quarter

en-noun

quarter (countable and uncountable, plural quarters)

From Middle English quarter, from Anglo-Norman quarter, from Latin quartarius, from quartus. Compare Spanish cuarto (“room, quarters; quarter”). Doublet of quartier.

cog

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-quarter.wav

(now rare, rugby, American football) A quarterback.


take

Brill Publishers
Helmut Rix
Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben

From Middle English taken (“to take, lay hold of, grasp, strike”), from Old English tacan (“to grasp, touch”), of North Germanic origin, from Old Norse taka (“to touch, take”), from Proto-Germanic *tēkaną (“to touch”), from pre-Germanic *deh₁g- (“to touch”), possibly a phonetically altered form of Proto-Indo-European *te-th₂g- (“to touch, take”) (see there for details).
Cognate with Scots tak, Icelandic and Norwegian Nynorsk taka (“to take”), Norwegian Bokmål ta (“to take”), Swedish ta (“to take”), Danish tage (“to take, seize”), Middle Dutch taken (“to grasp”), Dutch taken (“to take; grasp”), Middle Low German tacken (“to grasp”). English thack may be from the same root. Compare tackle. Unrelated to Lithuanian tèkti (“to receive, be granted”), which is instead cognate with English thig (“to beg”).
Gradually displaced Middle English nimen (“to take”; see nim), from Old English niman (“to take”).

noncog

(rugby, cricket) A catch of the ball (in cricket, especially one by the wicket-keeper).


bomb

From French bombe, from Italian bomba, from Latin bombus (“a booming sound”), from Ancient Greek βόμβος (bómbos, “booming, humming, buzzing”), imitative of the sound itself. Doublet of bombe. Compare boom.

onomatopoeic

imitative

(social) Something highly effective or attractive.

(rugby, soccer, slang) A high kick that sends the ball relatively straight up so players can get under it before it comes down.


league

en-noun

league (countable and uncountable, plural leagues)

→ Japanese: リーグ (rīgu)

→ Korean: 리그 (rigeu)

From Middle English liege, ligg, lige (“a pact between governments, an agreement, alliance”), from Middle French ligue, from Italian lega, from the verb legare, from Latin ligō (“I tie”).

Are you going to watch the league tonight?

(informal, rugby, uncountable) Ellipsis of rugby league.


boomerang

→ Japanese: ブーメラン (būmeran)

Australian rules football
Australian rules football

(Australian rules football, rugby) A boomerang kick.


hack

en-verb

hack (third-person singular simple present hacks, present participle hacking, simple past and past participle hacked)

hacks (present singular third-person)
hacking (participle present)
hacked (participle past)
hacked (past)

Spanish: jaquear

From Middle English hacken, hakken, from Old English *haccian (“to hack”), from Proto-West Germanic *hakkōn, from Proto-Germanic *hakkōną (“to chop; hoe; hew”), from Proto-Indo-European *keg-, *keng- (“to be sharp; peg; hook; handle”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian häkje (“to hack”), West Frisian hakje (“to hack”), Dutch hakken (“to chop up; hack”), German hacken (“to chop; hack; hoe”), Danish hakke (“to chop”), Swedish hacka (“to hack; chop”), French hacher (“to chop”).
The computer senses date back to at least 1955 when it initially referred to creative problem solving. By 1963, the negative connotations of “black hat” or malicious hacking had become associated with telephone hacking (cf. phreaking).

اِخْتَرَقَ

to gain illegal access to a computer network

Barcelona had been harried and hurried and stretched thin by the midway point in the second half. Tackles flew in. Toes were crushed, shins barked, ankles hacked.

8 May 2019, Barney Ronay, “Liverpool’s waves of red fury and recklessness end in joyous bedlam”, in The Guardian:

(soccer and rugby) To kick (a player) on the shins.


maul

From Middle English malle (“mace, maul”), from Anglo-Norman mail, from Old French mail, from Latin malleus (“hammer”). Doublet of malleus.

(rugby) A situation where the player carrying the ball, who must be on his feet, is held by one or more opponents, and one or more of the ball carrier's team mates bind onto the ball carrier.


loose

From Middle English loos, los, lous, from Old Norse lauss, from Proto-Germanic *lausaz, whence also -less, leasing; from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- (“to untie, set free, separate”), whence also lyo-, -lysis, via Ancient Greek.

der

The defeat will leave manager Martin Johnson under pressure after his gamble of pairing Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood at 10 and 12 failed to ignite the England back line, while his forwards were repeatedly second best at the set-piece and in the loose.

2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France:

(rugby) All play other than set pieces (scrums and line-outs).


scissors

en-noun

scissors pl (plural only, attributive scissor)

scissor (attributive)
cizars (alternative obsolete)
cizers (alternative obsolete)
scissars (alternative archaic)
sissors (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English sisours (attested since 1350–1400), from Old French cisoirs, from Late Latin cīsōria, plural of cīsōrium (“cutting tool”); from Latin word root -cīsus (compare excise) or caesus, past participle of caedō (“to cut”). Partially displaced native Old English sċēara (“scissors, shears”), whence shears. Doublet of chisel.
The current spelling, from the 16th century, is due to association with Medieval Latin scissor (“tailor”), from Latin carrying the meaning “carver, cutter”, from scindō (“to split”).

They executed a perfect scissors.

(countable, rugby) An attacking move conducted by two players; the player without the ball runs from one side of the ball carrier, behind the ball carrier, and receives a pass from the ball carrier on the other side.


dummy

dummies (plural)
dumbie (alternative rare)
dumby (alternative rare)

From dumb + -y. Pacifier sense from dummy teat where dummy is in the sense of a nonfunctional replica.

мор

bridge: the partner of the winning bidder, who shows his or her hand

(sports, chiefly rugby, soccer) A feigned pass or kick or play in order to deceive an opponent.

финт

a feigned pass or play to deceive others in sport


pot

en-verb

pot (third-person singular simple present pots, present participle potting, simple past and past participle potted)

pots (present singular third-person)
potting (participle present)
potted (participle past)
potted (past)

From Middle English pot, potte, from Old English pott (“pot”) and Old French pot (“pot”) (probably from Frankish *pott); both Old English and Frankish from Proto-Germanic *puttaz (“pot”), from Proto-Indo-European *budnós (“a type of vessel”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Pot (“pot”), Dutch pot (“pot”), German Low German Pott (“pot”), German Pott (“pot”), Swedish potta (“chamber pot”), Icelandic pottur (“tub, pot”), Old Armenian պոյտն (poytn, “pot, earthen pot”). Also, Old Norse pottr (“pot, tub, basin”).
The sense of ruin or deterioration was originally a general allusion to "being chopped up and tossed in a (normally fiery) pot, like a piece of meat" (i.e. to get wasted or done with (by someone)). The 'clean' slang term which was used in reference to toilet rooms and lavatories apparently derives from English chamberpots, although now usually encountered as potty in the context of children's toilet training.

cog

With five minutes to go, Trevathan potted his second goal, and finally it was the fullback Taylor who scored.

1967, Arthur H. Carman, Ranfurly Shield Rugby, page 139:

He played for the Oxford Australians against their Cambridge counterparts, and even potted a few goals at picnic Rugby matches.

1998, Geoffrey Serle: In Tribute, page 20:

(rugby, transitive) To score (a drop goal).


hook

en-verb

hook (third-person singular simple present hooks, present participle hooking, simple past and past participle hooked)

hooks (present singular third-person)
hooking (participle present)
hooked (participle past)
hooked (past)

sometimes in Northern England and Ireland, otherwise obsolete

From Middle English hoke, from Old English hōc, from Proto-West Germanic *hōk, from Proto-Germanic *hōkaz, variant of *hakô (“hook”), probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kog-, *keg-, *keng- (“peg, hook, claw”).
Cognates
Compare West Frisian heak, Dutch haak (“hook”)) (compare West Frisian/Dutch hoek (“hook, angle, corner”), Low German Hook, Huuk); also related to hake.

koukata

hockey: to engage in the illegal maneuver of hooking

(rugby) To succeed in heeling the ball back out of a scrum (used particularly of the team's designated hooker).


ship

ship (third-person singular simple present ships, present participle shipping, simple past and past participle shipped)

ships (present singular third-person)
shipping (participle present)
shipped (participle past)
shipped (past)

From Middle English schippen, schipen, from Old English sċipian, from Proto-Germanic *skipōną, from Proto-Germanic *skipą (“ship”). Doublet of equip.

England were shipping penalties at an alarming rate - five in the first 15 minutes alone - and with Wilkinson missing three long-distance pots of his own in the first 20 minutes, the alarm bells began to ring for Martin Johnson's men.

2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:

They shipped penalties, lost field position, and in the second-half, having retreated to the changing room buoyed by Dougie Fife’s well-worked try, found themselves ceding two-thirds of the territory and with it, the lion’s share of the ball.

