1. What is rugby? Why do you call it 7’s?

A: Rugby’s a fairly simple game. The object is to ground the ball in the try zone (end zone) for five points. We call it a try. Depending where the ball is grounded, you get a shot for a two-point conversion on line with where you scored. On occasion, you get a penalty kick or a drop goal attempt for three points.

The main rule is that you can’t pass the ball forwards, even accidentally. Also, there’s no blocking in rugby. Our term for it is obstruction & it’s a penalty offense.

We run a 7’s rugby program, meaning that it is played with seven players per side. Rugby also has a 15-a-side game which is also quite popular. The 7’s game is what will be played in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The United States won the last gold medal for rugby in the 1924 games in Paris!

This is a fantastic example of our game from the 2013 London Sevens. The USA takes on South Africa & makes history for USA Rugby.

2. Is the club co-ed?

A: Grades 6 & under are fully co-ed are non-contact flag rugby and we’ve found that the co-ed play helps to foster respect going both ways between the girls & boys.

For the older girls, if there's no separate team specifically for girls, they are allowed to play with the boys. We are working on having a separate girls squad for 2018.

3. What are the age ranges?

A: The Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization has classifications for grades K-12.

4. Will you expand to contact rugby? Why don’t you play tackle in all age groups?

A: In 2018, we will play full-contact rugby for grades 7-12. Grade 6 and below are non-contact flag groups.

5. I’m not from Marshfield/Hanover. Can I/my son/my daughter play for your team?

A: Yes. Absolutely. Any athlete who can make it to the field is welcome to play here. We are working to build the game to create more squads around the South Shore.

Check us out at facebook.com/SharksYouthRugby and at Twitter.com/SharkYouthRugby for more information. You can always call the phone number on the website or tag us through our contact form on the website!

6. What is your club’s schedule like?

A: We plan to have a few local opponents, including the Boston Irish Wolfhounds (based at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton) as well as a few new clubs being born on the South Shore as we speak. We’ll also play in a quite a few tournaments including the MYRO (MA Youth Rugby Org.) Jamboree & the Bay State Games. We are also havea region wide tourney in Marshfield. During the Summer season Saturday/Sunday are rugby days!

Our calendar has practices beginning in early April for Spring/June for Summer and we keep playing until the end of July.

7. Where can I watch rugby on TV?

NBC Gold is carrying a majority of the 2019 7's tournamnets. If you have Directv, turn to channel 490 (and sometimes 489 as well). That channel shows international test matches, Super Rugby matches (from Australia, New Zealand & South Africa), the ITM Cup (New Zealand’s Domestic League) & the Currie Cup (South Africa’s Domestic Competition).

Fox Soccer Plus shows the Pro12 league (Teams from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Wales) & the Aviva Premiership (England’s top domestic league). Universal Sports holds the rights to the IRB Sevens World Series.

8. What is the HSBC World Series?

World Rugby runs an elite international sevens rugby competition known as the HSBC World Series. There are divisions for men & women.

The Men's competition includes these core teams: USA, England, France, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Samoa, Fiji (2014-15 champs), South Africa, Kenya, Russia, Wales, Argentina, Portugal & Scotland.

The Women's competition includes the core teams from: USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Ireland, France, Russia, Fiji, Spain & England.

9. Where can I watch rugby locally?

A: http://ssrugby.com/ - That’s the website of the South Shore Anchors, the local club side. They play their home matches at Ralph Talbot Field located at 277 Ralph Talbot Street, Weymouth, MA 02190. Also We have a New Major League Rugby team The Free Jacks who play at Union Point in Weymouth.

Many Boston area colleges field rugby programs as well, such as:

Harvard: http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/rugby/

Boston College: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/svp/st_org/rugby/

Boston University: Facebook Link

10. Do you have a fee waiver program?

A: Yes, we do work with families with tight budgets. We are a community organization and our first priority is to let the kids play rugby. Shoot us a message via our contact form or give us a call at the number on the website: 781-252-0283

11. Where can we buy a rugby ball or rugby gear?

A: WorldRugbyShop.com is our provider. You can get anything from cleats to USA Rugby gear to professional club jerseys/t-shirts from England's Aviva Premiership, France's Top 14, Super Rugby (NZ/Australia/S. Africa) & the Pro 12 (Ireland/Wales/Italy/Scotland). Balls usually run $15 & up there. It's as good a deal as you'll find. We recommend & use balls made by Gilbert.

