FAQ's

Please review the FAQs listed below which may answer your question. If the FAQs dont help then you can contact us via the link at the bottom of the page.

1. What is the method of play for Rugby League?
2. How do you score points in Rugby League?
3. Where can i find St. Helens Registered Office?

1. What is the method of play for Rugby League?

   Play commences once the ball has been kicked off from the ground in the centre of the field by one team to the other. The longer the kick, the more advantageous, as this forces the team receiving the ball to return it from deeper within their own territory. However a kick that is too large or misdirected and goes out of the field of play without first bouncing in it results in a penalty being awarded to the non-kicking team.

   Each team is responsible for defending their end of the field, and they take turns throughout a game at defending and attacking. At half-time (the 40th minute of the game), the teams have a 5 minute break, then swap ends before resuming play.

   The team with possession of the football is the attacking team. The primary aim of the attacking team is to 'work' the ball out from their own end of the field, into a more favourable position towards the opposition's end, and score a try by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area or on the try-line. In some circumstances the attacking team may opt to kick a one-point field goal instead of attempting to score a try. Scoring will at least involve first gaining field position and, in the case of scoring a try, will almost certainly involve breaking the opposition's defensive line.

   The objective of the defensive side is to obviously prevent the attacking side from scoring and obtaining their shorter term objectives. The defensive team carries out these objectives by:

   • maintaining the defensive line
   • providing last ditch defenders
   • preventing a try

   Favourable field position is an important aim in rugby league, a goal present in the minds of players at almost all times. Possession of the football is also a very important and greatly-valued factor in the sport. While teams will swap possession of the ball several times in a game, they will generally try to limit the opposition's time in possession as much as possible by trying to minimise ball-handling errors and penalties conceded (which always result in a changeover of possession).

   Sourced from Wikipedia 2008-08-20

2. How do you score points in Rugby League?

   There are three ways to score points in rugby league: tries, conversion/penalty goals and field goals.

   • The try is worth four points and is the primary means of scoring in rugby league. To successfully score a try the ball must be placed on the ground within the designated in-goal area (or on the try-line itself) by applying positive downward pressure with the hand or forearm without losing control of the ball. This is referred to as grounding the football. If the player scoring the try is also being tackled at the same time, the try must be completed before or at the moment the tackle is completed. Occasionally, when it is deemed that a try would certainly have been scored were it not for a rule infringement of a defending player, a "penalty try" can be awarded (instead of a regular penalty) directly under the goal posts regardless of where the offence took place. Because of the certainty the referee must have that the try would have been scored, penalty tries are quite uncommon.

   • Both conversion goals and penalty goals are worth two points and are attempted from place kicks from the ground, not in general play.
     • Following every try, the scoring team has a chance to convert the try from four points to six; This is known as a 'conversion' and the resulting six point total is commonly referred to as a 'converted try'. The position of the place kick is dependent on the imaginary line perpendicular to the goal line from the point that the try was scored. The kick can be taken as close or as far from the try-line as the kicker likes, but must be in line with the point where the ball was grounded for the try. This leads to try-scorers sometimes trying to "improve field position" for the kicker, when able to, by grounding the football as close to the goal-posts as possible.
     • When an attacking team is awarded a penalty they are given the choice of taking a penalty kick from the point that the offence took place, or continuing their attack with a new set of six tackles. Depending on the proximity to the goal posts and other circumstances of the game, the team's captain will choose what he feels is the most appropriate option.

   • The field goal is worth only one point and it is attempted during general play by a drop kick. Attempting a field goal in favour of a try when in good field position is often a last ditch attempt to secure a win late in a close game when the scores are within a converted try of each other. It is also a common way to win a match that goes into golden point extra time. Less commonly, field goals will be attempted just before half-time, to secure the most points scored in the first half.

   information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_rugby_league 2008-08-20

3. Where can i find St. Helens Registered Office?

   Registered Office:

   St. Helens Rugby Football Club Limited

   Dunriding Lane
   St.Helens
   Merseyside
   WA10 4AD

   information from http://www.saintsrlfc.com/clubinfo/71 2008-08-20

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