A try is a principal scoring event in rugby, awarded when an attacking player legally grounds the ball in the opponents' in goal area or otherwise satisfies the relevant scoring condition under the laws of the particular rugby code. The term is used in both rugby union and rugby league, but the exact requirements, value and consequences differ between the codes.
In rugby union, a try is normally worth five points, while in rugby league a try is normally worth four points. The word try comes from the historical concept of attempting to ground the ball in the opponents' territory, although the modern try is a completed scoring event rather than merely an attempt. A try is therefore not synonymous with a generic point or goal. It is a specifically defined rugby scoring action that normally requires the player to establish control of the ball and ground it legally in the appropriate area.
In rugby union, the laws define a try through the grounding of the ball in the opponents' in goal area. The scoring player must satisfy the relevant requirements concerning possession or control, grounding and the position of the ball relative to the goal line. A try can result from a variety of attacking situations, including passing movements, running attacks, kicks followed by recovery, mauls and other phases of play, provided that the final scoring action complies with the laws.
The ball may be grounded on or beyond the goal line within the in goal area, but the precise legal requirements matter. Officials may need to determine whether the player had control, whether the ball was legally grounded, whether the player was in touch, and whether an earlier infringement affected the validity of the action. Video review can be used in competitions where the relevant officiating system permits it.
The value of a try is only part of its significance because a successful try can create an additional scoring opportunity. In rugby union, the team awarded a try receives five points and is then entitled to attempt a conversion, which is a separate kick at goal worth additional points if successful. Rugby league similarly allows a conversion attempt following a try, with the value and rules governed by that code.
This means that the try and conversion should be recorded as separate scoring events even though they are directly connected. The team may therefore increase the value of the initial try through successful conversion. Other rugby scoring methods, including penalty goals and drop goals in rugby union and other code specific scoring events, are distinct from tries and should not be treated as alternative names for the same action.
A try is different from a goal because the two scoring mechanisms arise from different actions. A goal in rugby generally refers to a successful kick through the goalposts and above the crossbar under the relevant rules, whereas a try involves grounding the ball in the opponents' in goal area. A player can therefore score a try without kicking the ball through the posts, and a successful conversion after a try is a separate goal kicking event.
This distinction is central to understanding rugby scoring because commentators may describe a team's total as a combination of tries and goals, even though the precise terminology and scoring values vary between rugby union and rugby league. The scoring record can identify how many tries a team scored and how many subsequent conversion attempts were successful, allowing the final total to be reconstructed from the underlying events.
The historical development of the try is connected with the early evolution of rugby football, when grounding the ball in the opponents' goal area was initially associated with obtaining an opportunity to attempt a kick at goal. Over time, the try became a direct source of points and its numerical value increased, reflecting its growing importance within the scoring system.
Rugby union eventually established a scoring framework in which the try became the most valuable standard method of scoring before the additional conversion. Rugby league developed its own scoring values and laws after the code split from rugby union. Although the two forms share historical origins and terminology, their rules have diverged significantly. Consequently, a precise explanation of a try should always specify whether rugby union or rugby league is intended when numerical values or detailed procedures are being discussed.
Tries have major tactical importance because attacking teams must create situations in which a player can legally reach and ground the ball in the in goal area, while defenders attempt to prevent this by tackling, contesting possession, controlling territory and forcing attacking players into touch or other unfavourable positions. The structure of the scoring system also influences tactical choices.
Teams may choose between attempting to score a try and taking a kick at goal when the laws and match circumstances provide alternatives. The location of a try can also influence the difficulty of the subsequent conversion because the conversion kick is taken from a position related to where the try was scored. Attacking players therefore have incentives to approach the scoring area from positions that may create favourable options, while defenders must consider both the immediate danger of the try and the potential subsequent conversion.
The official recording of a try normally includes the team awarded the score and, where relevant, the player credited with scoring it and the time at which it occurred. The scoreboard adds the appropriate value to the team's total, while the official match record can preserve the try as a distinct event. Statistical records may count tries by individual players, team totals, tries per match and other derived measures.
Because a try can lead to a conversion attempt, the record also needs to distinguish the try from the result of that subsequent kick. If the conversion is successful, the additional points are recorded separately. This separation allows analysts to understand how the team reached its final score rather than merely recording one combined number.
A try is therefore a specialised rugby scoring event defined by the laws of the relevant rugby code, normally involving the legal grounding of the ball in the opponents' in goal area. Its value differs between rugby union and rugby league, and its successful completion may create an opportunity for a conversion. The try is distinct from a goal, penalty goal or other scoring method because the physical action and legal requirements are different.
It is simultaneously a fundamental element of rugby's scoring system, a tactical objective and a statistical category. Understanding the term accurately requires attention to the particular rugby code, the rules governing grounding and possession, the value assigned to the event, and the separate scoring opportunity that can follow it.