12. Do we need cleats?

A: The answer to this is no, though cleats provide a competetive advantage sneakers are just fine. However, rugby does have a specific law when it comes to cleats. Cleats that have a toe cleat on the top center of the toe are ILLEGAL. Players will not be allowed to play with that type of cleat. Pictured below are the legal cleat (Gold Canterbury cleat) and the illegal type (in this pic, a Nike baseball cleat).

Rugby United and #RugbyUnited is an ideal, a movement and a family. Created on Twitter by Trevor Large (@trevorlarge ) and Rich Church-Keen (@RichC_K) on December 23, 2011.

The movement symbolizes the rugby principle that all players, teams, fans & officials are brought together by our passion for the game. No matter our differences of club, country or language, we all come together to celebrate the game and each other win or lose!

The word compete itself comes from the Latin competere meaning ‘to strive together” That’s the true spirit of rugby! It’s only fitting that our game of rugby 7’s is now part of the Olympic movement that strives for that same ideal.

Here at the youth level, Sharks Youth Rugby is bringing the #RugbyUnited spirit into our program. We’ll emphasize the balance between individual creativity and teamwork as we teach rugby. We’ll teach our players to respect themselves, their teammates, officials, coaches and our opponents!

The more players and parents are exposed to rugby, the more they love it. We think you’ll feel the same way! Come out and join us!

Posted on Feb 18, 2022

The France scrum-half tops our list of the 100 best players in the world right now

Antoine Dupont named world’s best player by Rugby World 

Antoine Dupont is the world’s best player. That’s according to the new issue of Rugby World magazine, which features our biennial countdown of the 100 best players in the world right now.

The France scrum-half has topped Rugby World’s 2021 list after a standout year. He has helped Toulouse complete a European Champions Cup and Top 14 double as well as captained France during a successful autumn series, which included beating the All Blacks on home soil for the first time since 2009.

When we last compiled the list in mid-2019, Dupont was ranked 47th and the fact he has rocketed to top spot demonstrates how central he has been to France’s improvement over the past couple of years.

As former Scotland fly-half Rory Lawson says: “He just doesn’t have any weaknesses. There’s no flaw in any part of his game.”

So how does Rugby World compile the ultimate list of the 100 best players in the world? The key rules are that current form is given precedence and, as we’re comparing players across formats, positions and genders – a tough task – we look at influence within their teams as well as skill-set.

We seek the opinions of writers from across the globe as well as a few international coaches and players. Then we bring together an expert panel to debate who should be on it, with a vote to determine the top ten.

Wasps Women DoR Giselle Mather, BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones, Welsh broadcaster Lauren Jenkins, Sportsbeat chief sports writer Paul Eddison and our columnist Stephen Jones joined us for the selection meeting at the start of November – with a few players making a late charge for the list given their performances in the autumn Tests.

Here are our panellists putting their case for different players to be in contention for top spot…

Antoine Dupont has been named the world’s best player by Rugby World, but who else features in the top five? There are two Wallabies in Michael Hooper and Taniela Tupou while England lock Maro Itoje is ranked third and New Zealand back-row Ardie Savea is second.

Red Roses wing Abby Dow is the highest-ranked female player in 11th while Jerry Tuwai, in 16th, is the top sevens player.

Fourteen different nationalities are featured in the top 100, with players aged 20 to 36. To find out who makes our list of the 100 best players in the world right now get a copy of the new edition of Rugby World magazine.

Related: Free 2022 calendar with Rugby World 100 best players edition

Rugby World’s 100 Best Players in the World Right Now – Top 20

1. Antoine Dupont

2. Ardie Savea

3. Maro Itoje

4. Michael Hooper

5. Taniela Tupou

6. Aaron Smith

7. Lukhanyo Am

8. Cheslin Kolbe

9. Tom Curry

10. Sam Whitelock

11. Abby Dow

12. Brodie Retallick

13. Rose Bernadou

14. Beauden Barrett

15. Richie Mo’unga

16. Jerry Tuwai

17. Eben Etzebeth

18. Hamish Watson

19. Courtney Lawes

20. Josh Adams

Original article: https://www.rugbyworld.com/in-the-mag/current-issue/antoine-dupont-named-worlds-best-player-by-rugby-world-134417