Difference Between Rugby & Soccer
Rugby and soccer are two of the main team sports in the U.K. and many other parts of the world. The popularity of these sports globally is such that each has a world cup competition that is held every four years. They both originate from the U.K. and both use a ball, but beyond that the two sports are very different.
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Basic Rules
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The biggest difference between the two games revolves around how you move with the ball. In soccer, you advance the ball with your feet, head, chest -- any body part except the hands and arms. Only the goalkeeper can pick up the ball, and then only when he's inside the penalty area. In rugby, players carry the ball while they run and also boot it forward to gain territory. In soccer, players pass the ball forward, backwards or to either side. Rugby only allows backward passes.
Field of Play
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Both sports have rectangular fields in common. The rugby field measures 328 feet in length with an additional 72-foot long goal area (also called a "try" area) at each end. The width of the playing field is no greater than 229 feet. A soccer field can be between 295 to 393 feet in length and 147 to 295 feet wide. An 18-by-44-yard penalty area sits at the end of each soccer field.
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Equipment
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Unless you're playing at a high level, rugby and soccer have few requirements for equipment. Only the goal posts, ball and cleats are really necessary to play -- and some players in certain parts of the world don't even need cleats. In most organized leagues, soccer players must wear shin guards. Soccer goals measure 8 feet in height and 24 feet across and perch on the end line. Rugby goals, like American football goal posts, look like a big H. The distance from the ground to the crossbar measures just under 10 feet, with the uprights extending up a further 11 feet. The width of the goal posts measures just over 18 feet. Soccer balls are round while rugby balls resemble American footballs, only bigger.
Scoring System
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You score in different ways in soccer and rugby. In soccer, you score a goal when you propel the ball with your head, feet or other legal body part into the goal. Rugby has several ways to score, the main way being to cross the line between the field of play and in-goal area. Once past the line, a player has to touch the ball on the ground with the hand to score five points. This is called a "try." A conversion kick follows a try. It's taken from a position in the field that corresponds to where the player touched the ball in the goal area. The conversion kick must pass between the uprights to score two more points. Penalty kicks can be awarded for game infringements. They must also split the uprights to gain three points.
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References
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