Glossary of Rugby League Terms - S

S

Second man play

A move involving a decoy runner.

Second year syndrome

Second-year syndrome, also called second-season syndrome, is a term that may be applied to young players who, having had a successful début season, struggle in their second season. The causes blamed can be varied but a commonly cited one is a failure to develop playing ability further in an era of video analysis by rival teams.

Schism

The term refers to the various splits in rugby football leading to the development of rugby league football.

1. In 1895, the schism in England, also known as the Great Split, occurred when, following a meeting at the George Hotel, Huddersfield, the Northern Rugby Football Union was formed by clubs breaking away from the rugby union establishment.
2. In 1907, a group of New Zealand rugby footballers in secret organised and began a tour of Australia and Great Britain, risking sanctions such as bans from the New Zealand Rugby Union. The tour played a large role in establishing rugby league in both Australia and New Zealand and also gave birth to international rugby league. The first game of rugby league played on New Zealand soil was an exhibition by the tourists on their return in 1908.
3. In 1907, the New South Wales Rugby Football League was formed in a meeting at Bateman's Crystal Hotel in Sydney just five days before they were due to receive the touring New Zealanders. Players were recruited immediately to the new sport an a schism of rugby football in Australia resulted.

Scissors move

An attempt to cause a disruption and breach in the defence of the opposing team. The attacking player carrying the ball forward will veer at an angle to their left or right, often drawing with them the defender covering them and sometimes engaging another defender by running towards them. A team mate of the ball carrier will run across and forward in the other direction just behind the ball carrier, receiving a pass as they cross and then running on towards the point of the disruption in the defence.

Scrum

Scrum-half

The scrum half or 'half back' (numbered 7) is the player who directs the game and is usually one of the smaller players on the pitch. The scrum half, along with the stand off, together form the "creative unit" of the team. They will control the attack, deciding with their passes how the team attacks and if, when and where the ball is kicked. This player is also responsible for making sure all the other players are in the right position for an attacking move.

Second effort

An attempt by a defending player who has made a tackle on an attacker to delay the play-the-ball by interfering with the tackled player's attempt to regain their feet. The referee will penalise the attempt if seen.

Second row

The second row forwards (numbered 11 and 12) The modern day second row is very similar to a centre and is expected to be faster, more mobile and have more skills than the prop and will play amongst the three-quarters, providing strength in attack and defence when the ball is passed out to the wings. Good second-rowers combine the skills and responsibilities of props and centres in the course of the game.

See you later

A phrase sometimes used in commentary to refer to a hand-off or fend.

Shape

Refers to the positioning of players. Most often used when talking about the positioning of attacking players when they are supporting the ball-carrier after a break. "Good shape" will usually mean the support players have succeeded in positioning themselves to either side of the player running with the ball to offer offensive passing options.

Short side

The side of the play-the-ball which has the shorter distance to the touch line.

Shoulder charge

1. Two players running side by side for a loose ball may shoulder charge one another.
2. A direct physical challenge by a defending player against the player with the ball. This may be used by a player rather than a tackle. A shoulder charge is most commonly used by forwards in an attempt to establish dominance over the opposing team's forwards.

Show and go

The show: the player in possession of the ball will attack the defensive line with a stance and holding the ball in front of them in a way so as to create the impression that a pass to a team mate is likely to occur. The defenders may be unwilling to commit themselves to tackling the ball-carrier as to do so would could create an exploitable gap in the line should a pass be made.

The go: with indecision created in the defence, the ball carrier will sprint for a weak point in the defensive line.

Sidestep

An attempt to evade defenders by the attacking player carrying the ball. By stepping to the side, the attacking player is testing the reactions of defenders and hoping gain time and space to advance the ball.

Sin bin

The notional area where a player must remain for a minimum of ten minutes. In high level games, the sin bin is monitored by the fourth official.

Six-tackle rule

The six-tackle rule was introduced in 1972, modifying the rules on limited tackles, to alleviate the "disjointed" play experienced with the four-tackle rule.

