Rugby sevens rules in five minutes
Rules baseline: World Rugby Laws of the Game and current Sevens variations in force on 1 August 2026. Tournament regulations add pool, tie-break, substitution, extra-time, review, and disciplinary rules.
- Objective: score more points by grounding the ball in the opponents' in-goal or kicking goals, using union law adapted for a faster seven-a-side game.
- Players, field, and equipment: seven players per team use the full rugby union field; scrums have three players, while the ball, posts, clothing, boots, and protective equipment follow World Rugby requirements.
- How play begins: a drop-kick at halfway starts each half; unlike 15s, the team that scored takes the restart, which must travel 10 metres unless opponents choose to play it.
- Possession: players carry, kick, and pass backwards or laterally, with tackles, rucks, mauls, three-player scrums, and smaller lineouts deciding rapid changes of possession.
- Scoring: a try is five points, a drop-kick conversion two, a penalty goal three, and a dropped goal three; a penalty try is seven points with no conversion.
- Length and winner: a standard sevens match has two halves of up to seven minutes; the higher score wins, while competition rules govern tied knockout matches and any extra time.
- Main infringements and foul play: forward passes, knock-ons, offside, illegal breakdown play, deliberate delay, obstruction, and dangerous contact bring scrums, free-kicks, penalties, or cards.
- Restarts and sanctions: kick-offs, drop-outs, scrums, lineouts, free-kicks, and penalties restart play; a yellow card suspends a sevens player for two minutes, a major numerical disadvantage.
- Competition differences: squad and replacement limits, pool points, tie-breakers, extra time, conversion timing, foul-play review, and event schedules come from the tournament regulations.
- Go deeper: continue with teams and positions, match timing, restarts, scoring, and all sevens pages below.