Rugby

Rugby union (short for rugby union football and often referred to as simply rugby, to a lesser extent football, or union in countries familiar with rugby union and rugby league), is an outdoor sport played by teams of 15 players with an oval ball. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league. There is also a quicker seven-a-side variation called rugby sevens, which exists in both codes.

Major international tournaments

The most important tournament in rugby union is the Rugby World Cup, a men's tournament that takes place every four years between the elite national rugby union teams. South Africa are the current world champions, winning the 2007 tournament held in France. They beat England, who were attempting to become the first country to retain the title, having won it in 2003. The fact that four countries have won the last five World Cups confirms the level of competition in the tournament, creating intense interest from supporters, the media and major sponsors. Major international competitions in the northern and southern hemisphere are the Six Nations Championship and the Tri Nations Series, respectively.

The Six Nations is an annual competition involving northern hemisphere teams England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Each country plays the other five once, the modern tournament traces its roots to the first ever international game, when England lost by one goal to Scotland at Inverleith Park, adjacent to Raeburn Place, Edinburgh in 1871. In the 1880s, Wales and Ireland joined to create the Home International Championships. France joined the tournament in the 1900s and in 1910 the term Five Nations first appeared. However, the Home Nations (England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) excluded France in 1931 amid a run of poor results, allegations of professionalism (rugby union was officially amateur until 1995) and concerns over on-field violence. France then rejoined in 1939-1940, though World War II halted proceedings for a further eight years. France has played in all the tournaments since WWII, the first one of which was played in 1947. In 2000, Italy became the sixth nation in the contest.

The Tri Nations is an annual international rugby union series held between the southern hemisphere teams of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The series was initially played on a home and away basis with the three nations playing each other twice. In 2006 a new system was introduced where each nation plays the others three times rather than two. In 2007 the teams will play each other only twice, as it is a World Cup year. The IRB had been brokering a deal which could have seen Argentina admitted to the competition in 2008, but it was later confirmed that the Tri Nations would not be expanded until at least 2010. Amidst all the rugby union competitions are also the autumn and summer Tests, which take place between September to December and June to August. These are played by the major rugby union nations on a home or away basis.

Women'sInternational Rugby

It began in 1982. Over six hundred women's internationals have now been played by over forty different nations. As well as the women's World Cup event (which takes place every four years), there are also other regular tournaments, including a Six Nations run in parallel to the men's competition.

Golf

Golf is a sport in which individual players or teams of players strike a ball into a hole using several types of clubs. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed, standardised playing field or area; defined in the Rules of Golf as "playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules."

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The first game of golf for which records survive was played at Bruntsfield Links, in Edinburgh, Scotland, in A.D. 1456, recorded in the archives of the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society, now The Royal Burgess Golfing Society.

How to play

Every game of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. A round typically consists of 18 holes that are played in the order determined by the course layout. On a nine-hole course, a standard round consists of two successive nine-hole rounds. A hole of golf consists of hitting a ball from a tee on the teeing box (a marked area designated for the first shot of a hole, a tee shot), and once the ball comes to rest, striking it again. This process is repeated until the ball is in the cup. Once the ball is on the green (an area of finely cut grass) the ball is usually putted (hit along the ground) into the hole. The goal of resting the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible may be impeded by hazards, such as bunkers and water hazards.
Players walk (or drive in motorized carts) over the course, either singly or in groups of two, three, or four, sometimes accompanied by caddies who carry and manage the players' equipment and give them advice. In most typical forms of gameplay, each player plays his or her ball from the tee until it is holed.
Each player often acts as marker for one other player in the group, that is, he or she records the score on a score card. In stroke play (see below), the score consists of the number of strokes played plus any penalty strokes incurred. Penalty strokes are not actually strokes but penalty points that are added to the score for violations of rules or utilizing relief procedures.

Lawn Tennis

The maximum number of sets in a match shall be 5 for men and 3 for women. A set usually consist of six games. But it shall be extended where necessary.
The choice of sides and the right to be Server or Receiver in the first game shall be decided by toss. The players shall stand on opposite sides of the net; the player who first delivers the ball shall be called the Server and the other the Receiver.

The service is delivered from the right court in every game. The server shall project the ball by hand into the air in any direction and before it hits the ground strike it with his racket and the delivery shall be deemed to have been completed at the moment of the impact of the racket on the ball. In delivering the service, the server shall stand alternately behind the right and left courts.
In doubles game, the order of serving shall be decided at the beginning of each set. The pair who has to serve in the first game of each set shall decide which partner shall do so and the opposing pair shall decide similarly for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third. The partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth and so in the same order in all subsequent games of a set.
At the end of the first game the receiver shall become the server and so on alternately in all the subsequent games of a match. If a player serves out of turn, the player who ought to have served shall serve as soon as the mistake is discovered but all the points scored before such discovery shall be reckoned. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, the order of the service remains as altered. A fault served before such discovery shall not be reckoned.

