Casual watchers of the game of rugby union will have no doubt seen the dramatic try scoring dives that sometimes happen in rugby and perhaps wondered why on earth do they have to do that. Well, I’m going to clear that up for you right now:
- It is the quickest way to ground the ball safely
In rugby union or league a try is scored only when the ball is placed on the ground with downward pressure. It does not matter how that is done, it just needs to be done before an opponent can stop you. By diving over a try line you are minimising the time you give the opponents to stop you and making the tackle more difficult as you are effectively putting the entire momentum of your body behind the ball.
- On wet days it is safer to slide
Games of rugby, in some parts of the world, can be played in very wet conditions and so when players are racing for the line it can be advantageous to dive early for the line as it is virtually impossible to tackle a player who is sliding along the ground whereas a player running can still be tackled.
You might also want to read our Beginners Guide To Playing On The Wing if you are interested in scoring more tries.
- Out of celebration
Sometimes players are just so overjoyed at scoring that the adrenaline rush they get is used to fuel an elaborate dive. It’s never happened to me but I imagine scoring in front of 80,000 people at Twickenham would give you quite a buzz.
- Out of ego
One player who seemed to take the whole try scoring dive to a new level was Chris Ashton. A fantastic winger for England in the late 2,000s he developed a habit of performing an elaborate swan dive to score his tries with. This involved him diving with the ball in one hand and with an outstretched arm – an absolute coach killer! Chris had kids all over the country copying him and his signature scoring dive even coined the phrase the ‘Ash splash’.
- For the camera
Former England scrum-half and Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care admitted in his pod Rugby Union Weekly that the photogenics of his try scoring dives were sometimes on his mind when scoring a try. He said other players had even asked him about how to get the arc in his back right so that it looked good for the camera. Here’s what I’m talking about:
- To avoid a knock on whilst scoring
Particularly on wet days the mere act of bending over and placing a ball on the ground as you are running at speed can lead to the ball slipping out of the players hands and being ‘lost forward’. This would lead to a scrum to the opposition. Why risk placing the ball down in this manner when you can just dive onto the floor with the ball clutched tightly to your chest greatly reducing the risk of a knock on.
- To score in the corners
When a player dives for the try line their body will be in the air and not touching the ground. This means that they can actually go outside the normal field of play and not be deemed out because no part of their body is touching the ground. This is advantageous as they can then judge a dive so that only their outstretched arm is in play and can ground the ball but the rest of their body is over the touch line. Many a try would not have been scored in rugby were it not for this rule.
- To draw attention to foul play
Very occasionally a rugby player may dive to the floor if they feel they have been the victim of foul play. It’s rare that this happens in rugby but with the increased use of television match officials, players may think that if they draw attention to a trip, slap, or late/high tackle by diving to the ground or ‘milking’ it a bit then they may get a favorable penalty decision. Thankfully this has not caught on massively in rugby.
- To pass a ball further
You will occasionally see a player, usually the scrum-half, launch themselves perpendicular to the floor in an outstretched dive in an attempt to pass the ball further. Gareth Edwards, one of the greatest players to ever play the game popularised this technique in the 1970s. It is a technique that every young scrum-half should master in order to improve their game.
You can check out our complete guide to passing here: 7 Types Of Rugby Pass Explained.
- To tap tackle
If a player manages to break through the defensive line and get away then covering players may attempt a tap tackle if they are being outpaced. Essentially, this tackle technique involves diving outstretched to try and knock either of the attacking players feet with one of your hands. The idea is to disrupt a player’s running style so much that they lose balance and stumble over.
At this point, you might want to read our full guide to The Eight Types Of Tackle.
11. To ground a kick through
Sometimes a player, often the fly-half will grubber kick a ball through the opponents defense and over their try line. The idea is that an attacking player can then run onto the ball bobbling around over the try line and ground it with any part of their upper body. In an attempt to get their first and to minimise the chances of knocking the ball on a dive is often employed.
12. To secure a loose ball
During the match the ball may be dropped on the floor or squirt out the side of a ruck and it therefore becomes available to be won by the first player to get it. This is obviously a race which is more likely to be won by a player diving onto the ball before an opponent can retrieve it.
Okay, so there are probably a few other reasons for diving in a rugby game but they are definitely some of the most common.
Photo credits
Yoann Huget, Stade toulousain vs Benetton Rugby, Heineken Cup, January 13th 2013 Pierre-Selim, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