2015 February 11, “Six Nations: Scotland raw but capable of improving”, in The Scotsman:

(transitive, rugby) To draw (a penalty) by bungling a kick and giving the opposing team possession.


center

centers (plural)
centre (alternative Australia Canada Commonwealth Ireland New-Zealand South-Africa UK including usually)

From Middle English center, centre, from Middle French centre, from Latin centrum, from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron), from κεντεῖν (kenteîn, “to prick, goad”). Doublet of centrum.
* (group theory): In the notation Z(G), the letter Z derives from the German Zentrum (“center”).

sentrum

point equidistant from all points on the perimeter of a circle

مَرْكَز

point in the interior of figure with mean coordinates

Gatland's side got back to within striking distance when fly-half Jones's clever pass sent centre Jonathan Davies arcing round Shontayne Hape.

2011 February 4, Gareth Roberts, “Wales 19-26 England”, in BBC:

(sports) A player in the middle of a playing area.

(rugby) One of the backs operating in a central area of the pitch, either the inside centre or outside centre.


cross

cross (third-person singular simple present crosses, present participle crossing, simple past and past participle crossed)

crosses (present singular third-person)
crossing (participle present)
crossed (participle past)
crossed (past)
cross (infinitive)
cross (first-person present singular)
crossed (first-person past singular)
cross (present second-person singular)
crossest (archaic present second-person singular)
crossed (past second-person singular)
crossedst (archaic past second-person singular)
crosses (present singular third-person)
crosseth (archaic present singular third-person)
crossed (past singular third-person)
cross (plural present)
crossed (past plural)
cross (present subjunctive)
crossed (past subjunctive)
cross (imperative present)
crossing (participle present)
crossed (participle past)

From Middle English cross, cros, from Old English cros (“rood, cross”), from Old Norse kross, from Old Irish cros, from Latin crux (crucī). In this sense displaced native Middle English rood, from Old English rōd; see rood. Compare Welsh croes, Irish crois.
The sense of "two intersecting lines drawn or cut on a surface; two lines intersecting at right angles" without regard to religious signification develops from the late 14th century.
Cognates
*Icelandic kross (“cross”)
*Faroese krossur (“cross”)
*Norwegian Nynorsk kross, kors (“cross”)
*Danish kors (“cross”)
*Swedish kors (“cross”)
*North Frisian kross, korss (“cross”)
*Saterland Frisian Krjuus, Kjus (“cross”)
*West Frisian krús (“cross”)
*Dutch kruis (“cross”)
*German Low German Krüüz (“cross”)
*German Kreuz (“cross”)

England cut loose at the end of the half, Ashton, Mark Cueto and Mike Tindall all crossing before the break.

2011 February 12, Mark Orlovac, “England 59-13 Italy”, in BBC:

(sports) Relative movement by a player or of players.


lock

Tok Pisin: lok

→ Hawaiian: laka

From Middle English lok, from Old English loc, from Proto-West Germanic *lok, from Proto-Germanic *luką from Proto-Indo-European *lewg- (“to bend; turn”).
The verb is from Middle English locken, lokken, louken, from Old English lūcan, Proto-West Germanic *lūkan, from Proto-Germanic *lūkaną. Related to luxe via Latin.

der

Ashton only had to wait three minutes for his second try, lock Louis Deacon setting it up with a rollocking line-break, before Romania got on the scoreboard courtesy of a penalty from fly-half Marin Danut Dumbrava.

2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) A player in the scrum behind the front row, usually the tallest members of the team.

slot

a player in the second row of the scrum in Rugby


lock

en-verb

lock (third-person singular simple present locks, present participle locking, simple past locked, past participle locked or (obsolete) locken)

locks (present singular third-person)
locking (participle present)
locked (past)
locked (participle past)
locken (obsolete participle past)

unlock

antonym(s) of “to fasten with a lock, to be capable of becoming fastened in place”

lock the stable door after the horse has been stolen

lock the stable door after the horse has bolted

Please don't disappoint me - you are female, aren't you? I have a lingering suspicion that you are 17 stone and lock for Tarankai.

1980, Ken Berry, chapter 14, in First Offender, Auckland: Collins, page 117:

(intransitive, rugby) To play in the position of lock.


fair

en-adj

fair (comparative fairer, superlative fairest)

fairer (comparative)
fairest (superlative)

→ German: fair

→ Hebrew: פייר

→ Macedonian: фер (fer)

→ Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: фер

Latin script: fer

From Middle English fayr, feir, fager, from Old English fæġer (“beautiful”), from Proto-West Germanic *fagr, from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (“suitable, fitting, nice”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂ḱ- (“to fasten, place”).
Cognate with Scots fayr, fare (“fair”), Danish feir, faver, fager (“fair, pretty”), Norwegian fager (“fair, pretty”), Swedish fager (“fair, pretty”), Icelandic fagur (“beautiful, fair”), Umbrian pacer (“gracious, merciful, kind”), Slovak pekný (“good-looking, handsome, nice”). See also peace.

cog

(rugby, of a catch) Taken direct from an opponent's foot, without the ball touching the ground or another player.


minor

minors (plural)
miner (alternative)
maner (alternative)
minore (alternative)
minour (alternative)
mynor (alternative)
mynour (alternative)
mynowr (alternative)
mi (alternative)

From Middle English minor, menor, menour, etc., from Latin minor (“lesser; young; young person”) both directly and via Norman and Middle French menor, menour, etc. Doublet of minus but not mini-. Cognate with minister, minify, Minorca, Menshevik, and possibly minnow. Compare Latin minimum and minuō, Old High German minniro, Cornish minow.

der

At half-time the score was—one goal, three tries, and four minors.

(rugby, historical) Ellipsis of minor point: a lesser score formerly gained by certain actions.


goose-step

An intentionally disparaging alternative name for the "balance step" (German Stechschritt, "cut step") from a fancied resemblance to the waddling of geese.

(rugby) A deceptive step that breaks the normal flow of running and allows a player to accelerate and/or change direction quickly while simultaneously confusing the defender.


drop

From Late Middle English droppe, Middle English drope (“small quantity of liquid; small or least amount of something; pendant jewel; dripping of a liquid; a shower; nasal flow, catarrh; speck, spot; blemish; disease causing spots on the skin”) [and other forms], from Old English dropa (“a drop”), from Proto-West Germanic *dropō (“drop (of liquid)”), from Proto-Germanic *drupô (“drop (of liquid)”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewb- (“to crumble, grind”).

nb...

dropan, droupe, (Northern England) droipe

afval

small quantity of liquid, just large enough to hold its own round shape through surface tension

piisk

very small quantity of liquid, or of anything

piisk

that which hangs or resembles a liquid globule

langemine

decline in degree, quality, quantity, or rate

afgrond

distance through which something drops, or falls below a certain level

An act or instance of dropping (in all senses).


drop

en-verb

drop (third-person singular simple present drops, present participle dropping, simple past and past participle dropped or (archaic) dropt)

drops (present singular third-person)
dropping (participle present)
dropped (participle past)
dropped (past)
dropt (archaic participle past)
dropt (archaic past)

From Middle English droppen, dropen (“to fall in drops, drip or trickle down; to scatter, sprinkle; to be covered with a liquid; to give off moisture; of an object: to drop, fall; of a living being: to fall to the ground”) [and other forms], from Old English dropian, droppian (“to drop”), from dropa (“a drop”) (see further at etymology 1) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns).

спадам

to decrease, diminish, or lessen in condition, degree, value, etc.

laskea

to move to a lower position; to allow to hang downwards — see also lower

laskea

to lower (a sound, a voice, etc.) in pitch or volume

(rugby) To score (a goal) by means of a drop kick.

tehdä pudotuspotkumaali

(rugby) to score (a goal) by means of a drop kick


hooker

Hooker Dylan Hartley was sent to the sin-bin after yet another infringement at the breakdown and, on the stroke of half-time, Georgia's territorial advantage finally told when number eight Basilaia surged over from the base of the scrum for a try next to the posts.

