Origin of Try: What It Means in Rugby and Why It Matters

When you hear the word try, the fundamental scoring play in rugby that dates back to the 19th century. Also known as touchdown in early versions of the game, it’s not just a way to score—it’s the reason rugby exists as a distinct sport. The origin of try isn’t about brute force or speed. It’s about history, rules, and a quiet rebellion against football’s rigid structure. In the 1800s, students at Rugby School in England started handling the ball during soccer matches. They didn’t just want to kick it—they wanted to carry it. But carrying the ball didn’t earn points. So they invented the try: a way to earn the right to kick for goal after grounding the ball over the line. The try itself didn’t count as points back then—it was just a privilege. Over time, that privilege became the main event.

Today, a try, a scoring play in rugby union and rugby league where a player grounds the ball in the opponent’s in-goal area is worth five points in rugby union and four in rugby league. But its value isn’t just in the numbers. A try requires skill, timing, and often, sheer guts. It’s not just about crossing the line—it’s about holding off defenders, staying balanced, and placing the ball cleanly. That’s why you’ll see players stretch their arms out like they’re grabbing the air, or dive across the chalk. Every try tells a story. And those stories started in a schoolyard in Warwickshire.

The rugby try, the foundational scoring method that separates rugby from other football codes also shaped how the game is played. Unlike soccer, where goals are rare and often defensive, rugby rewards attack. Teams don’t just defend—they hunt for space. Coaches design plays around creating try-scoring opportunities, not just kicking for territory. That’s why you’ll see fast backs, clever offloads, and players who seem to defy gravity when they dive. The rugby rules, the codified system governing how tries are scored, defended, and awarded evolved to protect that spirit. No pushing, no pulling, no hands before the ball is grounded. It’s clean, it’s fair, and it’s still rooted in that original idea: earn the right to score by outplaying your opponent.

And the rugby history, the evolution of the sport from informal school games to a global professional competition is full of tries that changed everything. Think of Jonah Lomu’s runs in the 1995 World Cup, or Richie McCaw’s last-minute dive in 2011. Those weren’t just highlights—they were proof that the origin of try still drives the soul of the game. You don’t need to know every rule to feel it. When a crowd erupts after a try, it’s not just cheering a score. They’re celebrating a tradition that’s been alive for nearly 200 years.

What you’ll find below are real stories about how tries happen—how they’re defended, how they’re scored, and how they’ve shaped the players who live for them. From the jackal who steals the ball at the breakdown to the walker who trains like a pro to cross a finish line, these posts show how the spirit of effort, discipline, and raw determination runs through every sport. And in rugby, that spirit still begins with one simple act: grounding the ball.