Ruck

Ruck is a term most often associated with rugby, where it denotes a specific phase of play that occurs after a tackle when the ball is on the ground. During a ruck, players from both teams who are on their feet bind over the ball and compete to win possession, usually by moving the ball backward with the feet while keeping their hands off the ball. Hands may not be used to play the ball while it remains in the ruck; the ball is typically retrieved and moved by the players’ feet. To stay onside, players must join from behind the hindmost foot of the last teammate in the ruck. The ruck ends when the ball emerges from the contest, becomes unplayable, or a referee’s decision resets play (for example, by awarding a scrum or penalty).

Beyond rugby, the word ruck has broader uses in English. It can refer to a crowd or a mass of people or objects, as in a “ruck of spectators.” In military and outdoor contexts, ruck is also a shortened form of rucksack, meaning a backpack or pack carried on the back.

In summary, in rugby, the ruck is a contested phase focused on ball possession with players on their feet over a grounded ball, governed by rules about entry, onside position, and illegal use of hands. The term also appears in general language to describe crowds and in slang for a backpack.