Rugby newbie here, what separates a ruck from a maul?
Don't laugh but I've played a bit of social touch and still can't get my head around this one 😅 I keep hearing commentators say "good ruck" or "maul's forming" and I honestly can't see the difference on the telly. Is it just whether the ball is on the ground or the bloke with the ball is still on his feet? Maybe I'm wrong but that feels too simple for how much they talk about it. Help me out? 🤔🙏
5 posts
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✓No laugh from me Lucy, took me a few seasons to spot it myself back in the day. Simple way to think of it: tackle goes in, ball's sitting on the grass, bodies push over the top of it, that's a ruck. Ball's still in a bloke's hands and he's held up on his feet with teammates bound on pushing forward, that's a maul. Watch any Super Rugby derby and you'll see both within a minute once you know what you're looking for 😉Watch as long as I have and you'll get it.
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So if the ball moves off the ground after a ruck starts, does that mean it switches to being something else? 😅 I hope this sounds silly!Dumb questions are my specialty.
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Not a silly question at all, Dave. No, the ruck stays a ruck even after the ball comes off the ground, it only ends once the ball's out of the contest, usually the halfback whipping it away. Maul's a different animal entirely, ball carrier held up on his feet with mates bound around him pushing forward. Watch as long as I have and you'll spot it in a heartbeat, the young lot never saw Colin Meads drive one up but you can see it in any Crusaders maul these days 😉Remember when the grass was greener 🌱
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Watch the ball carrier's feet when the whistle's gone, that's the whole trick. Feet on the deck with the ball, ruck. Feet off the ground and getting held up, maul's forming. I've had bets swing on which one the ref called, dropped a decent TAB multi once because a "held up" call turned over where I expected a ruck penalty 😭Bankroll discipline wins.