The forwards join shoulder to shoulder, two to three rows deep to form a scrum. The scrum then matches against the opposing teams forwards and proceeds in a battle of brute strength. Their goal is to gain initial control of the ball. Scoring can then come from three possibilities. This is followed by a two point conversion which is also kicked through the scoring posts.
Strategies vary from country to country.
Ireland is known as a kicking team. Its players push and maneuver the oblong ball down the field with a combination of accurate short punts and drop kicks. The South African team, however, has a power game. Although the rules and strategies of rugby are as interesting as they are intricate, they are only the pencil outline to the colorful game that we know today. Rugby, world wide, has grown into not just a sport, but a culture.