Welcome to the Beginner's Corner!

The Thorns RFC is always looking for new players of all ages and abilities. You can join at any point in the season.  No experience is required, we will introduce you to the great game of rugby.  A lack of experience is not a problem. Your coaches and teammates will go out of their way to teach you the skills you will need.  Many of our players had never played rugby before they joined our club.  We also welcome experienced players that may be moving to the central Pennsylvania area or want to transfer from another club.  To join, simply show up at a practice. Feel free to email our President at thornsrugby@yahoo.com for more information.

Make sure you check out the Rugby Basics Page for an introduction to the game.

During the season, practices are held two days a week with games on Saturdays. You can expect on average three away games per season. We offer carpools to both practices and games. Below you will find help lists of what to bring to practices and games.

Rugby gear can be purchased online at World Rugby Shop, Rugby Imports, Red Rhino, or Godek.

10.  Lots of energy!

RUGBY DICTIONARY

Backs - the group of players normally numbered 9 through 15 who do not participate in scrums and lineouts, except for the scrumhalf.

Binding - the careful method players grip and grasp each other to form a secure scrum, ruck, or maul. This is a critical skill to ensure the safety of players.

Center - either of the backs wearing No. 12 (inside) or No. 13 (outside). Powerful runners who are the heart of the back running attack and defense. The inside centre can also be called the 2nd 5/8th.

Chip Kick - a short shallow kick usually delivered over the head of an onrushing defender to be quickly retrieved or caught by the kicker or one of his/her supporting players.

Conversion Kick - a kick at the posts after the awarding of a try scoring two points if successful. The kick must be attempted directly from a spot perpendicular to the spot where the try was awarded. Usually taken with a place kick, it can be rushed when the kicker makes a move towards the ball. If taken as a drop kick it is uncontested.

Drop Goal - a kick at the posts taken at anytime a side is close to their own try line. If successful it scores three points but the ball must hit the ground before being kicked.

Eagles - the national team of the United States of America.

Free Kick - an uncontested kick awarded to a team usually for a minor penalty by the other team. The kick cannot be taken directly at the posts except by a drop goal.

Front Row - the common name for the Prop/Hooker/Prop combination at the front of a scrum.

Fullback - the back wearing No. 15 who normally plays deep behind the backline. In offense the fullback is a dangerous attacking position hitting holes unexpectedly at pace, in defense the fullback has primary responsibility for covering all tactical kicks down field by the opposition.

Grubber - a kick of the ball that causes the ball to bounce and roll along the ground.

Hooker - the frontrow forward wearing No. 2. The player is supported on either side in the scrum by props and is required to gain possession of the ball in the scrum by hooking or blocking the ball with one of his/her feet. The hooker will normally also be the forward through the ball into the lineout.

Inside Center - the back wearing No. 12. See Centers

Jumper - a common name for a rugby jersey. Also the name of a player in a lineout, usually at the 2,4, and 6 positions, jumping to catch or intercept the throw.

Offsides - during rucks, scrums, lineouts, and mauls an imaginary line is present over which any player crossing before the set piece is completed commits a penalty.

Outside Center - the back wearing No. 13. See Center.

Pack - another name for all the forwards usually when they are bound for a scrum.

Penalty - any number of infractions or violations that award the other team a kick.

Penalty Kick - an uncontested kick awarded to a team for a major infraction by the other team. The kick can be taken directly at goal and scores 3 points if successful. If the ball is kicked to touch, then the ball is awarded back to the team that kicked the ball out of bounds.

Penalty Try - the awarding of a try due to a flagrant violation by an opposing side that prevents an obvious try from being scored.

Pitch - the field upon which a rugby match is played.

Place Kick - a kick of the ball resting on the ground, placed in an indention in the ground, from a small pile of sand, or from a kicking tee. Place kicks are used to start each half, for penalty kicks at goal, or for conversion kicks after a try has been awarded.

Touch judge - an official posted on each side of the pitch to mark the spot where balls go out of touch and to judge kicks at goal. The touch judge is also instrumental in pointing out any serious violence infractions not seen by the referee.

Try - a score of 5 points awarded when the ball is carried or kicked across the tryline and touched down to the ground by a player.

Tryline - the goal line extending across the pitch.

Tunnel - the gap between the front rows in a scrum or the gap between the two lines of forwards in a lineout.

