Things to Know About Rugby in Australia
If you’re someone who likes sports in general, you may find yourself interested in Rugby too. Nothing says Australia quite like the Rugby league, and it’s one of the most celebrated and popular sports in the country at the moment. If you don’t know what it entails, we have to inform you that it’s a 40-minute full-contact sport with 13 players on each team.
The central premise is for one team to get the ball to the opposition’s goal post in 6 tackles. Rugby is very similar to American Football. If you’re not into the sport itself, Rugby is also a great betting game. However, you need to know the sport’s basic know-how to know the best odds for the 2022 NRL season.
The article below will give you some of the basic NRL rules, so you’re up to speed when tackling the NRL season.
The Basics of Rugby
One of the most significant factors you must take into account is how the goals work. Each team is responsible for defending their goal line, and there are several ways in which people can score during a match.
1. A Try
Teammates will apply downward pressure on the ball to get it well past the goal line. You have to complete the maneuver without punting the ball forward. A successful attempt lands the team 4 points.
2. Conversion/Penalty Kick
After the teammates have attempted a try, they have another opportunity to increase their points by kicking the ball over the crossbar.
3. Drop Goal/Field Goal
It’s a one-point kick that crosses the crossbar from any place on the field. The players use this generally when time is of the essence, and the score is tight.
What Is the NRL?
Rugby started in England. However, as is the case with most Commonwealth countries, the tradition came to Australia, which helped set up the Rugby Union and, later, the National Rugby League.
The NRL now involves 15 teams from Australia and 1 Team from New Zealand that fight it out to achieve the Rugby title in the NRL final. The Queenslanders tend to dominate the NRL. However, the team from New South Wales is also no joke.
If you’re looking to expand your information about the teams in general, you should start doing your homework now, so you know what teams to look out for when the NRL season arrives. In 2021, after much deliberation, only two competitors remained.
2021 NRL Grand Final
At the start of the season, people expected the NRL Final to go very differently. While Australia has been mostly under the radar with its lockdowns, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the NRL Grand Final. However, the competitors made everyone forget that the world has been in chaos for the past 18 months or so.
The two competitors were surprisingly the Penrith Panthers and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Let’s tell you more about the teams and how their odds were stacked before the event.
Penrith Panthers
They have been the clear leaders for the past couple of years. They have a massive superstar among the ranks called Nathan Cleary, who has been a force of nature, urging his team forward to wins in the competition. Penrith even made it to the finals in 2020 against the Melbourne Storm, only to lose when the time came.
The Panthers’ positions this year were somewhat clear: to avenge the failure of last year. Long-term fans were accusing the panthers because they were unable to show up in the big games. However, Cleary and his unwavering spirit gave fans something to look forward to with the 2021 NRL Grand final. He and his entire team kept emotions running high as they managed to play with patience and poise instead of unfettered energy.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
This team felt like it was mostly on the rocks. Many people were transferring in and out of clubs. Many had injuries they were nursing while others were in between contracts as the club was unable to renew theirs for a long-term commitment.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs, also called the ‘bunnies,’ seemed like the weaker link in this equation.
What Was the Result?
The Penrith Panthers ended up winning with two points in the lead.
Final Thoughts
Rugby is a wonderful sport for all those involved in the NRL. If you haven’t been an avid fan to date, today is not too late to start. You can get into the sport to play, to watch it, or to bet on it. Regardless of why you invest in it, you should have the basic knowledge about it to proceed.
