Rugby Try

The basic aim of rugby is to score a try. A try is when the team attacking puts the ball on the ground in the opposition's in-goal area. The in-goal area is the part of the field from the line that the goal posts are positioned along, widthwise across the field and back to the line behind the posts. It forms a rectangular area. The team that scores the try is awarded five points for having done so.

After a try is scored, the team that scored the try then has the opportunity to kick a conversion. The ball is placed up the field in line with the position along the try line, where the try was scored. The ball is kicked from this point between the goalposts. If successful, two points are awarded for the conversion.

A try is similar to a touchdown in American football with the major difference being that a try requires the player to touch the ball against the ground. In both forms of rugby the term touchdown refers only to the physical act of touching the ball down in the opposition's in-goal area.