Dice Rugby Game: Rules, Attack Chart and Odds
Dice rugby is a paper version of rugby union for two players or two teams. Each roll of two dice is one attack: most are tackled, some lead to a penalty kick or a drop goal, and the best end in a try with a conversion kick to follow. After two halves the side with more points wins. All you need is two dice and a pencil, a match takes about 15 minutes, and the scoring is a good way to practise adding 3, 5 and 7. Below is a simple home version with the exact chance of each result.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
- A scoresheet with a column for each team and a row for each half.
- Two players, or two teams that take turns rolling.
- A coin flip for the kick-off.
The kick-off
In real rugby the captains toss a coin before the match. A coin flip does the same here: the winner takes the first attack, and the other side starts the second half, so both teams get the same number of attacks and the toss only decides the order.
How to play
- A match has two halves. In each half, each team has 12 attacks, so 24 in the whole match.
- On an attack, roll both dice, add them up and look at the chart below.
- If the chart says to roll one die, roll a single die to see whether you score.
- After a try, roll one die for the conversion kick: 3 to 6 is a good kick and adds 2 points, so a converted try is worth 7.
- Write the points in your team’s column, then the other team attacks. After both halves, the higher score wins.
Points follow the usual rugby union values: 5 for a try, 2 for a conversion and 3 for a penalty kick or a drop goal. The chart itself is a common style of home version, not an official game, so agree on it before kick-off.
The attack chart and the chance of each result
In the table, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, “Result” is what happens on that attack and “Chance” is the exact probability of that total out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| Roll | Result | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | Try (5 points), then a conversion kick | 2 in 36 |
| 7 | Line break: roll one die, 5 or 6 is a try | 6 in 36 |
| 11 | Penalty kick: roll one die, 3 to 6 is 3 points | 2 in 36 |
| 3 | Drop goal: roll one die, 5 or 6 is 3 points | 2 in 36 |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | Tackled, no score | 24 in 36 |
A seven is the most common total and gives a line break, which becomes a try one time in three. Together with the direct tries on a 2 or a 12, a try comes on 4 attacks in 36, or 1 in 9. You can read more about why the middle totals come up more often in our guide to dice probability.
The next table puts the kicks in as well. “Points” is what one attack scores and “Chance per attack” is the exact probability of that.
| Points | Chance per attack |
|---|---|
| 7 (converted try) | about 7.4% |
| 5 (try, conversion missed) | about 3.7% |
| 3 (penalty or drop goal) | about 5.6% |
| 0 | about 83% |
On average one attack is worth about 0.87 points.
What does a final score look like?
With 24 attacks each, a team scores about 21 points on average, and 8 in 10 team scores are between 8 and 34 points. A draw happens in about 3% of matches, and a team is held to no points at all only about once in 80 matches. These numbers are worked out exactly from the chart, not simulated.
In the next table, “Tries by one team” is how many tries one side scores in a match and “Chance” is how likely that is.
| Tries by one team | Chance |
|---|---|
| 0 | about 6% |
| 1 | about 18% |
| 2 | about 26% |
| 3 | about 23% |
| 4 or more | about 27% |
So more than a quarter of the time a team scores four tries or more. Many real leagues give a bonus point for that, which you can add if you play a league, as in the tips below.
Tips
- Keep a running score after every attack. Adding 3, 5 and 7 quickly is half the fun.
- Give each team a name and a kicker, and let the kicker roll every conversion and penalty.
- For a shorter game, play two halves of 8 attacks each. A team then scores about 14 points on average.
- Play a mini league: 4 points for a win, 2 for a draw and a bonus point for four tries or more.
Classroom ideas
- Mental maths: pupils add 3, 5 and 7 as the match goes on, then check the totals at half-time.
- Number puzzles: ask which scores are impossible in rugby (1, 2 and 4) and how a team could reach 15 or 21.
- Fractions: pupils work out the chance of a try from a line break, 6 in 36 times 1 in 3, and add the direct tries.
- Fair teams: split the class into teams with a random name picker, then do the kick-off with a coin.
Variations
- Rugby league scoring: 4 points for a try, 2 for a conversion or penalty and 1 for a drop goal.
- Sevens: two halves of 4 attacks each for a very quick game.
- Yellow card: on a 4, roll one die; a 1 is a yellow card and the attacking team loses its next attack.
- Penalty try: on a double 6, the try is awarded under the posts and counts 7 points with no conversion roll.
If you like sports played with dice, try dice football or dice cricket next.
FAQ
How do you play rugby with dice?
Each roll of two dice is one attack. A 2 or 12 is a try; a 7, 11 or 3 gives a line break, penalty kick or drop goal, which you finish with one more die; any other total is tackled. After a try, roll one die for the conversion.
How many points is a try in dice rugby?
A try is 5 points and a good conversion adds 2, as in rugby union. A penalty kick or a drop goal is 3 points.
What is the chance of a try on one attack?
It is 4 in 36, or 1 in 9: a 2 or 12 scores directly and a line break on a 7 scores one time in three.
What is a typical score?
With 24 attacks each, a team scores about 21 points on average, and 8 in 10 scores are between 8 and 34.
How often is a match a draw?
Rarely: about 3% of matches, because rugby scores can be many different numbers.
How do you decide who kicks off?
Toss a coin. The winner takes the first attack and the other team starts the second half.