Dear Charleen, that is the way it is played. 15 men each side (in Rugby Union), and there is no protection apart from a scrum cap allowed. Most people do not wear scrum caps as they get abuse from the crowd about it. Scrum caps are only allowed for people in the scrum not the wingers or backs. The art is is to get out of the way as you are not allowed to pass the ball forward at all. unless you kick it. So the props who are massive and the forwards make a gap for the wingers, fly halves or even the backs, to score a try!
Unfortunately if your forwards and the second row let you down and you are a winger as I was, and come across a forward or a prop on the other team, who weighs twice as much as you do, that is where the pain begins!
You are only allowed to go off now if it is a blood replacement. This never used to be the case at all. If you lost an ear in the scrum, that was your fault. new rules now, like no eye gouging etc.
Regards.
Neil.
