There are two types of rugby: league and union. Rules and regulations vary widely between the two types of rugby, and each division has its own games and championships. Rugby union football is what is most commonly known as simply "rugby," and the one covered in this article.

Rugby is played between two teams of either 13 or 15 players, although teams of seven are accepted in a division known as "rugby sevens." In all cases, rugby games last eighty minutes, split in half by a break of ten. Rugby is more similar to American football than to soccer, although players in rugby are allowed to kick the ball at any time during the game and not only for penalty or goal kicks.

Rugby is a full-contact sport played without padded uniforms or head protection, which means players are more prone to accidents and injuries than in other similar sports. Although there are strict rules as to what can be done physically when blocking other players, injuries still happen. Fingerless gloves are acceptable, but most players choose not to wear them. Gumshields, on the other hand, are mandatory to protect the teeth and tongue from serious injuries. Rugby's official uniform consists of shorts and a collared jersey t-shirt with horizontal lines. All teams have an additional full-color shirt to be used when the opposite team has a similar uniform.

Rugby is played in a way similar to American football, with players passing the ball to each other and running with it until a point can be scored. Forward passes are not allowed, but the ball can be thrown or kicked in all other directions. Points in rugby are scored by kicking the ball through goalposts in the form of an H letter, with kicks awarded different points according to the placement of the player or the distance of the kick. Points can also be scored by a touchdown or a penalty kick. Goal kicking is more important in rugby than in other contact sports, as most of the points are scored this way.