Rugby League like other sports has its own "jargon" used to describe certain aspects of playing the game. Here we have gathered together a collection of the most commonly used terms in the game as well as some less well known terms and their meanings.
F to J
Facial: A defending player in contact with the ball-carrier during or after the completion of a tackle may aggressively and illegally touch the face of the ball-carrier with their hand or forearm. There may be different motivations for this action, such as wanting to provoke a reaction from the ball-carrier in order to gain a penalty, attempting to establish dominance over their opponent or as a symptom of frustration.
Falcon: An instance of the ball coming into contact with a person's head.
Feeding the scrum: To roll the ball into the scrum. Technically, the ball should enter the scrum via the tunnel formed by the front row forwards of the two teams binding together, with both teams able to strike for the ball, but a relaxed application of the rule is practised. The relaxed application allows players to roll the ball more directly into their team's side of the scrum thus reducing the chances of the other team successfully striking for the ball and gaining possession of it. "Feeding!" is an ironic accusation sometimes called out by spectators of a game in response to a player taking advantage of the modern application of the rule.
Fend: Fending is the action by the ball carrier of repelling a tackler using his arm, also known as a "hand off". For the action to be legal the ball carrier's arm must be straight before contact is made; a shove or "straight-arm smash", where the arm is extended immediately before contact or on contact, is illegal and classed as dangerous play.
Field goal:
A type of goal scored using a "soccer-style" kick that was abolished from the Game in 1922. After the 1920s, another name for drop goal.
Field of play: "The area bounded by, but not including, the touch lines and goal lines".
First receiver: The first man to receive the ball off the ruck, i.e. from the dummy-half.
Flat: A style of attacking play characterised by a lack of depth along the line of attacking players. More of the attacking team are in close proximity to defenders. The attackers look to take advantage of weaknesses created if defenders cannot organise themselves and allocate defenders to where they are needed. Weaknesses of this style of play include risk of passes being intercepted and a lack of speed in the attacking line.
Flat pass: This type of pass involves the player in possession of the ball and a team mate being level when the pass is received. The player about to receive the ball may be running past the ball-carrier aiming for a gap in the defence; with this there is a risk of committing a forward pass if the players get their timing wrong.
Flop: An attempt by a player not involved in the completion of a tackle to delay the player in possession from getting to their feet quickly afterwards by falling on top of those involved. The referee can award a penalty to the attacking team when he sees this tactic.
Forty/Twenty rule: If a player, standing no more than 40 metres away from his own try line, manages to a kick a ball in general play which bounces in the field of play then goes into touch inside his opponents 20-metre area, his side gets the head and feed at the scrum.
Forward pass: A forward pass is deemed to have occurred when the ball travels forward relative to the player passing it. If the referee deems a forward pass to be accidental, this results in a scrum to the opposing team. Deliberate forward passes identified by the referee will result in the award of a penalty. It is extremely rare for a referee to deem a forward pass deliberate. If, during a non-forward pass, the ball is blown or bounces forward, it is not classed as a forward pass.
Foul play: A non-technical breach of the rules such as a high tackle.
Four-tackle rule: Now obsolete the four-tackle rule was in force between 1966 and 1972. The rule ended the situation, a by-product from the introduction of the play-the-ball in 1906, whereby teams could have a potentially unlimited number of tackles. The tackle limit was raised from four to six tackles in 1972 to alleviate "disjointed" play.
Fullback: The title of full back (numbered 1) comes from the full back's defensive position where the player drops out of the defensive line to cover the rear from kicks and runners breaking the line. They therefore usually are good ball catchers and clinical tacklers. In attack the full back will typically make runs into the attack or support a runner in anticipation of a pass out of the tackle.
Ger 'em onside: "Ger 'em onside", or "gerrumonside", is a corruption of "get them onside" shouted to match officials in some northern England accents. The term is used predominantly to express dissatisfaction with the distance back from the play-the-ball that the referee has taken the defending players.
Go: In competitions under some authorities, the referee will call "Go" to tell the defensive line that they may advance after an attacker has played the ball. This call is intended to reduce stoppages to deal with offside offences by defenders. This call may be used by the referee as part of a sequence: "Move, hold, go".
Goal: A goal is scored when a player either kicks the ball through the plane bounded by the two uprights and above the crossbar. A conversion or penalty goal counts for 2 points and drop goals for one.
Goal line: Two solid, straight white lines (one at each end) stretching across the entire width of the pitch passing directly through the goal posts which defines the boundary between the field of play and the in-goal. As the goal line is defined as part of the in-goal, attacking players can score tries by placing the ball with downward pressure onto the goal line itself. The base of the goal posts and post protectors are also defined to be part of the goal line. The goal line is often referred to as the "try line" though that term does not appear in the Laws of the Game.