William Webb Ellis - Mr. William Webb Ellis is the person, as a student at Rugby School, credited with inspiring the modern game of rugby football in 1823. He later became a priest and passed away in Southern France. (He is in the dictionary twice because we are very thankful for this game.)

Wing/Winger - either of the two backs wearing No. 11 or No. 14. Each will normally stay on the same side of the back line they are on throughout the match and are typically expected to be the fastest sprinters in the side. Wingers also have key duties during defense helping the fullback cover kicks and counterattacking.

Ellis, William Webb - Mr. William Webb Ellis is the person, as a student at Rugby School, credited with inspiring the modern game of rugby football in 1823. He later became a priest and passed away in Southern France.

Fifteens - the name of the most common game of rugby union featuring fifteen total players per side. Each team consists of 8 forwards and 7 backs playing two halves each 40 minutes long.

Flanker - either of the two forwards wearing No. 6 or No. 7. Also called wing forwards or breakaways they bind to the scrum outside of the locks just behind the outside hip of the props. They can play always on the same side of the scrum or can specialize on either the weakside or strongside. The players with the fewest set responsibilities, their job is to aggressively pursue the ball, gain possession, and take off running. Also known as Breakaway Forward.

Flyhalf - the back wearing No. 10 who normally receives the ball from the scrumhalf. Also called the Outhalf, Outside half or 1st 5/8th, he/she will call plays for the backline, pass the ball to other backs, or provide most of the tactical kicks. Also known as First 5/8th.

Foot Up - an offense where a hooker brings his foot into the scrum's tunnel before the ball is fed by the scrumhalf.

Forward Pass - an illegal pass to a player ahead of the ball causing the ball to be awarded to the other team in a scrum.

Forwards - the group of players normally numbered 1 through 8 who bind together into scrums, lineup for lineouts, and commit themselves to most rucks and mauls.

Knock On - losing, dropping, or knocking the ball forward from a player's hand resulting in the ball being awarded to the other team in a scrum.

Lineout - the setplay restarting play after the ball has been taken out or kicked to touch. Both sets of forwards will line up opposite each other with the side with throw calling a play. The throw must be directly down the middle of the two lines.

Loosehead - the No. 1 prop in a scrum due to his head being outside the opposition's tighthead prop's shoulders. See Prop.

Loose Forwards - common names for the flankers and No. 8 in a forward pack.

Mark - a location on the pitch designated by the referee as the location a scrum should come together. Also a word a player will call while catching a kicked ball within his own 22-meter line. If awarded by the referee, that back is awarded a free kick.

Maul - typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball is still being held by a player once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a maul has been set. The primary difference from a ruck is that the ball is not on the ground.

Number 8 - the forward who wears the jersey with the No. 8. This player binds into the scrum normally at the very base between the two locks. His/her responsibility is to initiate attacks by the forwards from scrums or to provide a stable ball from the scrum for the scrumhalf.

Prop - either of the two forwards normally wearing No. 1 (loosehead) or No. 3 (tighthead). Responsibilities are to support the hooker during scrums and 2nd rows during lineouts.

Restart - the kick restarting play after a half or after points are scored.

Ruck - typically after a runner has come into contact and the ball has been delivered to the ground once any combination of at least three players have bound themselves a ruck has been set. The primary difference from a maul is that the ball is on the ground.

Scrum - the formation used in the setplay restarting play after a knock-on or forward pass. The forwards from each side bind together and then the two packs come together to allow the scrumhalf with the feed to deliver the ball to the scrum. A scrum can also be awarded or chosen in different circumstances by the referee.

Scrumdown - the coming together of the scrum.

Scrumhalf - the back wearing No. 9 who normally feeds the ball into a scrum and retrieves the ball at the base of scrums, rucks, and mauls. Can also be called the halfback.

Second row - either of the two forwards normally wearing No. 4 and No. 5. Typically the largest players on the field, they have primary responsibility for being the power in scrums and securing the ball in lineouts. Due to their size, they are also normally powerful forces in all loose play, rucks, and mauls. Also known as Lock.

Tight Five - a common name for the front (props and hooker) and second row (locks) forwards. Also known as Front Five.

Tighthead - the No. 3 prop in a scrum due to his head being between the opposition's hooker and loosehead prop's shoulders. A scrum can also win a tighthead by taking possession of the ball in a scrum fed by the other pack.

Touch, touchline - the out of bounds line that runs on either side of the pitch. The non-contact version of rugby is also commonly called touch.