offs.
Solidarity
Rugby provides a unifying spirit that leads to life-long friendships,
camaraderie, teamwork and loyalty which transcends cultural, geographic,
political and religious differences.
The contests are balanced in such a way as to reward superior skill
displayed in the preceding action. For example,
a team forced to kick for touch because of its inability to maintain the play,
is denied the throw-in to the lineout.
Similarly, the team knocking the ball on or passing the ball forward is
denied the throw-in at the subsequent scrum.
The advantage then must always lie with the team throwing the ball in,
although, here again, it is important that these areas of play can be fairly
contested.
It is the aim of the team in possession to maintain continuity by
denying the opposition the ball and, by skilful means, to advance and score
points. Failure to do this will mean the
surrendering of possession to the opposition either as a result of shortcomings
on the part of the team in possession or because of the quality of the
opposition defence.
Contest and
continuity, profit and loss.
As one team attempts to maintain continuity of possession, the opposing
team strives to contest for possession.
This provides the essential balance between continuity of play and
continuity of possession. This balance
of contestability and continuity applies to both set piece and general play.
Discipline
Discipline is an integral part of the Game, both on and off the field,
and is reflected through adherence to the Laws, the Regulations and Rugby's
core values. The principles upon which the Laws of the Game are based are:
A Sport For All
The Laws provide players of different physiques, skills, genders and
ages with the opportunity to participate at their levels of ability in a
controlled, competitive and enjoyable environment. It is incumbent upon all who play Rugby to
have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Laws of the Game.
Maintaining the Identity
The Laws ensure that Rugby’s distinctive features are maintained through
scrums, lineouts, mauls, rucks, kick-offs and re-starts. Also the key features relating to contest and
continuity - the backward pass, the offensive tackle.
Enjoyment and Entertainment
The Laws provide the framework for a Game that is both enjoyable to play
and entertaining to watch. If, on occasions, these objectives appear to be
incompatible, enjoyment and entertainment are enhanced by enabling the players
to give full rein to their skills. To
achieve the correct balance, the Laws are constantly under review.
Respect
Respect for team-mates, opponents, match officials and those involved in
the Game is paramount
Application
There is an over-riding obligation on the players to observe the Laws
and to respect the principles of fair play. The Laws must be applied in such a way as to ensure that the Game is
played according to the principles of play. The referee and touch judges can
achieve this through fairness, consistency, sensitivity and, at the highest
levels, management. In return, it is the
responsibility of coaches, captains and players to respect the authority of the
match officials.
Conclusion
Rugby is valued as a sport for men and women, boys and girls. It builds teamwork, understanding,
co-operation and respect for fellow athletes.
Its cornerstones are, as they always have been: the pleasure of
participating; the courage and skill which the Game demands; the love of a team
sport that enriches the lives of all involved; and the lifelong friendships
forged through a shared interest in the Game.
It is because of, not despite, Rugby’s intensely physical and athletic
characteristics that such great camaraderie exists before and after
matches. The long standing tradition of
players from competing teams enjoying each other’s company away from the pitch
and in a social context, remains at the very core of the Game.
Rugby has fully embraced the professional era, but has retained the
ethos and traditions of the recreational Game.
In an age in which many traditional sporting qualities are being diluted
or even challenged, Rugby is rightly proud of its ability to retain high
standards of sportsmanship, ethical behaviour and fair play. It is hoped that this Charter will help
reinforce those cherished values.