Goal line drop-out: Awarded when a defending player grounds the ball in his own in-goal area, is tackled with the ball in his own in-goal area, or when a defending player plays the ball dead (into touch) behind his own goal line. The defending team must kick the ball from their own goal line and beneath the uprights to a minimum distance of ten metres. Note that if a player grounds the ball on his own goal line in a tackle, he is regarded as being in the field of play, and play continues. This is contrary to the definition of a try, where the goal line counts as the in-goal area.
Golden point: The golden point, a sudden death overtime system, is sometimes used to resolve drawn rugby league matches. Minor variations exist to this system. In the National Rugby League, if the scores are level at the end of 80 minutes, 5 minutes are played, the teams swap ends with no break, and a further 5 minutes are played. Any score (try, penalty goal, or field goal) in this 10 minute period secures a win for the scoring team, and the game ends at that point.
Goose step: Change in running style from a sprint to high kicking in order to slow down a defender only to sprint once defender has slowed down.
Grapple tackle: A grapple tackle is a controversial tackling technique whereby the tackler attempts to impede the ball carrier by applying a choke hold-like manoeuvre. Although players can be penalised for its use, it is difficult to enforce.
Grubber kick: It is a type of kick which makes the ball roll and tumble across the ground, producing irregular bounces making it hard for the defending team to pick up the ball without causing a knock-on. It gives the ball both high and low bounce and on occasions, the ball can sit up in a perfect catching position.
Haka: The haka is a traditional Māori dance performed by the Kiwis, the international rugby league team of New Zealand, immediately prior to international matches. It serves as a challenge to the opposing team.
Halves: The halves, also known as half backs and sometimes inside backs, are the scrum-half (or halfback) and stand-off (or five-eighth) positions. They are named thus as in 19th century rugby football they were positioned at the midpoint between the forwards and the three full backs used during that time. Originally known as halfway backs in the 19th century, this was shortened in time.
Handover: "The surrendering of the ball to the opposition after a team has been tackled the statutory number of successive times." After the sixth tackle is completed the handover occurs. If the team in possession accidentally knocks on or passes forward after the fifth tackle a handover will occur rather than the usual scrum for these breaches; a handover also happens if a team kicks the ball into touch on the full after the fifth tackle. Before 1983, at the end of a set of tackles, a scrum had been formed with loose head and feed to the team that had been defending.
Held: The referee will call "held" to declare a tackle completed if the ball-carrier is held stationary by defenders.
High tackle: A high tackle (or head-high tackle) is a form of tackle where the tackler grasps the ball carrier above the line of the shoulders (most commonly around the neck or at the line of the chin and jaw). Executed violently or at speed, a high tackle is potentially instantly lethal and, as extremely dangerous play, high tackles are a cause for penalties, and yellow or red cards.
Hold: In competitions under some authorities, the referee will tell the defensive line that it is too soon to advance on attackers at the play-the-ball by calling "Hold!” This call may be used by the referee as part of a sequence: "Move, hold, go".
Hooker: The hooker (numbered 9) is most likely to play the role of dummy-half. In defence the hooker usually defends in the middle of the line against the opposition's props and second-rowers. The hooker will be responsible for organising the defence in the middle of the field. In attack as dummy-half this player is responsible for starting the play from every play-the-ball by either passing the ball to the right player, or, at opportune moments, running from dummy-half. It is vital that the hooker can pass very well. Traditionally, hookers 'hooked' the ball in the scrum. Hookers also make probably more tackles than any other player on the field. The hooker is always involved in the play and needs to be very fit. He needs to have a very good knowledge of the game and the players around him.
Hospital pass: A hospital pass is usually given by the player carrying the ball because they are attempting to prevent themselves being caught with the ball and tackled. The pass is often made under pressure and without consideration of the situation of the player receiving the pass. The player catching the ball is often stationary and already in the path of a defender thus presenting an easy target for a hard impact tackles.
In and out: A running arc made by an attacking player. This is often attempted by fast attacking players once the main line of defending players has been breached when they are left with the last player to beat. The ball-carrier arcs their run further in field, attempting to create indecision in the defender, before turning towards the corner and attempting to reach the goal line first to score a try.
In-goal: The in-goal or "in-goal area" is the scoring area extending 6-11 metres (6.6-12 yards) from each goal line to each dead ball line.
Interception: Where a pass, in an attempt to find a member of the same team, is caught by a member of the opposing team.
Interchange: Each team may make a maximum of 12 interchanges from the 13 starting players and four substitutes. A player sent from the field by the referee because they are bleeding may be replaced but should this happen the replacement will count as one of that team's allotted interchanges. Props are the most commonly interchanged players due to their frequent physical confrontations with opponents. The number of interchanges allowed may differ in local competitions.
