PENALTY TRY Meaning and
Definition
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A penalty try is a term used in rugby and several other team sports to describe a specific type of awarding points or scores. It typically occurs when a team is deemed to have been illegally prevented from scoring a try due to a deliberate infringement committed by the opposing team. In rugby, a try is the equivalent of a touchdown in American football, and it is earned when a player successfully grounds the ball in the opponent's in-goal area.
When a penalty try is awarded, the team that was unlawfully prevented from scoring is automatically awarded seven points, regardless of the actual location on the field where the infringement occurred. This is a unique feature of a penalty try, as most other scoring plays in rugby depend on the successful conversion kick. The awarding of a penalty try is often accompanied by a yellow card or red card to the offending player, indicating a temporary or permanent expulsion from the game, respectively.
A penalty try serves both as compensation for the disadvantaged team and as a deterrent against deliberate rule violations that prevent certain scores. It ensures fairness and discourages unsportsmanlike conduct. Moreover, it allows the game to continue without significant disruption, efficiently resolving the situation where a clear try-scoring opportunity was illegally thwarted.
Etymology of PENALTY TRY
The term "penalty try" originated from the sport of rugby.
The word "penalty" comes from the Latin term "poena", meaning punishment or penalty. In rugby, a penalty is awarded to a team that has been infringed upon by the opposing team. It allows the non-offending team to have a scoring opportunity by kicking the ball towards the goalposts or opting for a scrum.
The word "try" has its roots in the game of rugby as well. It originates from the early days of rugby when scoring a goal allowed a team to try to kick the ball through the posts to gain extra points. Over time, the term "try" stuck to describe an attempt made by a player to touch the ball down over their opponent's goal line to score points.