The player shall change ends at the end of the first, third and every subsequent alternate game of each set.
Let
The service is a let:

1) If the ball served touches the net, strap or band and is otherwise good.

2) or after touching the net, strap or band, touches the receiver or anything which he wears or carries, before hitting the ground.

3) if a service or a fault be delivered when the receiver is not ready.

In case of a let, that particular service shall not count and the server shall serve again but a service let does not annual a previous fault.
Fault
A service is said to be fault if,
***the ball is not delivered properly.
***the server changes his position by walking or running during the delivery of the service
***the server touches any area other than that behind the base line within the imaginary extension of the centre mark and side line with either foot
***the server misses the ball in attempting to strike it
***if the ball served touches a permanent fixture (other than the net, strap or band) before it hits the ground.


In doubles game in addition to this, the service is a fault if the ball touches the server's partner or anything which he wears or carries.

If a fault occurred for the first time during the service, the server shall serve again from behind the same half of the court from which he served that fault.

Hockey

The game is played between two teams. Each team consists of 11 players including the goal keeper. In the beginning, the captains of both the teams toss for the choice of ends or doing pass. The winner of the toss can select one of the two pass or end. The captains can change their respective goal keepers and will inform the umpire about this change.
The duration of the game is divided into two periods of thirty -five minutes each. At half time the team will change their ends.
The game starts when the umpire blows his whistle for the opening pass-back. The pass-back is made at the center of the field to start the game (also after half- time and after each goal is scored). The ball, which may be pushed or hit, must not be directed over the center line. All players of the opposing team must stand at least 5 yard from the ball and all players of both teams, other than the player making the pass-back must be in their own half of the field.
When a ball passes completely across the side line, it is given a push in or hit from the same spot. The ball is pushed in or hit by a player who last touched it. When push-in is being taken, no player of either team shall stand within 5 yards. If this rule is not observed, the umpire can ask for the second push in. After a push in, a player shall not play or touch that ball, until it has been touched or played by another player of either team.
A player of the same team as the striker, or pusher in, is in an off side position if at any moment when the ball is hit or pushed in, he be nearer to his opponents goal line than the ball is, unless he is in his own half of the field or there are at least two opponents nearer to their own goal line than he is. A player who is in an off side position shall not play or attempt to play the ball or gain any advantage for his team or influence the play of an opponen

Football

Football is a team sport in which players attempt to score goals by passing and dribbling the ball down the field past opposing defenders and kicking or heading the ball into the goal net, outwitting the defending goalkeepers.
At the beginning of the game, choice of ends and the kick off is decided by the toss of a coin. The team winning the toss will have the option of choice of ends or the kick off. The referee having given a signal the game is started by a player taking a place-kick (i.e. a kick at the ball while it is stationary on the ground in the centre of the field of play) into his opponents half of the field of play. Every player is in his own half of the field and every player of the opposing team of the kicker remains not less than 10 yards from the ball until it is kicked off. The kicker will not play the ball a second time until it has been touched or played by another player.
After a goal is scored, the game is restarted in like manner by a player of the team losing the goal.
After half-time, when restarting, ends is changed and the kick off is taken by a player of the opposite team to that of the player who started the game.
Duration of the Game
The duration of the game is divided into two equal periods of 45 minutes each unless otherwise mutually agreed upon, subject to the following.
Allowances are made in either period for all time lost through substitution, the transport from the field of injured players, time-wasting or other cause, the amount of which matters for the discretion of the referee.
Time is extended to permit a penalty kick taken at or after the expiration of the normal period in either half.
At half time the interval is exceed five minutes except by consent of the referee.
Ball in and out of play :

The ball is out of play, when it has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line, whether on the ground or in the air and when the game has been stopped by the referee.
The ball is in play at all other times from the start of the match to the finish including if it rebounds from a goal post, cross bar or corner flag post into the field of play; off either the referee or linesman when they are in the field or in the event of a supposed infringement of the laws until a decision is given.

Cricket

Cricket is a ball game played by two teams consisting of eleven players on a pitch with two sets of three stumps (wickets). The bowler bowls the ball down the pitch to the batsman of the opposing team, who must defend the wicket in front of which he stands. The object of the game is to score as many runs as possible. Runs can be scored individually by running the length of the playing strip, or by hitting a ball which lands outside the boundary (six runs) or which lands inside the boundary but bounces or rolls outside (four runs). The opposing team will bowl and field, attempting to dismiss the batsmen.

