A field goal, also called a flying kick or speculator, was a way of scoring in the game of

rugby football Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union or rugby league. Rugby football started at Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, England, where the rules were first codified in 1845. Forms of football in which the ball ...

. It consisted of a player kicking the ball from the ground (not on a

kicking tee A tee is a stand used in sport to support and elevate a stationary ball prior to striking with a foot, club, or bat. Tees are used extensively in golf, tee-ball, baseball, American football, and rugby. Etymology The word tee is derived from th ...

) without using their hands in open play over the crossbar. This method of scoring was abolished in

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

in 1905 and in

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

in 1950.

Rugby union

During the development of rugby football, the field goal was considered a legitimate way of scoring. In 1845,

place kick The place kick is a type of kicking play commonly used in American football, association football, association football (soccer), Canadian football, rugby league, and rugby union. It was historically used in Australian rules football, but it was ...

s were the only way to score a goal. In 1871, it was clarified under Law 6 that kicking the ball through the posts from the ground in open play was a valid method of scoring a goal. A rejected proposal in 1882 by the

Rugby Football Union The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...

suggested that field goals, referred to as a "flying kick", would be worth 4 points, the same value as a try. It was eventually formalised in 1891 by the

International Rugby Football Board World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international competit ...

that field goals (classed as any other goals) would be worth 4 points. However, in 1905 both the IRFB and

(RFU) abolished the field goal as a valid method of scoring.

Rugby league

When the

Northern Rugby Football Union Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

broke away from the RFU, both codes' governing bodies retained the field goal. While the RFU abolished the field goal in rugby union in 1905, rugby league retained it. However, there was criticism about it on the 190809 Australia rugby league tour of Britain, whereby the

Australia national rugby league team The Australian national rugby league team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competitions since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League Com ...

player

Dally Messenger Herbert Henry "Dally" Messenger, (12 April 1883 – 24 November 1959) was an Australian rugby league and rugby union player. One of Australasia's first professional rugby footballers, he is recognised as one of the greatest-ever players in eit ...

continuously and recklessly attempted field goals during a match against the

England national rugby league team The England national rugby league team represents England in international rugby league since the first international match in 1904. It is controlled by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the governing body for rugby league in England, and part ...

. A writer for the ''

Daily Chronicle The ''Daily Chronicle'' was a left-wing British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the '' Daily News'' to become the '' News Chronicle''. Foundation The ''Daily Chronicle'' was developed by Edward Lloyd out of a ...

'' stated: "I do not believe in the speculator at any time, it is bad rugby football", and expressed concern that Dally would either injure himself or others. As predicted, during a later match against St. Helens, he damaged the cartilage in his knee due to repeated attempts at the scoring move. In 1922, the

New South Wales Rugby Football League The New South Wales Rugby League Ltd (NSWRL) is an Australian rugby league football competition operator in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission.It was registered on 21 ...

abolished this type of field goal along with the

goal from mark A goal from mark is a former scoring move in rugby football. It occurred when a player " marked" the ball by making a fair catch and shouting "mark". From this position, the player could not be tackled. The player then had the option of a free kick ...

. However the Northern Rugby Football League, considered the guardian of the rules of rugby league at the time, kept the method in the rulebook, not officially abolishing it until 1950. In Australia, the term field goal is used as a synonym for

drop goal A drop goal, field goal, or dropped goal is a method of scoring points in rugby union and rugby league and also, rarely, in American football and Canadian football. A drop goal is scored by drop kicking the ball (dropping the ball and then kick ...

References

{{Reflist, 30em History of rugby union History of rugby league Rugby union terminology Rugby league terminology

Rugby union

Rugby league

See also

References