Ascension : Kids Klub
Submitted by The Islander (Nathan Prince) 09.02.2006 (Article Archived on 16.02.2006)

Well like it or not, it’s going to be on our T.V. for a few more weeks, so we might as well try and find out a bit more about it

Kids Klub

Well like it or not, it’s going to be on our T.V. for a few more weeks, so we might as well try and find out a bit more about it… What is it – The SIX NATIONS RUGBY!

It takes place every year between the top 6 countries in Europe .  The six countries that take part are England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France. So who are you supporting?

                                                     Whats it all about?

To begin with Rugby looks a bit complicated, but it has nothing like the footballers off-side rule whatever that is!  Rugby was invented in England in 1816 when a pupil called William Webb Ellis got a bit bored during a match of football and decided that picking up the ball would make things more interesting.

How do you play?

This fast sport is played by two teams trying to put an egg-shaped ball at the other end of the field, a 'try', or kicking it through a goal. The tricky thing is, the ball is egg-shaped and you're only allowed to throw it behind you!
To stop players scoring a try, the other team must try to knock over the person with the ball. There’s none of this “Ow – I fell over, Boo-Hoo” that other wimpy sports might have.  In Rugby when you do fall, (usually because someone has grabbed you and thrown you to the ground), it’s a case of

   “Get Up and Run!”  .

A few of the special titles that the rugby players try to get during the Six Nations are… The Grand Slam – which means the team has to all five games it plays during the tournament.

The Triple Crown is a special prize that only the four home unions (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland) are able to win. To do so they must beat all three of the other home unions. However you won’t want your team to get the “Wooden Spoon”. This means they haven’t played too good! 

Cardiff Arms Park and Twickenham – yes there is a clue there that it was quite a while ago)! You might find it unusual because the fans from opposite sides are not kept apart during matches.  They may even find themselves sat next to a fan from the other team, but there is rarely any trouble at a rugby match.

Some fans even sing the national anthem of the opposition as well as their own.

So there you go – But we all know that this year the Triple Crown is going to be won by