Each team plays under a captain. The captain should nominate his players before the match. The order in which the teams bat is determined by a coin toss. The two captains of each team will toss for the choice of innings before the match. The captain of the side winning the toss may elect to bat or field first. Once the winner of the toss notify his decision to bat or to field to the opposing captain thereafter the decision shall not be altered. All eleven players of the fielding team go out to field, two players of the batting team go out to bat. The remaining of the batting team wait off the field for their turn to bat.

A match consists of one or two innings and each innings ends when the specified number of overs ( a series of six balls bowled) have been played, or when the captain of the batting team "declares" ending the innings voluntarily. Innings is a division of a game during which a side is in or batting.

Players

Players
In an innings, of the two teams that go to play, one will be the batting team and the other, the fielding team according to the choice of the captain of the side winning the toss.
The fielding or the defending team consists of the following players
BowlerA bowler is a member of the fielding side who delivers the ball.
FieldsmenFieldsmen are members of the defending team other than the bowler or pitcher. Not more than two fieldsman shall be behind the popping crease at the instant of the bowlers delivery. In the event of infringement by the fielding side, the umpire at the striker's end shall call and signal 'no ball'. A field man is entitled to stop the ball with any part of his person, but if he intentionally stops it, 5 runs will be added to the score. No fieldsman shall leave the field without the consent of the umpire.
Wicket KeeperThe wicket keeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket until a ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket, or until the striker attempts a run. When the wicket keeper, contravening this law, the umpire at the striker's end shall call and signal no ball at the instant of delivery or as soon as possible.
SubstitutesIf a player is injured during the match, a substitute shall be allowed in the field with the consent of the opposing captain. The substitute shall not be allowed to bat or bowl.
The batting team consists of :
Batsmen or StrikersThe batsman is a member of the batting team who try to hit the ball delivered by the bowler and run between wickets to get as much runs as possible. Two players of the batting team go out to bat at a time. The remaining of the batting team wait off the field for their turn to bat.
RunnerA runner is allowed for an injured batsman. The player acting as runner shall be a member of the batting side and he can participate even if he has already batted in that innings

Scoring
The score is attained by runs. Batsmen score runs by hitting the ball and then running between the wickets. A boundary is awarded when the ball strikes or passes into or under or directly over any part of the boundary line or fence. Normally the allowance for a boundary is four runs. Six runs is allowed for all hits pitching over beyond the boundary line or fence. Six runs is also scored if a fieldsman after catching a ball, carries it over the boundary. A batsman can score runs off a no ball, bye, leg-byes and wide ball. All runs scored shall be recorded by scorers appointed for the purpose. The scorers shall accept all instructions and signals given to them by the umpires.
No ballNo ball is called when the umpire considers the bowlers delivery is not fair. The umpire shall indicate to the striker whether the bowler intends to bowl over or round the wicket, over arms or underarm or right or left handed. Failure on the part of the bowler to bowl as indicated can be called as no ball by the umpire. The umpire at eh bowlers wicket shall call and signal no ball if the bowlers back foot has landed within and not toughing the return crease or its forward extension or some part of the front foot whether grounded or raised was behind the popping crease. A penalty of one run for a no ball shall be scored for the striker.
Wide ballIf the bowler bowls the ball so high over or so wide of the wicket, so that it is out of reach of the striker, the umpire shall call and signal wide ball as soon as it has passed the line of the striker's wicket. A penalty of one run is scored for the batsman for a wide ball.
ByesIf a ball passes the striker without touching his bat or person and runs are obtained the umpire shall signal bye and the run shall be credited to the batting side.
Leg ByesIf the ball is deflected by the strikers dress or person, except a hand holding the bat, and runs are obtained, the umpire shall signal leg-bye and the run so scored shall credited to the batting side.
The striker may hit a no ball and a wide ball and whatever runs result shall be added to the score.
Lost BallDuring the play if a ball cannot be found or recovered by any fieldsman, the umpire may call lost ball and 6 runs can be added to the score. But if more than 6 runs have been run before lost ball is called as many runs have been completed shall be scored.
ResultA side which has scored a total of runs in excess of that scored by the opposing side in its two completed innings shall be the winner.
When the scores are equal at the conclusion of play, but only if the side batting last has completed its innings, the result of the game shall be a 'tie'.
A match not determined in any of the ways above shall be counted as a Draw.

What kind of sports avaialble

Sports, athletic games or tests of skill undertaken primarily for the diversion of those who take part or those who observe them. The range is great; usually, however, the term is restricted to any play, pastime, exercise, game, or contest performed under given rules, indoors or outdoors, on an individual or a team basis, with or without competition, but requiring skill and some form of physical exertion.

Some sports, such as hunting, fishing, running, and swimming, derive from the rhythms and work requirements of primitive everyday life. Some, such as riding, shooting, throwing the javelin, or archery derive from early military practices. Still others, like boxing, wrestling, and jumping, arose from the spontaneous challenges and occasional hostilities that accompany human interaction.