Sliding defence

The sliding defence requires that gaps are left at either edge of the field at the end of the defensive line, which aims to squeeze more players around the area of play. This allows the line to be at its strongest around the position of play, thus leaving the attacking side less opportunity to run through the line. Should the attacking side move the ball towards one edge of the field in an attempt to go around the defensive line, then the entire defensive line will move in that direction; this is known as sliding.

Spear tackle

A spear tackle is a dangerous tackle in which a player is picked up by the tackler and turned so that they are upside down. The tackler then drops or drives the player into the ground often head,neck or shoulder first.

Spear tackles are particularly dangerous and have caused serious injury including spinal damage, dislocations and broken bones in the shoulder or neck. On rare occasion, even death can occur.

Spear tackles are taken very seriously by the various discipline committees and can result in lengthy playing bans.

Stand-off

The stand off, or "five-eighth", (numbered 6) is one the most skilful players in a team, often a playmaker and likely to be a tactical kicker for the team. The stand-off will have a high level of interaction with the other playmaker positions (scrum-half, loose forward and hooker), and will usually be involved in most passing moves.

State of Origin

Representative series in which players are selected for the states or territories where they either first played (hence the name 'state of origin') or played the majority of their junior football. The concept mirrors international representative rules in other sports. The most prominent rugby league state of origin is New South Wales versus Queensland in Australia.

Steeden

Steeden is an Australian sports good manufacturer, best known for producing rugby league footballs. Steeden has become so synonymous with rugby league that the word used as noun to describe the ball itself.

Stiff-arm fend

Fending is the action by the ball carrier of repelling a tackler using his arm. For the action to be legal, the ball carrier's arm must be straight before contact is made; a shove or "straight-arm smash", where the arm is extended immediately before contact or on contact, is illegal and classed as dangerous play.

Strike

1. Use of the foot to attempt to gain possession of the ball in the scrum.
2. To hit an opponent with a fist. This is considered misconduct under Section 15, Law 1 (a).
3. Obsolete Markers in the past were allowed to strike for possession of the ball when at the play-the-ball.

Strip the ball

The act of defending players removing the ball from the possession of the attacking player. This is allowed if there is only one defender in contact with the attacker (see one-on-one tackle).

Substitute

As well as the 13 players on the playing field, each team selects up to four substitutes to be available as replacements in interchanges during the game.

Summer era

"Summer era" and "Super League era" are virtually synonymous terms in British rugby league for the period of time since the 1996 change to the top level of competition in the United Kingdom from being the Rugby Football League Championship, which was played to a schedule that included the winter months of November, December and January, to being Super League and played in the summer months.

Summer rugby

Rugby league in the northern hemisphere, led by Britain, has gravitated increasingly towards playing in the summer rather than in the traditional winter seasons. The initial change was made by the top level of competition in the United Kingdom when Super League I launched in 1996 and played through the summer. Since then the other professional tiers, as well as amateur competitions such as the Rugby League Conference, and some junior leagues have changed or been formed to play in summer. Benefits have included fewer postponed matches and a more enjoyable experience for players and spectators.

Support

Players in support are putting themselves in a position to be able to assist a team mate. Effective support play is considered vital to quickly take advantage of opportunities to make ground towards the opponents' end of the field or to score.

Surrender tackle

A referee may call "Surrender!" as a player is tackled to indicate that they have judged the player in possession to have allowed themselves to be tackled by diving to the ground or by collapsing in the tackle. The referee will allow the defending team more time to release the tackled player. The intention of the player in possession is to gain an unfair advantage by having a speedy play-the-ball and resumption of play so that their team can press their advantage by reducing the amount of time available for the defending team to organise their defence. The player in possession aims to allowing the tackle to be completed on their own terms, for example their body position, letting them more easily regain their feet.

Swinging arm

Defending players may be penalised by the referee if they are caught using a swinging arm against the ball-carrier in the tackle.