They include the pushover try, scored by driving the opposition's scrum back over its own line; the momentum try, where a player slides into the in-goal area; and the penalty try, awarded when a team illegally obstructs the opposition to prevent a certain try from being scored.

There is no such thing as an "own try". If you touch the ball down in your own in-goal area, it results in a kick or a scrum.

Conversion:If a team scores a try, they have an opportunity to "convert" it for two further points by kicking the ball between the posts and above the crossbar - that is, through the goal. The kick is taken from a point level with where the try was scored.

Penalty kick:If a side commits a serious offence, a penalty is awarded and the opposition can take the option of a place kick at goal from where the infringement occurred. If successful, it is worth three points.

Drop goal: A drop goal for three points is scored when a player kicks the ball from hand through the opposition's goal. But the ball must touch the ground between being dropped and kicked.

If the ball is kicked directly into touch by a player from behind his own 22m line, the resulting lineout is taken where the ball crossed the touchline.

But if he is outside his 22, the lineout is taken level with the place from where the ball was kicked (except in the case of penalties).

Players must be behind the kicker for all set piece kicks, such as kick-offs. But if a kick is made in loose play, then players can be in front of the kicker, although they must not advance towards where the ball is going to land until the kicker has put them onside by getting in front of them.

Players use a wide range of kicks, such as the high, hanging up-and-under/garryowen/bomb; the end-over-end grubber kick; or the speculative chip-and-chase.

Tackling: Only a player in possession of the ball can be tackled. American football-style blocking is not allowed. A tackled player must release the ball after he hits the ground. Neither he nor the tackler can play the ball until they are on their feet.

It is illegal to high tackle above the shoulders, or to "spike" a player by deliberately upending him onto his head. The same goes for the late tackle - taking the player after he has passed or kicked the ball.

It is also illegal to punch, gouge, stamp on or kick another player.

Heavy tackles are colloquially known as dump tackles, while an attempt to prevent the ball being released quickly is sometimes called a smother tackle.

Other terms: Hand-off - a player in possession of the ball fends off a tackler with the flat of his hand; Dummy- sending a defending player the wrong way by faking a pass; sidestep or jink escaping a tackler by stepping around him.

Scrums can also be awarded if the ball is not thrown into the line-out straight; a restart kick is done incorrectly; the ball is thrown into the lineout incorrectly; a player carries the ball over his own try-line and touches down in-goal; for accidental offside; or a scoring player fails to ground the ball properly in the in-goal area.

Offside: Hideously complicated. Basically, players not involved in rucks, mauls, scrums or lineouts must remain behind the back foot - that is, behind the last attached player.

Penalty: Penalties are awarded for serious infringements like dangerous play, offside and handling the ball on the ground. It is signalled by the referee with a straight arm raised in the air. Players can also receive red and yellow cards, as in football.

The offending team must retire 10 yards for both penalties and free kicks. A team can either kick for goal, run the ball or kick directly into touch with the resulting line-out awarded to them.

Free-kick: This is a lesser form of the penalty. A team cannot kick for goal (unless it is a drop goal). The normal 22 rule applies for kicking for position from a free kick. It is signalled by the referee with a bent arm raised in the air.

Lineout: A maximum of seven and a minimum of three forwards line up parallel with each other between the five-yard and 15-yard lines. The hooker of the team in possession throws the ball in, while his opposite number stands in the "tramlines" - between the touchline and the five-yard line.

All players not involved in the lineout, except the scrum-half, must retire10 yards.

The ball must be thrown in straight down the middle of the lineout and the hooker must not cross into the field of play while throwing in.

Jumpers can be lifted by their team mates, but the opposition's jumpers must not be obstructed, barged or pulled down.

Loose play

Ruck: A ruck is formed when two or more players from opposing sides arrive at a breakdown in play and the ball is on the ground.

Maul: A maul is essentially the same thing, but the ball is held off the ground by a player.

Restarts

Kick-off: A coin is tossed and the winning captain elects to take or receive the kick.

Both halves of the match are started with a place kick from the centrepoint of the halfway line. The kick must cross the opposition's 10-yard line, which the opposition are not allowed to encroach beyond until the ball is kicked.

If the ball does not travel 10-yards; or it goes straight into touch; or it goes over the dead ball line at the end of the pitch the receiving team can opt for a scrum or a kick again.

After a score, the game is restarted from the same place under the same restrictions, with the conceding team drop-kicking the ball to the scoring team.

22 drop-out: A drop-kick is taken from the 22m line if a team touches down in its own in-goal area, but did not carry the ball over the try-line; or if the ball is kicked over the dead-ball line from any other play than the kick-off.

The ball only needs to cross the line, but if it goes directly into touch a scrum is awarded to the receiving team at the centrepoint of the 22m line.