Rugby Pitch Dimensions
Rugby is one of the world’s most impressive sports. Many casuals think it’s just about big men running into each other. However, it has many strict rules, including laws dictating how long is a rugby pitch.
Don’t forget that rugby has two different codes. A rugby union field is officially 94 to 100 metres in length. The width must be between 68 and 70 metres. This means a total playing area can be between 7,200 and 10,080 sq. m.
We’ll focus on rugby union in this guide but it’s worth comparing to a rugby league field. Rugby League teams only play with 13 players per team on regulation 122m x 68m pitches. The latter can fit inside a rugby union pitch because it has smaller official dimensions. This means that a rugby union side can share its ground with a rugby league team.
Rugby Pitch Layout
The dimensions of each rugby field will change slightly depending on the venue. Some fields are wider and allow a more expansive style of rugby. Other tighter fields encourage teams to play through the middle. Coaches may even influence the width of fields depending on their preferred system. But one aspect they can’t change is the pitch layout.
While many of us know how long is a rugby match, the venues all have distinct markings. The vast number of pitch markings can seem complex, however, it’s relatively straightforward. First, there are the touchlines that run each side of the field up to 100 metres in length. There are many other solid white and dash lines across the field between the touchlines.
There is an in-goal area on each side of the field, like an end zone in the NFL. A dead-ball line marks each end of the pitch while players score a try when they cross the goal line and ground the ball in the area. The dead-ball line should be 6 to 22 metres from one touch-in goal line to the other. The goal line must measure 68 to 70 metres across.
A solid-white line runs through the middle of the pitch. It denotes the precise halfway point with a centre cross like a bullseye. Then two dash lines mark the 10 metre distance on either side of the centre line. Meanwhile, two more solid-white lines mark the 22-yard distances from the goal lines.
There are separate smaller markings that denote the five-yard distance from the goal line and the 15-yard distance from the halfway line. Teams use the 15-yard distance for throw-ins. The five-yard line is where scrums take place.
Rugby is an extremely tactical game where teams attempt to take territory and move up the field. Remember, they can’t pass the ball forward, so it’s difficult to find space. You might have seen the best Irish rugby players kick the ball into touch to advance their team into a more favourable position to score a try. Check our guide to the different rugby positions to learn more about each player’s tactical role.
All these lines must meet regulation standards. There is flexibility with the length and width of the field, but each pitch has standardised markings. This ensures some level of consistency when teams travel and play each other. As well as the lines, 14 flags will mark the lines down the outside of the touchline.
Rugby fields also have technical areas. This is where the coaches, replacement players, and medical staff stay during the game. It is one metre from the touchline and a maximum of 10m long. Sinbinned players also return here after receiving a yellow card.
Finally, we have the goals. These stand clear on each goal line, with two tall posts on each side of a crossbar. Unsurprisingly, these must also meet strict specifications. The posts must be 5.6m apart and at least 3.4m high but typically are much taller. The crossbar must be precisely 3m above the ground.
Rugby Pitch vs Soccer Pitch Dimensions
Rugby and soccer play on long grass fields with some teams even sharing stadiums. The Irish Rugby and Republic of Ireland soccer teams play at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. However, while the fields are similar, there are differences in the dimensions.
First, a soccer field is slightly shorter than a standard rugby pitch. They must be 90-120m in length. This is roughly 20m shorter than the longest rugby fields. Meanwhile, they play in a much tighter space of 45-90m. They can have a minimum total playing area of 4,050 sq. m, which is much smaller than a rugby field.
Theoretically, the smallest football pitches can be 80% of the size of the smallest rugby fields. That’s why any soccer team can play in a rugby stadium, but it doesn’t always work vice versa. The styles of play have a significant impact on the pitch dimensions. Soccer also has very different goalposts from rugby. The length of a rugby match is shorter than a soccer game but takes place on a bigger field.
There’s arguably much more diversity in the way soccer teams play. Some football managers may want their teams to kick the ball long and to suffocate their opponents. However, others prefer an expansive style of play with plenty of passing, so they need a wider field. Similarly, rugby players quickly run out of space if the pitch is narrower.
There are also older purpose-built soccer stadiums that are very tight because of their construction. Modern stadiums usually enable different sports. The likes of the Aviva Stadium and the Stade De France in Paris are classic examples.
Rugby Pitch vs NFL Field Dimensions
Some people compare rugby to the NFL and think they have many similarities. Let’s glance at the differences between their field dimensions. In short, rugby fields are more complex than their North American counterparts are.
NFL fields have a length of 100 yards or 91.44m. Their official width is 67 to 69 metres. This means that rugby fields are bigger. It’s easy for NFL franchises or college teams to tour Europe because they can play on rugby pitches.
Meanwhile, NFL fields have end zones on each side of the pitch. There is a block-white line every 10 yards between the end zone and the middle of the field (50-yard line). End zones are 10 yards in length from the end line to the goal line.
The sports share the basic concept of trying to get the ball from one side of the field to the other. However, rugby players can’t throw the ball forward. The unique playing styles and rule sets mean they don’t have the same playing fields.
Length of Rugby Field
We’ve already addressed the overall dimensions of a rugby pitch. But a team’s ability to get from one side of the field to the other is the core element of the sport. That’s why it’s worth examining the length of a field.
A field’s length can change the way teams approach the game. One modern example is the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. It only has a length of 91m between each goal line for rugby matches. From dead ball line to dead ball line, it’s roughly 20m smaller than a purpose-built rugby field. Rugby Union fields enable this because they want to increase the options for teams to play in modern stadiums.
However, most teams don’t like playing on a rugby field with a running track around it. This can disrupt their vision and it also makes the game more claustrophobic. There’s an issue if the pitch is narrow because it transforms the way they play the sport. There will probably be more mauls and drives.
Do Rugby Pitch Dimensions Change?
Rugby pitch dimensions can vary depending on the ground. However, they must meet the official specifications. Some are slightly wider, while others are a little longer. But they can’t break the rules because an opposing team could invalidate the result. They’d also face an investigation and cannot play in the venue until they fix the problem.
Ireland’s two biggest rugby stadiums are the Aviva Stadium and Thomond Park. The Aviva has pitch dimensions of 106m x 68m. England’s Twickenham is significantly bigger, with a field size of 125m x 70m. Rugby pitches may use grass or hybrid materials for their surfaces.
Ireland uses the Aviva Stadium to its advantage and has an excellent home playing record with some of the highest-paid rugby players in the world. Venues can adjust the size of the field over time. They can increase the field of play by reducing the space behind the posts. Most rugby stadiums in Ireland have small areas to touch the ball down once you are past the goal line. This often adds to the excitement as fans can almost reach out and touch the action!
