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PICK UP YOUR GUM SHIELD AND PLAY 
by Jessica Poorée
May 16, 2001
What the ruck* is it all about?
If you thought rugby was only played across the pond, think again. One of the biggest misconceptions about rugby is that it has no following in North America. Rugby is a huge club sport in Canada, and many universities in the United States compete on a national level. In the last Rugby World Cup, the U.S. team surprised their detractors with some gutsy performances against the best rugby-playing nations in the world. With a solid foundation already built, watch for this exciting and skilful sport to quickly grow in the U.S. and Canada in over the next few years.
On the pitch, rugby is similar to the NFL™. It's a seriously physical game where the focus is an oval ball that can be moved around the pitch with both the hands and feet. It comes with all the big hits and tackles you expect from a field sport, but with none of the padding and helmets of the gridiron. When the players get hit, they get hit hard.
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| Advantage |
The referee allows the game to proceed uninterrupted as long as the ball is in play and there are no major infractions |
| Blind Side |
The side nearest to the touch line |
| Dummy |
Fake pass |
| Maul |
A loose formation brought around a player who is still in possession of the ball and has not been brought to the ground |
| Ruck |
A loose formation created around a free ball or a player who has been brought to the ground with the ball |
| Scrum |
A tight formation between the two opposing teams in readiness for the ball to be put in the tunnel between the two front rows and brought out into play |
| Try |
Score worth 5 points by touching the ball down in the opponent's goal area |
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This game is no dummy*
Thanks to PlayStation®2 technology, EA SPORTS Rugby boasts highly detailed players, stadiums and effects that put you on the pitch and closer to the action than ever before. The speed, flow and big collision animations make you feel like you're absorbing every brutal hit. Play in rain or fog, at night or in front of a stand up crowd. The action is all there: from the angling cameramen, to the umpires, officials and linesmen.
O scrum* all ye faithful
Still learning the game? No problem. Start off by fine-tuning your skills in Training Mode. Then take on the best in the game in World Championship Mode. Play as or against rugby powerhouses like Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, England, and Scotland in VI Nations mode, or head to the southern hemisphere to face its top three squads teams in Tri-Nations Mode. EA SPORTS Rugby captures the complete rugby experience. With 20 international teams including the U.S. national squad, 600 players, and official licenses for England, France, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa, EA SPORTS Rugby is the most authentic rugby game you can get your hands on.
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