Rugby Fives

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Rugby Fives is a handball game, similar to squash, played in an enclosed court.

The game is played as singles or doubles, the aim being to hit the ball above a "bar" across the front wall in such a way as the opposition cannot return it before a second bounce. Unlike Eton Fives, the court has a back wall. The dimensions of the court are 28 feet long and 18 feet wide. The ball is slightly larger than a golf ball, leather-coated and hard. Players wear leather padded gloves on both hands, with which they hit the ball. The court is slightly smaller than a squash court and the floor is concrete so that the ball will bounce.

1 How to play
2 The Serve
3 Scoring
4 Tournaments
5 External link

[edit] How to play

Either singles or doubles can be played. In both singles and doubles only the receiver can score. In singles, if you win the rally (the ball can't bounce twice or hit the 'bar') then you either score a point (when you are receiving) or you then receive the other player's serve and are in a position to score points. Games are played either to 11 or 15, normally agreed before the game commences. If the score is 10-10 then you play to 12 but no further (unlike in tennis where you have to win by 2 points in a tie-break).

[edit] The Serve

The serve follows the following rules: The server throws the ball so that it hits the front wall then clips the side, then, after it has bounced, he/she hits the ball so that it hits the side wall and then the front wall. If on the hit part of the serve the ball hits the front wall first, the receiver has the option to take it, as long as he/she says 'yes' before striking the ball. This is called a 'blackguard' (pronounced 'blaggard').

[edit] Scoring

Points are scored from receiving the serve in Rugby fives, as well as in Winchester fives. Usually a 50-50 chance scenario is adopted at the start (e.g. ball behind your back; opponent guesses which hand the ball is in) to decide who will serve first. The winner then will decide whether to receive or serve first for the first 'real' point. In doubles, it is slightly more complicated: player one receives first, and continues to receive as his pair wins points. However, when they lose a point, his partner will receive, and if they lose again, the two pairs will switch so that the first pair is now serving. Meanwhile, if the serving pair loses a point, an actual point is scored for the opposition, and the other player in the pair serves the next serve. The receiver's score is said first (as in singles), so if the receivers have 10 points, and the servers have 5, the score is 10-5. Zero is said as 'love'.

Doubles Scoring Example:

Pair 1 has players A and B.
Pair 2 has players C and D.

The first go receiving in a game of doubles is different - only one of the receiving pair gets to receive before switching.

A serves to C. C&D win. Score (after point): 1-0 (2)
B serves to C. C&D win. Score: 2-0 (2)
A serves to C. A&B win. Score: 0-2 (1) <-- First turn, so switch has happened after C&D lose just once.
C serves to A. C&D win. Score: 0-2 (2)
C serves to B. C&D win. Score: 2-0 (1) <-- Both A and B have received so switch happened.
B serves to C. A&B win. Score: 2-0 (2)
B serves to D. C&D win. Score: 3-0 (2)
A serves to D. A&B win. Score: 0-3 (1)
D serves to A. A&B win. Score: 1-3 (1)
C serves to A. A&B win. Score: 2-3 (1)
D serves to A. C&D win. Score: 2-3 (2)
D serves to B. C&D win. Score: 3-2 (1)
etc...

Singles Scoring Example:

A serves to B. B wins. Score 1-0.
A serves to B. B wins. Score 2-0.
A serves to B. A wins. Score 0-2.
B serves to A. A wins. Score 1-2.
B serves to A. A wins. Score 2-2.
etc.

[edit] Tournaments

Men

Tournament Name	Age Restrictions	Singles	Doubles
National Singles (Jesters' Cup)*	Open	Yes	No
National Doubles (Cyriax Cup)*	Open	No	Yes
West of England	Open	Yes	Yes
South-West Open	Open	Yes	Yes
North of England Open	Open	Yes	Yes
North-West Open	Open	Yes	Yes
Scottish Open	Open	Yes	Yes
London Open	Open	Yes	Yes
Yorkshire Open	Open	No	Yes
National Veterans	Over 45s	Yes	Yes
National Vintage	Over 55s	Yes	Yes
National Masters	Over 65s	No	Yes
National U25s	U25s	Yes	Yes
National Student and BUSA Championships	Student (at least part time)	Yes	Yes
National Schools' Championships	U13, U14, U16, U18	Yes	Yes
West of England Schools' Championships	U16, U18	Yes	Yes
Schools' Winchester Fives Tournament	U18	No	Yes
RFA President's Cup	Open (Random Draw)	No	Yes
Winchester Fives Open Doubles	Open	No	Yes
Winchester Fives Northern Doubles	Open	No	Yes

Ladies

Tournament Name	Age Restrictions	Singles	Doubles
National Ladies Singles	Open	Yes	No
National Ladies Doubles	Open	No	Yes
National Ladies Winchester Doubles	Open	No	Yes

Other

Tournament Name	Age Restrictions	Singles	Doubles
National Mixed Doubles	Open	No	Yes
Owers Trophy (Old Boys' Tournament)	Club (Open)	Yes	Yes
National Club Championship	Club (Open)	Yes	Yes

The asterisk indicates that these tournaments have qualification rounds to play in the main knockout. The top 4 players in the singles rankings automatically qualify for singles tournaments, and the similarly the top 4 doubles pairs qualify automatically.