2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) A player who hooks the ball out of the scrum with his foot.


prop

From Middle English proppe (“a prop, support, support for a vine or plant”), from Middle Dutch proppe (“support, support for a vine, stopper for a bottle”). Compare Middle Low German proppe (“plug, stopper”), German Pfropfen (“plug”), Danish prop (“plug, stopper”).

cog

(rugby) The player on either side of the hooker in a scrum.

stut

rugby: player next to the hooker in a scrum


try

tries (plural)
trie (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English trien (“to separate out, sift, choose, select, evaluate, try a legal case”), from Anglo-Norman trier, triher, triere (“to divide, separate, choose, select, prove, determine, try a case”), Old French trier (“to choose, pick out or separate from others, sift, cull”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Occitan triar (“to choose, sort, scrutinise, peel”), Catalan triar (“to pick, choose, decide”). Suggested to be derived from Late Latin *trītāre (“to crush, grind, trample, wear out”), itself derived from Classical Latin trītus (“rubbed, worn down, pulverised”), the past participle of terō, terere (“to rub, wear down, trample”), though this derivation is incompatible with the Occitan form. Additionally, the shift in meaning from "rub, crush, trample" to "pick out, choose, cull" is difficult to explain. One suggestion is that the semantic shift might have originated from a Latin phrase *granum terere ("to tread the corn (in threshing)"; compare Latin trītūra (“rubbing, chafing, friction" also "threshing”)), which has a parallel in the modern French trier le grain (“to sort the grain”). Alternatively, perhaps derived from Vulgar Latin *trīāre, a metathetic alteration of *tīrāre (“to tear off, pull, draw”), whence also Old French tirer (“to draw, pull, pluck, tug, peck at, extract”), Occitan tirar (“to take, draw, retrieve, remove, extract”).
Replaced native Middle English cunnen (“to try”) (from Old English cunnian), Middle English fandien (“to try, prove”) (from Old English fandian), and Middle English costnien (“to try, tempt, test”) (from Old English costnian).

gl

"to tread the corn (in threshing)"; compare Latin <i class="Latn mention" lang="la">trītūra</i> (“rubbing, chafing, friction" also "threshing”)

cog

[t̠͡ɹ̠̊˔aɪ̯]

[t̠͡ɹ̠̊˔ʷaɪ̯]

Today I scored my first try.

But two penalties and a drop-goal from Jonny Wilkinson, despite a host of other wayward attempts, plus a late try from Chris Ashton were enough to send a misfiring England through.

(rugby) A score in rugby league and rugby union, analogous to a touchdown in American football.


tour

From Old French tour, tourn, from the verb torner, tourner.

tor (pour–poor merger, horse–hoarse merger)

taw (pour–poor merger, horse–hoarse merger, non-rhotic)

(sports, chiefly cricket and rugby) A trip taken to another country in which several matches are played.


pack

From Middle English pak, pakke, from Old English *pæcca and/or Middle Dutch pak, packe; both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *pakkō, from Proto-Germanic *pakkô (“bundle, pack”). Cognate with Dutch pak (“pack”), Low German Pack (“pack”), German Pack (“pack”), Swedish packe (“pack”), Icelandic pakka, pakki (“package”).

The captain had to take a man out of the pack to replace the injured fullback.

If the pack wasn't pummelling England, Handre Pollard kept delivering telling blows.

2019 November 3, Liam de Carme, “Boks, you beauties”, in Sunday Times:

(rugby) The forwards in a rugby team (eight in Rugby Union, six in Rugby League) who with the opposing pack constitute the scrum.


pack

en-verb

pack (third-person singular simple present packs, present participle packing, simple past and past participle packed)

packs (present singular third-person)
packing (participle present)
packed (participle past)
packed (past)

From Middle English pakken, from the noun (see above). Compare Middle Dutch packen (“to pack”), Middle Low German packen (“to pack”).

وَضَّبَ

to put things together for storage or transporting

(intransitive, rugby, of the forwards in a rugby team) To play together cohesively, specially with reference to technique in the scrum.


forward

forwards (plural)
foreward (alternative)
forrard (alternative)
forrad (alternative)
forred (alternative)

From Middle English foreward, from Old English foreweard (“forward, inclined to the front, fore, early, former”), from Proto-Germanic *fura- (“fore-”), *warþaz (“turned”), equivalent to fore + -ward. Cognate with Dutch voorwaarts (“forward”), German vorwärts (“forward”).

der

(rugby) One of the eight players (comprising two props, one hooker, two locks, two flankers and one number eight, collectively known as the pack) whose primary task is to gain and maintain possession of the ball (compare back).


pocket

→ Japanese: ポケット

→ Welsh: poced

From Middle English pocket (“bag, sack”), from Anglo-Norman poket, Old Northern French poquet, poquete, diminutive of poque, poke (“bag, sack”) (compare modern Norman pouquette and modern French pochette from Old French pochete, from puche), from Frankish *pokō (“pouch”), from Proto-Germanic *pukkô, *pukô (“bag; pouch”), from Proto-Indo-European *bew- (“to blow, swell”). Equivalent to poke + -et. Doublet of pochette. Cognate with Middle Dutch poke, Alemannic German Pfoch (“purse, bag”), Old English pocca, pohha (“poke, pouch, pocket, bag”), Old Norse poki (“bag, pocket”). Compare the related poke (“sack or bag”). See also Modern French pochette and Latin bucca.

is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me

Matt Stevens was crumpled by Euan Murray in another scrum, allowing Parks to kick for the corner, and when Richie Gray's clean take from the subsequent line-out set up a series of drives under the posts, Parks was back in the pocket to belt over a drop-goal to make it 9-3 at the interval.

(rugby) The position held by a second defensive middle, where an advanced middle must retreat after making a touch on the attacking middle.


touchdown

en-noun

touchdown (countable and uncountable, plural touchdowns)

touchdowns (plural)
touch down (alternative)
touch-down (alternative)

(rugby) A defensive action of grounding the ball in the team's own in-goal to stop the play.

A first Test try by Fergus McFadden and a Tomas O'Leary touchdown helped Ireland to a 15-12 half-time lead.

2011 February 13, Lyle Jackson, “Ireland 22-25 France”, in BBC:

(rugby) A try (scoring play of grounding the ball in the opposing team's in-goal).


slot

en-verb

slot (third-person singular simple present slots, present participle slotting, simple past and past participle slotted)

slots (present singular third-person)
slotting (participle present)
slotted (participle past)
slotted (past)

From Middle English slot, from Old French esclot, likely from Old Norse slóð (“track”). As a gambling machine, via clipping of slot machine. Compare sleuth. The scheduling (calendar) sense is by a metaphor whereby the time span is equated with the segment of a page or part of a device that represents it.

(Australian rules football, rugby, informal) To kick the ball between the posts for a goal; to score a goal by doing this.


blind

blinds (plural)
blinde (alternative obsolete)

From Middle English blynd, from Old English blind, from Proto-West Germanic *blind, from Proto-Germanic *blindaz.


convert

convert (third-person singular simple present converts, present participle converting, simple past and past participle converted)

converts (present singular third-person)
converting (participle present)
converted (participle past)
converted (past)

[kʰə̥ɱˈvɜːt]

From Old French convertir, from Latin converto (“turn around”).

Flood converted to leave Wales with a 23-9 deficit going into the final quarter.

(ambitransitive, rugby football) To score extra points after (a try) by completing a conversion.


peel

en-noun

peel (countable and uncountable, plural peels)

From Middle English pelen, from Old English pilian and Old French peler, pellier; both from Latin pilō, pilāre (“to remove hair from, depilate”), from pilus (“hair”). Doublet of pill.

der

(countable, rugby) The action of peeling away from a formation.

ganda

(Rugby football) The action of peeling away from a formation


seagull

en-verb

seagull (third-person singular simple present seagulls, present participle seagulling, simple past and past participle seagulled)

seagulls (present singular third-person)
seagulling (participle present)
seagulled (participle past)
seagulled (past)
sea gull (alternative)
sea-gull (alternative)

From sea + gull. The second element is from a Brythonic language. Compare Welsh gwylan, Breton gouelan.

[…] and when you need cover for the fullback because of the bombs raining down, when the walking maul requires every forward to quit seagulling and actually do some hard graft, then the rest of the game opens up.

2002 September 24, Greig Blanchett, “Re: The Immorality of the Drop Goal”, in rec.sport.rugby.union (Usenet):

On hand was seagulling number eight Dave Hodges to cross for the all-important try.

2002 December 13, “Sharks beached at Stradey”, in BBC Sport:

That occurred in the 12th minute when flanker George Smith, seagulling out wide, enjoyed the rewards of a two-man overlap to score.

2003 November 2, Greg Growden, “Australia survives scare”, in The Age:

France was full of running and continued to spread the ball wide or kick in behind the defence, where towering right-winger Aurelien Rougerie and the seagulling French back row had a height advantage contesting the high ball.

2003 November 10, Mark Fuller, “Impeccable France outclasses Ireland”, in The Age:

Samo seagulled for Australia's final try two minutes from time.

2011 September 24, Darren Walton, “Injuries sour Wallabies 67-5 win over USA”, in MSN NZ:

(British, Australia, New Zealand, rugby slang, of a forward) To run in the back line rather than concentrate on primary positional duties in open play.


speculator

From Latin speculātor (“spy, explorer, investigator”), from speculor (“to watch, to observe”) + -tor (“-er: forming agent nouns”), from specula (“watchtower”), from speciō (“to watch, to observe”), q.v. In some senses, an agent noun formed within English from speculate. Doublet of spectator.


howitzer

Borrowed from Dutch houwitser, from German Haubitze, from Middle High German haufniz, from Czech houfnice, which was derived from houf (“flock, crowd”) + -nice. The Czech noun houf comes from Middle High German hufe (“heap”), from Old High German hūfo.

