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The Complete Handbook of Rugby Posts
A Practical Reference for Buyers, Installers, and Suppliers of Rugby Posts and Goalpost Systems
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: Understanding Rugby Posts
What Rugby Posts Actually Are
Rugby posts are a piece of fixed infrastructure designed to provide a target for scoring points in a sport played under the Laws of the Game. They consist of two vertical posts and a horizontal crossbar. The entire structure sits centered on the try line, a line of critical importance at which the ball must be touched down for a try to be awarded. After a try, a conversion attempt, which is a place kick, must pass over the crossbar and between the vertical posts. Similarly, a penalty kick or a drop kick can score three points. The geometry of the posts is therefore not aesthetic; it sets the difficulty of kicking and the shape of play around the scoring zone.
To understand what rugby posts are, you must first move beyond the mental image of a simple soccer goal. Rugby posts are significantly taller, and the crossbar sits lower relative to the ground. In full-size senior rugby, the height of the posts above the crossbar is a minimum of 5.6 meters (about 18 feet 4 inches), while the crossbar is placed exactly 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches) above the ground. The distance between the inside edges of the two vertical posts is 5.6 meters. These dimensions are codified in the official laws and are not suggestions; a pitch with incorrect post dimensions is not fit for official play. If you are installing posts for a competition, your only