Rugby

Rugby is a quick arcade rugby sevens game where your Dinos take on the CPU Comets on a top-down field. Seven players a side keeps the field open and easy to read: you carry the ball yourself, pass to your support runners, ground the ball for tries and kick conversions on a timing meter. You can play this rugby game free in your browser with no download, on a keyboard or a phone’s touch screen.

How to play

The Dinos always attack up the screen and the Comets attack down it. The Dinos gather the first-half kick-off at their own 22-meter line, and the Comets gather the second-half kick-off.

• Run: move the ball carrier with the arrow keys or WASD, or the virtual stick on a touch screen. Your six teammates keep a staggered support line behind you on both sides.
• Pass: press Space or the PASS button. Hold left or right while you pass to pick the side, or pass with the stick centered to find the nearest teammate. A dashed line shows who will get the ball. Yellow means a legal pass. Red means the pass would travel forward.
• Score a try: carry the ball over the Comets’ try line into the in-goal area. You can keep running in goal to move closer to the posts, then press PASS or Space to ground it. The ball is grounded for you after a moment, or as soon as a defender reaches you.
• Defend: when the Comets have the ball you control the defender with the white ring. Run into the ball carrier to tackle, or press Space or TACKLE to dive at him. Press K, E or SWITCH to take over the defender nearest the ball.

Rules and scoring

The rules are a simplified version of rugby sevens, using the same points as rugby union.

• Try: 5 points.
• Conversion: 2 points. It is kicked from 15 meters out, in line with the spot where the try was grounded, so a try near the posts gives an easier kick than one in the corner.
• Penalty goal: 3 points. Penalties are given at some rucks, for offences such as not releasing the ball. If you win one within 40 meters of the posts, choose to kick at goal or tap and go.
• Drop goal: 3 points. Press K or KICK while carrying the ball within 40 meters of the posts. It is harder from wide angles, from long range and with a defender close to you.

Kicks at goal use a timing meter. A needle swings across a bar, and you press while it is inside the green zone. The zone shrinks for longer kicks and wider angles. A missed penalty or drop goal gives the other team the ball at its 22.

A forward pass is penalized with a scrum to the other team, which this game simplifies to a turnover where the pass was thrown. Running into touch also hands the ball over. When a carrier is tackled, a short ruck forms and the attacking team usually recycles the ball, but the defense can win a turnover. After every score, the team that conceded gathers a simplified kick-off at its own 22.

Each half lasts 3:00 of game clock, which runs during open play and rucks. When the hooter sounds, play continues until the next stoppage, such as a tackle, a turnover, touch or a score. A conversion after a last-second try is still taken. At full time you get the score by half with tries for each team, and your win-loss-draw record is saved in your browser.

Tips

• Stay ahead of your support. Your teammates trail behind you, which keeps passes legal. If you run backwards, a teammate can end up level with or ahead of you, and the line turns red.
• Pass late. Draw the defender toward you, then pass to the side with more space.
• Score near the posts. Running across the in-goal area before you ground the ball makes the conversion much easier.

Want more sports? Try Baseball for a home run derby, or Penalty Shootout for soccer spot kicks.

FAQ

Is Rugby free?

Yes. It runs in your browser for free, with no download or sign-up.

Why did my pass give the ball away?

It traveled forward. In rugby the ball may only be passed backwards or sideways, and the game checks where the ball was caught against where it was thrown.

Does it work on phones?

Yes. On a touch screen you get a virtual stick and two buttons whose labels change with the situation. Touching the game does not scroll the page.

Can I pause the game?

Press P or Esc, or tap the field to resume. The game also pauses if you switch to another tab.