Belgium took a little while to catch Scotland with the first of the howitzer blows, but when the first one landed there was a certainty of more. Many more.

2018 September 7, Tom English, “Scotland 0-4 Belgium”, in BBC Sport:

(sports, rugby, ice hockey) A powerfully hit shot.


scrum

French: scrum

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-scrum.wav

Either a back-formation from or an apocopic form of scrummage, a variant of scrimmage.

en:all the forwards joined together in an organised way

(rugby) In rugby union or rugby league, all the forwards joined together in an organised way.

uztartze

(rugby) all the forwards joined together in an organised way


scrum

en-verb

scrum (third-person singular simple present scrums, present participle scrumming, simple past and past participle scrummed)

scrums (present singular third-person)
scrumming (participle present)
scrummed (participle past)
scrummed (past)


grubber

England had an early opportunity with a line-out deep in French territory after a clever grubber from Foden only for Lionel Nallet to burgle back possession, and they then tore into France again as Alexis Palisson was smashed backwards after taking a garryowen and Manu Tuilagi thundered into Morgan Parra.

2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France:

Take that brilliant backline move off a scrum when Kolbe came off his left wing to put in a neat grubber for Arendse on the right wing to almost round the defense in the corner.

2023 October 28, Leighton Koopman, “YES!!! The Springboks beat the All Blacks to win another Rugby World Cup title”, in Independent Online:

(rugby) An attacking short-distance kick in behind the defence in which the ball is bounced along the ground, using the uneven bounce of the ball to make it difficult for the defence to retrieve.


conversion

en-noun

conversion (countable and uncountable, plural conversions)

From Middle English conversion, conversioun, borrowed from Anglo-Norman conversion, from Latin conversiō, from convertō.

обръщане

the act of having converted something or someone

המרת דת

to replace one religious faith with another

(rugby) A free kick, after scoring a try, worth two points.


Grand Slam

(rugby) Victory in every game in the Six Nations competition between England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy

(rugby) Victory by a Southern Hemisphere national team over all of the Home Nations—England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland—in a single tour


hat trick

hat tricks (plural)
hattrick (alternative)
hat-trick (alternative)

From hat + trick (“element of a magician’s or variety entertainer’s act; entertaining and difficult physical action”, noun). Sense 2 (“achievement of a bowler taking three wickets in three consecutive balls”)—the original sporting sense—refers to the commemorative hat formerly given as a prize to the bowler by his club.

driekuns

three achievements in a single game, competition, season, etc.

שלושער m (shloshá'ar, literally “three-gate or goal”)

གསུམ་སྦྲགས (gsum sbrags, literally “pack-of-three”)

(cricket) An achievement of a bowler taking three wickets in three consecutive balls.

(by extension, sports) Three achievements in a single game, competition, season, etc., such as three consecutive wins.

(specifically, rugby) Three tries scored by one player in a game.


overlap

From over- + lap.
Cognate with Dutch overlap.

(rugby) a situation in the game where an attacking line has more players in it than the defensive line coming to meet it. The attacking side may exploit the overlap by using their superior numbers to break the opposition's defensive line. If attackers outnumber defenders by more than one player this is often termed a two man overlap or three man overlap, etc. If the attacking side fails to break through usually due to poor execution, they are said to waste an overlap.


scrum-half

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(rugby) player who introduces the ball into a scrum.


fly-half

Fly-half Holly Aitchison has had a mixed tournament with the boot up until this match, with Mitchell saying in the week he had no concerns over her kicking and being proved correct in Bordeaux.

2024 April 27, Alastair Telfer, “England beat France to seal Grand Slam hat-trick”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) A rugby player who is normally the first receiver of the ball from the scrum half after a scrum; a half-back.


knock-on

It took until the 33rd minute for England to get on the scoreboard, Wilkinson finally finding his range from out left, but a knock-on from James Haskell from the re-start put his team straight back under pressure.

2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) A foul in which a player knocks the ball forward, often unintentionally.


punt

en-verb

punt (third-person singular simple present punts, present participle punting, simple past and past participle punted)

punts (present singular third-person)
punting (participle present)
punted (participle past)
punted (past)

Possibly a dialectal variant of bunt. Rugby is the origin of the sports usage of the term.

To dropkick; to kick something a considerable distance.

(rugby, American football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, soccer, transitive, intransitive) To kick a ball dropped from the hands before it hits the ground. (This puts the ball farther from the goal across which the opposing team is attempting to score, so improves the chances of the team punting.)

Australian rules football; Gaelic football; Australian rules football; Gaelic football


punt

(rugby, American football, soccer) A kick made by a player who drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground.


tackle

en-noun

tackle (countable and uncountable, plural tackles)

From Middle English takel (“gear, apparatus”), from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German takel (“ship's rigging”), perhaps related to Middle Dutch taken (“to grasp, seize”). Akin to Danish takkel (“tackle”), Swedish tackel (“tackle”). More at take.

der

(rugby, American football, countable) A play where a defender brings the ball carrier to the ground.

placatge

American football, rugby: play where a defender brings the ball carrier to the ground


tackle

en-verb

tackle (third-person singular simple present tackles, present participle tackling, simple past and past participle tackled)

tackles (present singular third-person)
tackling (participle present)
tackled (participle past)
tackled (past)

(rugby, American football) To bring a ball carrier to the ground.

placar

rugby, American football: to bring a ball carrier to the ground


fullback

(rugby) A position behind the main line of backs in both rugby union and rugby league. In rugby union, they wear number 15 jersey at the start of play and are the last line of defence responsible for catching punts.


ball carrier

ball carriers (plural)
ballcarrier (alternative)

(American football, Canadian football, rugby) A player who carries the football.


quarterback

From quarter + back, in reference to the position in front of the halfback position.

(rugby football, historical) A position just behind the forwards, or one who plays this position.


forward pass

(rugby and American football) A pass in the forward direction, advancing toward the goal, generally illegal except in American football, once per play, from behind the line of scrimmage.


hand-off

en-noun

hand-off (countable and uncountable, plural hand-offs)

(rugby) The act of pushing an opponent away with an open hand.


blindside

blindsides (plural)
blind side (alternative)
blind-side (alternative)

(rugby) The space on the side of the pitch with the shorter distance between the breakdown/set piece and the touchline; compare openside.


hit up

hit ups (plural)
hitup (alternative)
hit-up (alternative)

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(rugby) The act of taking a pass from the dummy half and running straight into the opposition's defensive line without looking to pass.


RFC

(rugby) Initialism of rugby football club.


hacking

hacking (usually uncountable, plural hackings)

From Middle English hackynge, hakkynge, hacckinge, equivalent to hack + -ing.

(sports, chiefly American football, soccer, rugby) A kick in the shins.


NRL

National Rugby League
w:National Rugby League

(rugby) Initialism of National Rugby League, the main rugby league competition in Australia, including one New Zealand team.


IRB

(rugby, historical) Initialism of International Rugby Board, the name used by World Rugby, the worldwide governing body for rugby union, from 1998 to 2014.


halfback

From half + back, in reference to position on the field of play; compare fullback.
In the sense of someone who moves to Florida and then to a more temperate climate, from moving "half way back"

(field sports) A player who occupies one of these positions.

(rugby) The player who feeds the ball into the scrum, and receives the ball as it emerges from the back of the scrum.


field goal

field goals (plural)
drop-kick (alternative)
field-goal (alternative)

(rugby) A goal scored where a ball that is in play but on the ground is kicked through the uprights and over the crossbar.


seagulling

As long as he can stay away from the seagulling in the tight games.

2002 May 25, Greig Blanchett, “Re: So. To The ABs”, in rec.sport.rugby.union (Usenet):

Jack has to cut out the seagulling and get in and do the dirty work.

2009 December 28, Steve Hepburn, “Rugby: Oval ball gazing for 2011 World Cup”, in Otago Daily Times:

And while Williams cut down the seagulling, he still wasn't hitting the breakdown with any vigour.

2011 August 29, lord shineything [username], “Re: AB Players”, in rec.sport.rugby.union (Usenet):

(British, Australia, New Zealand, rugby slang) The practice, in Rugby Union, of forwards running in the back line rather than concentrating on their primary positional duties in open play (see rugby union positions).


go over

en-verb

go over (third-person singular simple present goes over, present participle going over, simple past went over, past participle gone over)

goes over (present singular third-person)
going over (participle present)
went over (past)
gone over (participle past)

But in the closing stages Bishop spotted a gap to go over and Hook converted to set up a nervous finish for the Blues, who managed to hold on.

