Optimum kicker position of the rugby ball to convert a try
- Author:
- Ian Radcliffe
- Topic:
- Mathematics
In rugby you score a try when you move the ball into the opposition in-goal area and "ground" the ball. That is the only place a try is scored. You get 5 points for a try.
When a try has been scored, two (2) additional points can be scored by kicking the ball so that it goes both over the cross bar and between the posts. This is called ‘converting the try’.
The best kicker in the team uses a place kick for the conversion. If the kick is successful the try is "converted" and your team scores the two extra points.
The kick is taken in line with where the try was scored.
To make the angle of the kick easier, you can kick from as far away from the goal-line as you like, but the further you go away from the try line , the longer the kick.
Scoring a try near the posts makes it easier to get the extra points for converting.
Even after crossing the goal-line you can run towards the posts to get as near as you can to the posts before grounding the ball. The nearer the goal posts the better.
The task
You are a sports scientist that has been hired by a top rugby team. Your task is to investigate what the best distance is to place the ball, after a try, to increase the chances of getting the extra two points from a conversion, based on the position of where the try was scored. You will have to write a report for the coach, who won’t believe you without proof, of your findings.