If you’ve watched rugby for the first time, you’ve probably seen players slam the ball into the ground behind the goal line and wondered what just happened. That move is a try, and it’s the most important score in the game. Think of it as rugby’s version of a touchdown, except with one big twist: you actually have to touch the ball to the ground to earn the points. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what a try is in rugby, how many points it’s worth, how to score one, and how rugby scoring stacks up against American football. Let’s break it down.
What Is a Try in Rugby?
A try is rugby’s main way to score points. You score a try when you ground the ball in your opponent’s in-goal area, also called the try zone. “Grounding” is the keyword here. It’s not enough to run past the goal line the way you would in football. You have to press the ball to the turf.
In rugby union, a try is worth five points. In rugby league, a slightly different version of the sport, a try is worth four points. The try is the heart of the game. Two teams of 15 players spend 80 minutes moving the ball down the field, and the whole point is to get it over the line and touch it down.
Here’s a quirk that trips up new fans: if the defending team gets their bodies under the ball before you can press it down, the ball is “held up”. No grounding, no points. That small detail makes goal-line rugby some of the most intense action you’ll see.
How Many Points Is a Try Worth?
A try is worth five points in rugby union and four points in rugby league. It’s the biggest single score you can get from a normal play, which is why teams build their entire strategy around scoring them.
But the try wasn’t always worth this much. The value has climbed over the years to reward attacking play. Here’s the quick history:
- 1886: A try was worth just 1 point.
- 1891: It doubled to 2 points.
- 1905: It rose to 3 points.
- 1971: It went up to 4 points.
- 1992: It reached the 5 points we use today.
Each jump had the same goal: to encourage teams to run and score rather than just kick for points. There was even a short experiment in 2015-16 with a six-point try in some Welsh semi-pro leagues, but it didn’t stick.
So when someone tells you, “Score four tries, and you’ll win the game,” they’re talking about modern math. Twenty points from tries alone is hard for most opponents to beat.
How to Score a Try: The Rules Explained
To score a try, you need to do more than cross the line. You have to control the ball and apply downward pressure on it in the in-goal area. Referees watch for two things: possession and grounding. If you fumble the ball or lose control while diving, no try.
There are a few legal ways to ground the ball:
- You hold the ball in one or both hands (or arms) and touch it down in the in-goal area.
- You press down on a ball that’s already sitting on the ground in the in-goal area, using your hand, arm, or the front of your body from waist to neck.
- You touch the ball down at the base of the goalpost, which also counts.
Remember the “held up” rule. If defenders wedge their bodies under the ball before you can press it down, the referee waves it off.
Grounding the Ball in the In-Goal Area
Grounding means firm downward pressure. A light touch on top while the ball rolls away won’t cut it. You can drop your whole body onto the ball, reach out with one hand and press, or fall on it after a tackle near the line. As long as you have control and push the ball into the turf inside the try zone, the referee signals the score. This is why you’ll see players stretch and dive at full speed to get the ball down cleanly.
The Penalty Try
Sometimes the defending team stops a try by cheating. Maybe a defender tackles a player without the ball or collapses a maul illegally right on the goal line. When the referee decides that a team would have scored a try if not for that foul play, they award a penalty try.
A penalty try is worth seven points, and here’s the bonus: no conversion kick is needed. The seven points already include the conversion value, so the scoring team gets the full reward without lining up a kick.
This rule changed a few years back. It used to be that a penalty try was placed right between the goalposts, giving the attacking team an easy two-point conversion on top of the five. Now the modern version simply hands over seven points and moves on. It’s a clean, no-nonsense penalty that punishes teams for stopping a certain try by breaking the rules.
What Happens After a Try Is Scored
After you score a try, your team gets a chance to add more points with a conversion kick. Play doesn’t just reset. The scoring team lines up for a shot at the goal, and where you scored the try matters a lot.
The conversion is taken in line with where the try was grounded, parallel to the touchline (the sideline). So if you score in the corner, you’ll face a nasty angle. Score right under the posts, and the kick is almost automatic. That’s why smart players try to work the ball toward the middle of the field before touching it down, even when the corner is open.
The Conversion Kick
A conversion is worth two extra points. To make it, you kick the ball over the crossbar and between the two upright posts. Most players use a place kick, teeing the ball up on the ground before striking it.