2010 December 31, “Magners League: Cardiff Blues 27-25 Osprey”, in BBC:


woodwork

en-noun

woodwork (usually uncountable, plural woodworks)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-woodwork.wav

From Middle English woodewerk (“carpentry”), equivalent to wood + work.

That goal was so close, it went in off the woodwork.

Carroll thought he had equalised with his header against the bar with eight minutes left. Liverpool claimed the ball had cross the line and Chelsea were grateful for a miraculous intervention from Cech to turn his effort on to the woodwork.

2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:

(soccer, rugby) The frame of the goal, i.e. the goalpost or crossbar.


throw-in

(soccer, rugby, basketball, handball) A set-piece where the ball is thrown back into play


Premiership

/ˈpɹɛmɪəʃɪp/

(British, rugby) Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby union


three-quarter

England's superior conditioning began to show in the final quarter and as the game began to break up, their three-quarters began to stamp their authority on the game. And when Foden went on a mazy run from inside his own 22 and put Ashton in for a long-range try, any threat of an upset was when and truly snuffed out.

2011 September 18, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) A player positioned between the half-backs and the full-backs (properly a three-quarter back)


packing

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From Middle English pakkynge; equivalent to pack (“verb and noun senses”) + -ing.

(rugby) The forming of players into a scrum.

The action of the verb.
The forming of players into a scrum.


squad

From French escouade, from Italian squadra (“square”) (whence also French escadre). Doublet of squadra and square.

ջոկատ

small group of people organized for a purpose

A group of people organized for some common purpose, usually of about ten members.

(cricket, soccer, rugby) A group of potential players from whom a starting team and substitutes are chosen.


drop kick

drop kicks (plural)
drop-kick (alternative)

(rugby, Australian rules football, American football, Canadian football) A kick made by dropping the ball on the ground and kicking it as it bounces up.


offload

en-verb

offload (third-person singular simple present offloads, present participle offloading, simple past and past participle offloaded)

offloads (present singular third-person)
offloading (participle present)
offloaded (participle past)
offloaded (past)
off-load (alternative)


offload

en-noun

offload (countable and uncountable, plural offloads)

offloads (plural)
off-load (alternative)

Toeava went over unopposed to stretch his side's lead but Japan got on the scoreboard on 56 minutes, wing Hirotoki Onozawa intercepting an attempted offload from Slade, who had a rather flaky game, and running in from the All Blacks' 10m line.

2011 September 16, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 83-7 Japan”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) The act of passing the ball to a team mate when tackled.


run over

en-verb

run over (third-person singular simple present runs over, present participle running over, simple past ran over, past participle run over)

runs over (present singular third-person)
running over (participle present)
ran over (past)
run over (participle past)

Andrew Bishop then ran over in the closing stages, but it was too late.


loosehead

(rugby) prop who plays on the left hand side of the front row of the scrum, such that in a scrum, their head is not tightly bound (unlike that of the tighthead)


enforcer

(ice hockey, rugby, Australian rules football) A player who physically intimidates or confronts the opposition.


get over

get over (third-person singular simple present gets over, present participle getting over, simple past got over, past participle (UK) got over or (US) gotten over)

gets over (present singular third-person)
getting over (participle present)
got over (past)
got over (UK participle past)
gotten over (US participle past)

Ireland got their second try not long before half-time with O'Leary, an injury doubt all week with a stiff back, just about getting over for a try which was confirmed by the video referee.

2011 February 13, Lyle Jackson, “Ireland 22-25 France”, in BBC:

But when a side plays for almost 20 of the first 40 minutes with only 14 men, you have to make that advantage count in your favour. Credit must go to the three-time champions for keeping the world champions from getting over for five points.


back row

back rows (plural)
back-row (alternative)
backrow (alternative)

(rugby) The row of players in a scrum, consisting of two flankers and a number eight.


penalty kick

(rugby) A form of free kick in which the ball may be kicked towards touch, towards the goal or dribbled.


free kick

a free-kick specialist

(American football, soccer, Australian rules football, rugby, other ballgames) a kick in which a player may kick the ball without interference from the opposition. Such a kick may be awarded for a foul by the opposition, or earned by a player such as by taking a mark.

Australian rules football; other ballgames; Australian rules football; other ballgames

goditje e lirë

kick played without interference of opposition


interception

en-noun

interception (countable and uncountable, plural interceptions)

Borrowed from Latin interceptiō; compare French interception.

(rugby) A pass that is intercepted by an opposing player.


run-on

(soccer, rugby, etc.) An amount of time spent playing on the field during a game, especially so as to evaluate a player's abilities.


in touch

Kick the ball in touch.

And when scrum-half Ben Youngs, who had a poor game, was burgled by opposite number Irakli Abuseridze and the ball shipped down the line to Irakli Machkhaneli, it looked like Georgia had scored a try of their own, but the winger's foot was in touch.

(rugby, of a ball or a player) outside the playing area or touching the touchlines of the playing area.


burn off

en-verb

burn off (third-person singular simple present burns off, present participle burning off, simple past and past participle burned off or burnt off)

burns off (present singular third-person)
burning off (participle present)
burned off (participle past)
burned off (past)
burnt off (participle past)
burnt off (past)

Slick use of the resulting turnover ball gave Koroibete the space to burn off Daly, only the third try England have so far conceded in this tournament.

2019 October 19, Robert Kitson, “England into World Cup semi-finals after bruising victory over Australia”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media:


run in

run in (third-person singular simple present runs in, present participle running in, simple past ran in, past participle run in)

runs in (present singular third-person)
running in (participle present)
ran in (past)
run in (participle past)


tighthead

(rugby) prop who plays on the right-hand side of the front row of the scrum, such that in a scrum, their head is tightly bound between those of the opposing hooker and loosehead


front row

(British, rugby) The row of players who participate in a scrum with direct contact with the opposing scrum.


outside centre

(rugby) A player who is positioned between the inside centre and the right wing


inside centre

(rugby) A player who is positioned between the fly-half and the outside centre


number eight

But Ireland dug out a gutsy response and applied pressure which resulted in number eight Heaslip diving over in the corner to revive home hopes.

(rugby) A player in the scrum, who controls the movement of the scrum, and can pick up the ball exiting the scrum; eighthman.

vazač

rugby player who controls the movement of the scrum


flanker

Audio (US)

From flank + -er. The verb is from the noun (sense 3).

(rugby) A player who plays in the back row of the scrum.

rváček

rugby player in the back row of the scrum


finisher

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[Eddie] Jones has used his bench as finishers and repeated last year’s ploy that helped overcome France when he brought on Ben Te’o for [George] Ford. [Dylan] Hartley and [Mike] Brown had already gone off, along with [Nathan] Hughes, whose replacement Sam Underhill was making an impact at the breakdown when he was sent to the sin-bin for a no-arms tackle on Barclay.

2018 February 24, Paul Rees, “Finn Russell masterminds historic Scotland victory over England”, in The Guardian, London, archived from the original on 2018-04-22:

(rugby) A substitute player who plays at the end of the game.


spear tackle

(rugby) An offensive tackle in which the tackled player is lifted up and driven into the ground head-first. This is very dangerous and can result in serious injury to the neck and spine and often a red or yellow card.


penalty try

(rugby) An awarding of five points (equivalent to scoring a try) to a team whose opponents have prevented, by misconduct, a try being scored.


blood replacement

en-noun

blood replacement (plural blood replacements)

(rugby) A temporary substitution for a visibly bleeding player who must leave the field of play for first-aid treatment.


line-out

line-outs (plural)
lineout (alternative)

(rugby) a set piece where a player throws the ball into play, and both teams can contest for possession.


touch down

en-verb

touch down (third-person singular simple present touches down, present participle touching down, simple past and past participle touched down)

touches down (present singular third-person)
touching down (participle present)
touched down (participle past)
touched down (past)
touchdown (alternative)
touch-down (alternative)

Centre Shontayne Hape scored two tries for England before the break, while Georgia number eight Dimitri Basilaia touched down to make it 17-10 at half-time.


high tackle

The game was never going to be won by how good a team attacks, though, but with defence. When captain Kolisi was sin-binned for a high tackle, the Boks could've easily capitulated.

(rugby) A dangerous form of tackling in which a player tackles above the shoulders.


blood bin

(rugby) A temporary substitution for a visibly-bleeding player who must leave the field of play for first aid treatment.


goalkicker

(rugby) Someone who kicks for penalties and conversions.


back line

A running fullback radically improves the attacking prowess of any back line, particularly if she is able to read a play, knowing when it's time to hit the line at pace or to join the line to act as an extra attacker.

2011, Mathew Brown, Patrick Guthrie, Greg Growden, Rugby For Dummies, →ISBN, page 58:

(rugby) The players known as the backs, whose primary responsibility is defense.

