How to Play Rugby — Mauls and Rucks

Rucks and Mauls occur when the defending team stops the attacking team. The main difference between the two, is whether the ball is “on the ground” or “in the air”. One way to remember the difference: Ruck in the Muck and Be Tall in the Maul.

	A ruck is formed when the attacking ball carrier is tackled to the ground. When this happens, the player in possession must release the ball to the ground. The two teams will then ruck over and try to get possession of the ball. The ruck is not a melee. There are rules that the Referee enforces quite strictly. A few are: No player on the ground can handle the ball. The players must “bind” together Players must enter the ruck from behind.
Getting tackled in rugby does not stop play, as in American football. With the successful “re-cycling” of the ball, a tackle and a ruck is actually a good thing. The attack continues!
	The laws of the maul are essentially the same as for the ruck. Players from both teams will join the maul and try to push the formation down the field. The players must stay on their feet, and cannot intentionally collapse the maul.