Rugby is a team sport that's popular all over the world. It is a variation of soccer and an ancestor to American football that uses a large, oval-shaped ball. The object of the game is to score points by either carrying the rugby ball across the goal line or kicking it for a field goal. Rugby is a simple sport featuring few rules and little required equipment.
Rugby Ball
Rugby balls are shaped like a larger, overstuffed footballs and tend to be white or yellow in color. The ball is big enough that it is usually carried against the body with one or two arms, most often on the stomach area.
Goal Post
This can be the toughest piece of equipment to round up for a rugby game, since field goal posts are large, metal structures that are anchored into the ground. Rugby fields have similar dimensions to a football field, and in the United States, football fields routinely serve as venues for rugby matches because of the field goal posts.
Rugby Boots/Footwear
Special rugby boots are similar to soccer shoes in that they have cleats on the bottom of the shoe to grip the turf. Rugby boots provide more protection to the ankle, which is important in a sport where tackling is a major component. While boots are not necessary, cleats are almost essential--they will give you more traction in scrums and when tackling, and they'll help keep you on your feet as the turf gradually gets torn up.
Mouth Guard and Helmet
Due to the violent nature of rugby and the potential for injury, mouth guards are recommended equipment that can save your teeth. You can play without a mouth guard, but it's not unusual for those who routinely play without one to have a few teeth missing.
Helmets are also an optional piece of equipment often worn by the players most likely to batter their head and incur a head injury. These helmets are thinly padded and conform to the head, unlike the hard helmets in football, hockey and basketball. Helmets are more common at the beginner levels, when technique and the understanding of the game is much less developed.
Shin guards
Just as in soccer, kicking can deal potentially painful blows to a rugby player's lower legs, especially during a scrum. Shin guards offer a layer of protection that can prevent injury at one of the more commonly damaged locations.
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