(rugby) The imaginary tactical line across the field that passes through the backs, through their primary line of attack/defence (i.e. excluding any players in a more backward defensive position).


touchline

touchlines (plural)
touch line (alternative)

French winger Hatem Ben Arfa has also taken plenty of plaudits recently and he was the architect of the opening goal with some superb trickery on the left touchline.

2012 April 21, Jonathan Jurejko, “Newcastle 3-0 Stoke”, in BBC Sport:

Some kids were having a kickabout on the grass beside the walkway, cheering, groaning, calling for the ball, absorbed in the game, a self-contained universe marked out by jackets for goalposts and invisible touchlines.

2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 107:

sideline

in Canadian football, field lacrosse and basketball

(rugby, soccer) One of the lines that mark the border limits of the pitch.


linkman

From link + -man. See link (“torch, light”).

(rugby) A player who uses speed and dexterity to keep an attacking team's downfield progress fluid.


uprights

(American football, rugby) Vertical (upright) posts of the goal.


scrummage

(rugby) An ordered formation of forwards, typically bending down, binding to one another with their arms, and pushing opponents shoulder to shoulder, in which each side aims to gain control of the ball; a scrum.


scrummage

scrummage (third-person singular simple present scrummages, present participle scrummaging, simple past and past participle scrummaged)

scrummages (present singular third-person)
scrummaging (participle present)
scrummaged (participle past)
scrummaged (past)

(rugby) To engage in an ordered formation of forwards in which each side aims to gain control of the ball, as described above.


drop punt

(Australian rules football, rugby) A kick made by dropping the ball and kicking it before it touches the ground.


line break

line breaks (plural)
line-break (alternative)
linebreak (alternative)

Toby Flood replaced Wilkinson at the break and scrum-half Ben Youngs scored almost directly from the restart, spotting a gap down the short side and linking well with Tuilagi down the right flank, and nine minutes later full-back Ben Foden extended England's lead following a bullocking line-break by Tuilagi.

2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) a break made through the opposition's defensive line


openside

opensides (plural)
open side (alternative)

Coordinate term: blindside

(rugby) The space on the side of the pitch with the larger distance between the breakdown/set piece and the touchline.


inside back

(rugby) a back whose primary job is to create space for the outside backs outside him, i.e. the scrum-half, the fly-half and the inside centre.


half-back

But Wales somehow snaffled possession for fly-half Jones to send half-back partner Mike Phillips haring away with Stoddart in support.

2011 February 4, Gareth Roberts, “Wales 19-26 England”, in BBC:


three-quarter back

en-noun

three-quarter back (plural three-quarter backs)

(rugby) Any of a group of players positioned between the half-backs and the full-backs; consists of the left wing, the inside centre, the outside centre and the right wing


first receiver

(rugby) The first player to receive the ball from a scrum-half. This is often the fly-half, but may be a different player if the fly-half is unavailable, or a forward who will drive.


outside back

(rugby) a back whose primary job it is to exploit space created by the inside backs, i.e. the outside centre, both wingers, and the full back


openside flanker

openside flanker (plural openside flankers)

(rugby) a forward position in rugby union, usually number 7.


scrummager

Their tighthead is a great scrummager, but is not very good in the loose.

(rugby) One who scrummages; usually used in reference to the qualities of front row forwards.


penalty goal

(ice hockey, soccer, rugby) A goal scored from a penalty.


tight five

(rugby) The five forwards who form the front row and the second row in the scrum.


gain line

gain lines (plural)
gainline (alternative)

(rugby) an imaginary line running across the pitch perpendicular to the touchline and passing through the breakdown or set piece. The subsequent phase is said to have passed "over the gain line" if the gain line at the subsequent breakdown is in front of the last, or "behind the gain line" if it is behind.


A team

From the letter "A" (indicating the highest rank or quality) + "team".

He was then selected for the South African A team before making his international debut.

NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques has been named captain of the Australia A team to play England in Hobart next week.

(cricket, rugby) A country's reserve team or development squad, comprising the best players not selected in the national team.


hardman

FORMER Melbourne Storm hardman Michael Crocker will consider retirement if he is denied a work permit by the British government.

2009 January 25, Peter Badel, “Crocker: I'll quit if I can't go”, in Herald Sun:


place kick

(soccer, rugby) A kick in which the ball is placed, at rest, on the ground or on a small tee


no side

(rugby) Called by the referee at the end of a match, as no side has the next possession of the ball.


clear-out

clear-outs (plural)
clearout (alternative)

Dave Kearney was straight over the ball in a jackal, and Mul made a brilliant clear-out.

2016, Gerry Thornley, Front Up, Rise Up: The Official Story of Connacht Rugby:

Leading British rugby correspondent Brendan Gallagher, writing in The Rugby Paper on 31 December 2017, produced a withering indictment of the practice, saying: “Sort out the thuggery at clear-out time, start reffing it properly. The clear out doesn't exist in law and certainly shouldn't be used as an excuse for players who are not bound to launch themselves off their feet like an Exocet and take out-injure-maim players who are behind the ball and legally bound on. Or sometimes just trying to reach the ruck."

(rugby) The act of removing opponents from a ruck or scrum in order to secure possession of the ball.


interception try

interception try (plural interception tries)

Australia’s 18 turnovers were a costly case of self-harm. So, too, were the two interception tries that ultimately wrecked any chance of Michael Cheika’s side ending their recent grim sequence against the Poms.

(rugby) A try that results from an interception.


dummy scissors

(rugby) An attacking move by two players resembling a scissors move but where the ball carrier only dummies the pass to his team-mate.


half-break

half-breaks (plural)
half break (alternative)

(rugby) The situation where a player almost breaks the opposition defensive line but is stopped by the opposition.


box kick

(rugby) A type of kick performed by the scrum-half. From the base of a ruck, maul or scrum, the scrum-half will stand sideways onto the opposition with his kicking foot further from them, and kick the ball high into the air so as to hopefully prevent the opposition charging down the kick.


scrum machine

(rugby) A padded, weighty device against which a pack of rugby football forwards can practice scrummaging and rucking. It is used by players of both rugby league and rugby union.


Triple Crown

(rugby) Victory by one of the Home Nations — England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales — over the other three in the annual Six Nations Championship.


Wallabies

(rugby) the national rugby union representative team of Australia


misfield

en-verb

misfield (third-person singular simple present misfields, present participle misfielding, simple past and past participle misfielded)

misfields (present singular third-person)
misfielding (participle present)
misfielded (participle past)
misfielded (past)

The verb is derived from mis- (prefix meaning ‘badly; wrongly’) + field (verb). The noun is derived from the verb.

prefix

Coordinate term: mishit

(transitive) To field (“catch or intercept and play”) (a ball) clumsily or ineptly; in cricket this can result in the batsman scoring another run.

(intransitive) To field a ball clumsily or ineptly.

pelata pallo huonosti

(transitive) to field (a ball) clumsily or ineptly; (intransitive) to field a ball clumsily or ineptly


misfield

(baseball, cricket, rugby) A failure to field (“catch or intercept and play”) a ball properly.


grubber kick

(rugby) An attacking short-distance kick in behind the defence in which the ball is bounced along the ground, using the uneven bounce of the ball to make it difficult for the defence to retrieve.


blood substitution

en-noun

blood substitution (plural blood substitutions)

(rugby) A temporary substitution for a visibly-bleeding player who must leave the field of play for first-aid treatment.


tryless

It was a record fourth time England had posted a tryless victory in a World Cup game.

2007 October 7, The Associated Press, “England Upends Australia”, in New York Times:

Scotland, so disappointing in defeat to Argentina a week ago, tryless against the comparative minnows of Georgia, carried all the menace and mobility.

2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:


put over

en-verb

put over (third-person singular simple present puts over, present participle putting over, simple past and past participle put over)

puts over (present singular third-person)
putting over (participle present)
put over (participle past)
put over (past)

The first was the product of a destructive hard line down the middle by Manu Tuilagi, which sucked in the Australian defence and stretched the cover further out, allowing Farrell and Curry to put May over in the left corner.

(rugby) To make a decisive pass to a teammate so they can score a try.


kicking boots

If these two were outstanding, the others were not far behind. Finlow, having his best game for the School, put Murphy in for the next try and it did not seem to matter that Mangeot had for once left his kicking boots behind[,] for Lintin, Finlow and H. Cooper were all but over before half-time.

1979, “Rugby Football”, in The Ampleforth Journal, volume 79, page 154:

Helped by a quite remarkable individual run by Jason[…], Jonny found his kicking boots again, Wales succumbed 28—17 and we were through to the semis in Sydney on 16 November.

2009, Josh Lewsey, One Chance: My Life and Rugby, page 127:

As in their narrow defeat of Argentina last week, England were indisciplined at the breakdown, and if Georgian fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili had remembered his kicking boots, Johnson's side might have been behind at half-time.

