There are a lot of rules in rugby, some of them really strange, but here are the basic ones. A rugby team is made up of 15 players. There are 8 forwards, who concentrate on winning possession, and seven backs, whose chief job it is to advance the ball. All players, though, get involved in offense, defense, and both the grunt work and the glory. Players advance an oval ball by running with it or kicking it.
Forward passes are illegal.
When a player is tackled, play continues as both teams try to gain possession. If the ballcarrier is taken to the ground, he must place the ball and release it. Ideally he will place the ball back toward his teammates. Some of his teammates then link up and drive over the ball, creating a protective wall around the ball. Then the ball is passed out and run again.