In rugby sevens, the faster seven-a-side version of the game, players can’t use a tee. They have to take conversions as drop kicks, dropping the ball and kicking it off the bounce, all within a tight time limit. It’s a real skill, and top players nail long-range touchline conversions even under that pressure.
Other Ways to Score Points in Rugby
The try may be the biggest and most common score, but it’s not the only way to put points on the board. Rugby gives you four main scoring methods: the try, the conversion, the penalty kick, and the drop goal. Each one rewards a different part of the game.
Tries and conversions come from attacking play and grounding the ball. Penalty kicks and drop goals, on the other hand, let you score by kicking the ball through the uprights during the match. These kicking options give teams a way to grab points even when they can’t break through the defense for a try.
Penalty Kicks and Drop Goals
When the opposition commits a penalty, the referee can award your team a shot at goal. A successful penalty kick is worth three points. You use it as a place to kick off a tee, aiming over the crossbar and between the posts. Teams often choose this when they’re close enough for a reliable place to want guaranteed points.
A drop goal is also worth three points in rugby union. You score one during open play by dropping the ball to the ground and kicking it on the half-volley, right after it bounces, through the posts. Drop goals win big games. France’s Camille Lopez, for example, slotted a famous long-range drop goal to beat Argentina at a Rugby World Cup. It’s a clutch play that can swing a match in seconds.
Try vs. Touchdown: How Rugby Scoring Compares to American Football
If you grew up on football, the try will feel familiar. In fact, the American touchdown grew directly out of rugby’s try. The two share the same basic idea: get the ball into the opponent’s end zone to score. But the rules differ in one crucial way.
In American football, you score a touchdown the moment the ball crosses the goal line while you have possession. You don’t have to do anything else. In rugby, crossing the line isn’t enough. You must ground the ball, pressing it to the turf with control, or no points are awarded.
Here’s a quick side-by-side:
| Feature | Rugby Try | Football Touchdown |
| Points | 5 (union) / 4 (league) | 6 |
| Must the ball touch the ground? | Yes. | No |
| Bonus kick after | Conversion (2 pts) | Extra point (1) or 2-point try |
| Origin | The original score | Derived from the try |
The name itself tells the story. Long ago, crossing the line only earned you the chance to “try” a kick at goal, that kick scored the actual points. Over time, the try became a score in its own right, and the touchdown branched off into the football version we know today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tries in Rugby
What is a try in rugby, and how many points is it worth?
A try is rugby’s primary scoring method, earned when a player grounds the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area. In rugby union, a try is worth 5 points; in rugby league, it’s worth 4 points. It’s rugby’s equivalent to a touchdown in American football.
How do you score a try in rugby?
To score a try, you must have possession and apply downward pressure to ground the ball in the in-goal area. Simply crossing the goal line isn’t enough, you must press the ball to the turf using your hand, arm, or the front of your body. If defenders wedge their bodies under the ball, it’s held up, and no try is awarded.
What is the difference between a try and a touchdown in American football?
In rugby, you must ground the ball on the turf to score a try (5 points in union). In American football, a touchdown (6 points) is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line while in possession—no grounding required. The rugby try is actually the origin of the football touchdown.
What happens after a try is scored in rugby?
After scoring a try, the scoring team gets a conversion kick attempt worth 2 additional points. The kick is taken in line with where the try was grounded, parallel to the touchline. Scoring near the posts makes the conversion easier than scoring in the corner.
What Is a Try in Rugby, and How Does It Relate to a Cap in Rugby?
A try is rugby’s primary scoring method, earned when a player grounds the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area. In rugby union, a try is worth 5 points, while in rugby league, it’s worth 4 points. A cap in rugby is a completely different term, it refers to an official appearance for a national team and has nothing to do with scoring. Players can earn multiple caps throughout their international careers while scoring tries along the way.
What is a penalty try in rugby?
A penalty try is awarded when the referee determines that foul play prevented a certain try from being scored. It’s worth 7 points total—no conversion kick is attempted. This punishes defensive teams for illegally stopping attacking plays near the goal line.
How has the point value of a try changed over rugby history?
A try was worth just 1 point in 1886, doubled to 2 points in 1891, rose to 3 points in 1905, 4 points in 1971, and reached today’s 5 points in 1992. These increases were designed to encourage attacking play and reward teams for running the ball rather than relying on kicks.