(chiefly rugby, idiomatic) Ability to kick well.


open-side

(rugby) the portion of the field which is larger as measured from a scrum or breakdown to the touchline

(rugby) a position in the last row of forwards on that side, more fully open-side flanker, designated with number 7

Up front, skipper and open-side Lewis Moody looked almost back to full fitness, while England's set-piece was barely troubled, albeit against a Romania side showing 11 changes from that beaten by Argentina earlier in the week.


knock on

knock on (third-person singular simple present knocks on, present participle knocking on, simple past and past participle knocked on)

knocks on (present singular third-person)
knocking on (participle present)
knocked on (participle past)
knocked on (past)

It then took a desperate piece of defending from Ben Foden to deny Scotland a try in the left-hand corner, the full-back reaching out an arm to knock the ball from Simon Danielli's grasp, Nick de Luca knocking on with the line at his mercy.

(ambitransitive, rugby) To commit a foul by knocking the ball forward.


tap and go

They grabbed an unlikely lifeline when Ben Youngs took a quick tap and go to release Foden, who jinked and dummied his way over to make it 16-5 with 23 minutes left on the clock, Wilkinson popping over the conversion for 16-7.

2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France:

(rugby) A quick free kick taken by touching the ball with the boot and running forward.


stand-off

France's own stand-in stand-off Trinh-Duc missed with a drop-goal when well set but then set off on a curving run through a scattered defensive line which carried him deep into enemy territory until Weepu's desperate tap-tackle finally brought him down.

2011 October 23, Tom Fordyce, “2011 Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand 8-7 France”, in BBC Sport:


tap-tackle

tap-tackles (plural)
tap tackle (alternative)

(rugby, American football) A tackle made from behind the running ball-carrier, where the tackler dives to touch the player's ankle and trips him up.


tap-tackle

tap-tackle (third-person singular simple present tap-tackles, present participle tap-tackling, simple past and past participle tap-tackled)

tap-tackles (present singular third-person)
tap-tackling (participle present)
tap-tackled (participle past)
tap-tackled (past)
tap tackle (alternative)

Farrell drilled home a 46-metre penalty and should have had another when Pollard, attempting to jink his way out of defence, was tap-tackled by Anthony Watson and penalised for not releasing.

2019 November 2, Robert Kitson, “Rugby World Cup: South Africa surge to glory as England fall short”, in The Observer:

(rugby, American football) to tackle with a tap-tackle


ABs

(rugby) All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team.


crosskick

(rugby) A kicked pass from one side of the pitch to the other.


[Huw] Jones was also involved in the second try, which started when [Finn] Russell received the ball near his own 22 and immediately detected that England’s defence was narrow, with Jonny May having strayed infield.


TMO

But before he could take the penalty there was a dramatic intervention from Irish TMO Joy Neville. She had spotted Russell trying to halt Youngs with his outstretched right leg and the Scotland stand-off was punished with ten minutes in the sin-bin.

2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman:

television match official
television match official#English

(rugby) Initialism of television match official.


code-switch

code-switch (third-person singular simple present code-switches, present participle code-switching, simple past and past participle code-switched)

code-switches (present singular third-person)
code-switching (participle present)
code-switched (participle past)
code-switched (past)
codeswitch (alternative)
code switch (alternative)

(rugby, intransitive) To change from playing rugby league to rugby union or vice versa.


punt-out

(rugby, obsolete) A kick back into play from the touch line, after the ball had gone into touch. It has been replaced by the lineout/line-out


goalkicking

(rugby) The goalkicker's task of kicking for penalties and conversions.


HIA

head injury assessment
head injury assessment#English

(rugby) Initialism of head injury assessment.


blindside flanker

en-noun

blindside flanker (plural blindside flankers)

The position of the blindside flanker depends on the proximity of a touch line, so if the scrum takes place close to the left-hand touch line, the blindside flanker will be closest to that touch line.

2015, Ann Waterhouse, Rugby Made Simple, Meyer & Meyer Verlag, →ISBN, page 23:

(rugby) a forward in rugby union, usually number 6, who binds to the scrum on the side closest to the side line.


in-goal

(rugby) a part of the playing area between each goal line and the corresponding dead ball line where players can score a try


truck and trailer

(rugby) The situation where the ball carrier leaves a maul and is followed by teammates.


restart kick

(rugby) A drop kick of the ball by the non-scoring team toward the opposition, used to recommence play after a point has been scored.


foot trip

(rugby) The act of causing someone to fall or stumble by tripping them with one's feet.


foot trip

en-verb

foot trip (third-person singular simple present foot trips, present participle foot tripping, simple past and past participle foot tripped)

foot trips (present singular third-person)
foot tripping (participle present)
foot tripped (participle past)
foot tripped (past)

(rugby) To cause someone to fall or stumble by tripping them with one's feet.

rapahuki

to cause someone to fall or stumble by tripping them with one's feet


chip and gather

I made sure I hit the ground running, scoring 18 points in the first game against Cordoba, including a chip and gather try which I was especially pleased with.

2013, Mike Catt, Landing on My Feet, →ISBN:

His second was sheer class - a perfectly-executed chip and gather - to give the visitors the all-important first score of the second half.

2014 July 10, Tony Smith, “Stormin' Norman Berryman slays the Sharks”, in The Press (Christchurch, New Zealand):

After his chip and gather Freddie Burns was off from out of his 22 and his cross-kick set up the position for Ed Slater to squeeze in at the corner.

2016 September 10, Michael Aylwin, “Wasps' Jimmy Gopperth seals victory to deny Leicester comeback”, in The Guardian:

(rugby) A maneuver in which a player gains ground by kicking the ball high and forward, runs forward, and catches the ball as it drops back down.


Kolpak

From Maroš Kolpak. A 2003 decision of the European Court of Justice which ruled that nationals of a country who have signed an association agreement with the EU have the same right of freedom to work as EU nationals.

(UK, cricket, rugby, often attributive) A player from an overseas country, such as South Africa or the Caribbean.


put-in

The abovementioned scenario is illegal, and the referee would order a scrum at the place of the original penalty, with the put in to the black team.

2005 June 30, Designated Members of the Rugby Committee, Clarification 3 2005, World Rugby

The whole point of the laws as drawn is to make the scrum a contest whereby the put-in side has the advantage of timing the feed and having its hooker closer to the ball.

2013 September 30, Brian Moore, “Crooked put-ins make scrums a test of brute strength”, in The Daily Telegraph:

(rugby) restarting play by rolling or throwing the ball into the scrum; the right to do this


Bok

* As a Dutch surname, from bok (“goat, buck”)
* As a Swedish surname, from bok (“beech”)
* As a Jewish/German surname, from Bock (“buck, goat”), related to the Dutch word.

Between minutes 30 and 33 England laid siege to the Bok tryline but could not get through.

2019 November 3, Liam de Carme, “Boks, you beauties”, in Sunday Times:


eighthman

eighthmen (plural)
eighth-man (alternative)
eighth man (alternative)

From eighth + man, from the fact that this position is the rearmost of the eight forward positions.

Border's captain Basil Kenyon, at eighthman, again impressed with his intelligent positional play, and general leadership - as he had done in the shock win earlier in the tour.

1974, Frederick Willem Jacobus Labuschagne, Good-bye Newlands, farewell Eden Park, page 94:

Table VI I A, which is read horizontally, shows that concussion and ligament injuries are commonest among eighthmen and fullbacks; that muscle injuries and fractures are fairly evenly distributed across all playing positions; that internal injuries are most frequent among scrum-halves, but are also common in fly-halves and full-backs; and that bone bruises are most frequent among fly-halves, centres and wings, whereas dislocations are commonest among hookers and prop-forwards.

1987, South African Medical Journal - Volume 71, page 311:

Du Plessis was shifted from eighthman to flank for the second test and then was dropped altogether, although he fared better than most.

2003, Andy Colquhoun, Paul Dobson, The Chosen: The 50 Greatest Springboks of All Time, page 136:

The ball moved to the eighthman; he waited for it to come out. SOTS scrum-half Jood pounced and began his pass, but swift as he was, Thorn Thompson was swifter. Shouldering his own leaden-footed scrum-half aside, Thorn dived atop quicksilver Jood with a bone crunching tackle. Thorn's heart pounded in his breast, he'd finally bested his hated boyhood rival. Then the whistle went. Thorn stared stupidly at the ball, still at the eighthman's feet.

2004, Pat Stevens, Politics Is the Greatest Game: A Johannesburg Liberal Lampoon, →ISBN:

(South Africa, rugby) The position of one of the forwards at the rear of a scrum formation who controls the ball at the back of the scrum and links to the back line; number eight.


rush defence

He [Finn Russell] fashioned the first try after 15 minutes, moments after Owen Farrell had equalised Greig Laidlaw’s opening penalty, with a chip in behind the rush defence.

