Rugby World Cup: English fans have no idea about rugby union

TWICKENHAM might be considered the home of rugby union but it appears many Britons are baffled when it comes to some of the rules.

TWICKENHAM might be considered the home of rugby union but it appears many Britons are baffled when it comes to some of the rules.

Even those planning to watch next month’s Rugby World Cup — billed as the third biggest sporting event on the planet — admit a failure to grasp some of the game’s key features.

A poll of 2000 adults by Samsung, official partner of the RFU and England Rugby team, showed plenty of those planning to watch a game struggled with the finer points of the sport.

The off-side rule — a notoriously tricky concept to grasp in soccer — was considered the most confusing for those polled (86 per cent), while almost a quarter (23 per cent) could not correctly identify what a person playing in the position of hooker does. Key findings include 70 per cent of respondents were unable to name a single member of the England squad, while 43 per cent were unsure how long the game lasts.

Less than half of those questioned (also 43 per cent) knew the ball was passed backwards.

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: English fans have no idea about rugby union