The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-02-21
Foot Ball.

drop from your hands on to the ground,
and kicking it the very instant it rises.
2. A place kick, or place, is kicking the
ball after it has been placed on the
ground in small nick made with the
heel for that purpose. 3. A punt con-
sists in letting the ball fall from your
hands, and kicking it before it touches
the ground. 4. A maui outside goal
line takes place when player holding
the ball is held by one or more players
of the opposite side, and if he cannot
get free from them, or give the ball to
some other of his own side mot i'm front
of him), who can run with it, he cries,
"Have it down." when 3. A serum
mage commences, i. e., the hOlder}puts
the ball down on the ground, and all
who have closed round on their respec-
tive sides, begin kicking at the ball. 6.
A fair catch is catch from a kick, or 4
knock from the hand, but not from
the arm of the opposite side, or throw
on, when the catcher makes mark
with his heel, provided 10 one else on
his side touches the ball. The ground
on which the game is played is gener-
ally about l4O yards long by 70 broad
between the lines of goal, and extends
To distance of 20 yards or so behind
them, so as to allow plenty of space for
run in, when the ball has to be touched
down behind goal. From each goal a
line is cut in the turf to the edge
of the ground; all behind on this line
is in goal. A similar line is cut on
each side of the ground, called the line
of touch, Oh passing over which the
ball is out Of play. Behind the touch
line, and also behind the goal-line, is
touch-in-goal, where the ball is given
up to the defending side to start afrcsh.
The goals are upright posts Of indei-
mite height, from 10 to 16 feet, usually,
with cross-bar 10 feet from the
ground joining them, over which the
ball must be kicked to score a goal. The
posts are Is feet and 6 inches apart. In
a game played with 20 on a side, each
captain arranges his men as follows:
Two of the best at starting quickly and
dodging, he places "half-back" to play
about ten yards behind the scrummages
and get away with the ball at top speed
makes its appearance through
the forest of legs; about 20 yards in
rear of the half-backs are three "backs,"
adopts at running, "tackling" and
drop-kicking, for they form the last
hope Of the side; the remaining 10 play
ers are forwards, following up close
on the ball, and forming scrummage
round it whenever it is held and cannot
be run with. There is no gOal-keeper
in Rugby match, as the ball has to be
kicked over and not under certain
height, and his services would be use
Jess; consequently, every man on either
side is in active play throughout the
game. Winning the toss gives choice
of goals, or, ifthe winner has no choice,
he may take kickoff, and leave his OPP
ponent to choose the goal he prefers.
Kickoff must be place-kick from the
centre of the ground, the ball being
kicked from the ground, where it rests
in small nick made by the heel, and
the opposing side may not come within
ten yards of it. Both sides being ready,
the ball is kicked off high in the air, to
allow of the side getting as close to the
backs" as possible before one Of them
has caught it, and can take his drop or
get well off round to the touch-line, and
so away out of dangerous proximity to
the goal. He is a little too quick for
-hem though, and sends the ball flying
back over their heads to one Of their
'half-backs," who, before he can get
into his stride, is tackled by three or
four opponents at once, and brought to
.he ground with run. The "for-
wards" of each side hurry up, and
is instantly formed. Each
fifteen facing their opponents goal,
packed round the ball shoulder to shoul-
Ter, leg to leg, as tight as they can
stand, the 80 thus forming a. round,
mass, with the ball in the mid
lie. Directly the holder of the ball has
succeeded in forcing it down to the
he shouts "Down," and busi-
ness may he commenced at once. Each
fifteen, being bent on driving the ball
through the ranks Of their opponents.
set to work to push, struggle and kick,
forcing, if possible, passage through
which the ball may emerge. Out it
comes at last, kicked straight into the
hands of an active half-back, who gets
lway round the scrummage and lodges
,he nearest half-back of his opponents.
before the forwards" have extricated
from the crush. He is not
destined, however, to make any further
toward the enemy's quarters,
FOR the centre man of the three "backs" ]
{ upon him, and, tackling him fairly
round the waist, gives him 10 chance
If escape or passing the ball, so that he
s fain to cry, "Have it down." without t
'urther delay. Another scrummage Is &
formed similar to the first, but the place /
$ now nearer the line of touch, and the /
,all emerging at the side, is driven q
,ver the line and touched down to one d
If the half-backs. The two sides now '
'orm in lines facing each other, and
stretching from touch far out into the G
ground, and the ball is thrown out from a
he touch-line on level with the spot a
where it first touches the ground when t
clicked out Of play, If the player who q