2018 February 24, Paul Rees, “Finn Russell masterminds historic Scotland victory over England”, in The Guardian, London, archived from the original on 2018-04-22:


Calcutta Cup

The match was only a few minutes old when the second-row Jonny Gray squared up to [Dylan] Hartley and invited Courtney Lawes to join in. The message was clear: a side that had not won the Calcutta Cup for 10 years were going to fight for everything.

(rugby) A trophy won by the winner of the match between England and Scotland in the Six Nations competition.


switch codes

switch codes (third-person singular simple present switches codes, present participle switching codes, simple past and past participle switched codes)

switches codes (present singular third-person)
switching codes (participle present)
switched codes (participle past)
switched codes (past)

(rugby) To change from playing rugby league to rugby union or vice versa


best and fairest

en-noun

best and fairest (plural best and fairests)

(Australia, sports, rugby, Australian rules football) an award given to a player deemed to have been the best performer in a game or over a season


television match official

television match official (plural television match officials)

(rugby) A referee who uses video recordings to assist in deciding if points have been scored


dummy half

(rugby) The player who receives the ball when it is returned into play behind the teammate who was just tackled.


kickout

In the great Michigan game of 1903, it was he who got the ball on the kickout.

1906, Graff F. Wolfe, The Story of Wall Ka-Zoo, page 112:

Jones caught the kickout on the fifteen-yard line and Hudson kicked goal.

1906, The United States Army and Navy Journal and Gazette, page 276:

Another change requires that on the kickout the opponents line up on the 20-yard line, instead of on the 25-yard line, and that the ball be kicked from some point behind the 20-yard line.

The kickout was fumbled and Barrett lost his chance to try for the goal.

1915, The Cornell Alumni News - Volume 18, page 97:

“We called [the play] 26 Blast on that play and I was reading Jaydon Wright’s kickout block on the end,” Smith said.

2021 April 4, Nicholas Holstein, “FOOTBALL: Youthful Irish gain confidence, experience in win over Chicago Christian”, in Daily Journal (Kankakee, Illinois):

(rugby, American football) A drop kick by a player on the side to return the ball back into play.


five-eighth

(rugby) A rugby position, one of the two half backs in a team, partnering the scrum-half.


Wallaby

If the final margin was slightly harsh on a spirited Wallaby side it was hard-earned reward for England’s well-organised defence and the last-quarter power lurking on their bench.

2019 October 19, Robert Kitson, “England into World Cup semi-finals after bruising victory over Australia”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media:

(rugby) A player for the Wallabies, the Australian national rugby union team.


captain's try

2003 Aussies crash out of Rugby Sevens ABC News, 5 December 2003. Accessed 8 June 2019.
The reigning world sevens champions were heading out of the tournament trailing 10-5 in the dying seconds of the quarter-final clash before a captain's try from Karl Te Nana brought them level at 10-10 and took the game to sudden death.

2014 Waratahs stay top in Australian division after win over Waikato Chiefs South China Morning Post, 1 June 2014. Accessed 8 June 2019.
A late surge by the NSW Waratahs, sparked by a captain's try from Dave Dennis, carried them to a 33-17 victory over the defending champions Waikato Chiefs in their Super Rugby clash on Saturday.

(rugby) A try scored by a captain when their team is in need of inspiration.


scrum feed

(rugby) The action, performed by the scrum-half, of feeding the ball into the scrum.


on the boil

(sports, rugby, colloquial) (Of a player taking a pass) running at full speed towards the opposition.


broken field

Quarter-backs this year who have gained considerable notice are Fallis of Haskell Indians and Pooler of Kansas University, they both being very good in a broken field.

1905, Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, page 169:

The forward passer receives the ball, runs a yard or two as a feint, and then, with scarcely a look over the broken field, selects a person and a place and throws the ball.

1972, Chronicle of American Physical Education, page 383:

Barely two minutes after the interval the margin was reduced to just a single point after Elliot Daly, under a bit of pressure, knocked on 40 metres from his own line and gave the Wallabies a broken field to play with.

(rugby, American football) A field in which there are defensive players from the other team between the player who has the ball and the goal.


front-rower

The Wallaby defence was too easily spilt by Farrell’s snappy midfield miss-pass, allowing a beaming Sinckler to storm untouched through the unguarded heart of the defence. The Harlequins front-rower used to be a fly-half in his youth but this was the stuff of any prop forward’s dreams.


prop forward

(rugby) A forward who acts as a prop in a scrum.


dot down

en-verb

dot down (third-person singular simple present dots down, present participle dotting down, simple past and past participle dotted down)

dots down (present singular third-person)
dotting down (participle present)
dotted down (participle past)
dotted down (past)

[…]Makazole Mapimpi became the first Springbok try scorer in a RWC final when he dotted down in the 67th minute.


Billy Williams' Cabbage Patch

Named after committee member William Williams, involved in purchasing the land as a market garden in 1907.

(rugby, slang) Twickenham Stadium, England.


double tackle

It was the key breakthrough – and rich reward for the determined double tackle by Booth, who simply didn't give up.

(rugby) A tackle by two players of the same time on an opposition player.


outruck

outruck (third-person singular simple present outrucks, present participle outrucking, simple past and past participle outrucked)

outrucks (present singular third-person)
outrucking (participle present)
outrucked (participle past)
outrucked (past)

So potent, indeed, was this offensive amalgam that it almost obliterated further questions. Anything that was not it had attractions: the Welsh rugby team, outrucking Chamberlain and Hoare and Halifax and the young toffs they'd persuaded to stand in for them - Raymond Williams, Wales and England, 1983.

(rugby) To outplay an opponent in a ruck


touch-in-goal

en-noun

touch-in-goal (plural touch-in-goals or touches-in-goal)

touch-in-goals (plural)
touches-in-goal (plural)
touch in goal (alternative)

(rugby, historical) The part of the field behind the goal line and beyond the touch line. Any ball entering this zone would be considered out of play.


touch judge

(rugby) An official who monitors the touch line to signal if the ball (or a player holding the ball) goes out of play, and to signal if the ball goes through the goal posts during a penalty or conversion.


flankerback

flankerbacks (plural)
flanker back (alternative)

(rugby, American football) A back whose task is to receive the ball from a scrum.


back-rower

With 17 minutes remaining, Townsend opted to freshen up his pack, bringing on props Oli Kebble and WP Nel and back-rower Gary Graham.

2021 February 6, Graham Bean, “Scotland beat England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years”, in The Scotsman:

(rugby) A player who plays in the back row of the scrum.


five-pointer

But they will have wanted to capitalise on the opportunities for five-pointers they created in that first half.

2023 October 28, Leighton Koopman, “YES!!! The Springboks beat the All Blacks to win another Rugby World Cup title”, in Independent Online:


boomerang kick

(Australian rules football, rugby) A kick that sends the ball in a curved trajectory.


outhalf

DAVID HUMPHREYS, who played very well for Ireland A against Scotland a fortnight ago, gets another chance to impress the national selectors when he plays for Ulster at outhalf against New South Wales at Ravenhill next Tuesday night.

2021 January 5, “Ulster's finest get chance to impress”, in The Irish Times:


minor point

minor points (plural)
minor (alternative)

(rugby, historical) A single point awarded for a touch-in-goal and sometimes for touchdowns or dead balls.


scrummer

(rugby) A player who takes part in a scrum.


droppie

(rugby, Australia, New Zealand, slang) A drop goal.


Red Roses

The Red Roses extended their championship winning record to 29 games, as John Mitchell's ruthless side struck five first-half tries before Assia Khalfaoui's second-half red card.

2024 April 27, Alastair Telfer, “England beat France to seal Grand Slam hat-trick”, in BBC Sport:

(rugby) The England women's national rugby union team


open play

We've struggled to score goals in open play since early March which contributed to our promotion hopes falling away last season.

2010 November 2, Phil Merrick, Bleed White: The fall and rise of Leeds United... to be continued, AuthorHouse, →ISBN:

A dropped goal is a kick at goal in open play and can be taken from anywhere on the pitch and by any player within the team.

2015 August 27, Gavin Hickie, Eilidh Donaldson, Rugby Revealed: Reaching Your Rugby Potential, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 222:

Orient's tended to result from set pieces, whilst Ebbsfleet's came from open play.

2020 August 6, Steve Leach, Twenty Football Towns, Saraband, →ISBN:

(sports, especially soccer and rugby) The period of play outside set pieces; the phase where possession can change by passing and tackling.


try-off

It had nothing to do with their defensive pattern or any strategy it was about backing your instincts, and for Ma'a to finish the try off like that was pretty special.

2016, Tony Johnson, Lynn McConnell, Behind the Silver Fern: Playing Rugby for New Zealand:


block tackle

(rugby) A defensive maneuver where a player uses their body to block an opponent who is carrying the ball.