Rugby 15s

In the traditional form of the game, players are introduced to the full game of rugby, the core of the sport. Rugby 15s features 15 players per side with eight replacements. There are eight forwards and seven backs on a team.

A try is worth five points with a conversion worth two. Penalty kicks and drop goals are both worth three points. If a player is sin-binned, they must sit out for 10 minutes.

Games are played over 80 minutes in two halves of 40 minutes. Half time lasts 10 minutes.

The biggest prize in rugby 15s is the Rugby World Cup, held every four years. Canada’s men have played in all eight editions of the tournament thus far, reaching the quarterfinals in 1991. On the women’s side, Canada finished second at the 2014 tournament and fourth in three straight tournaments (1998, 2002, 2006).

Outside of the Rugby World Cup, Canada’s men’s and women’s teams compete in the annual June and November test windows where they battle other top nations for World Rugby ranking points. Canada’s men also play in the Americas Rugby Championship, a six-team tournament held annually in February and March.