One has to run, tackle, pass and kick to be good at this game.
But perhaps the most important attribute to succeed is discipline - showing it and maintaining it.
A lesson in neither was put on at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night as the Highlanders and Sharks forgot the rulebook and put on an ugly arm-wrestle where rugby, and all that is good with it, was not the winner.
At the end, there was a winner on the scoreboard and the Sharks came out on top 15-14 after leading at halftime 6-3.
It was a messy game, with too much whistle - not the fault of referee Ben O'Keefe - and defence dominated.
There were many handling errors and both teams were brutal at the breakdown.
Just one try was scored but that was not enough for the home team to get over the finish line first.
Winger Matt Faddes wriggled over midway through the second half.
It was a try which summed up the whole game.
The Sharks kicked a penalty with five minutes left to take the lead and withstood a late barrage from the Highlanders to hang on.
A Lima Sopoaga drop goal sailed just wide with just over a minute left.
The Highlanders did well to stay in the game after second five-eighth Jason Emery was red carded with less than under 15 minutes gone in the match.
He chased a high kick and somehow ignored flying Sharks fullback Willie Le Roux.
He collided with Le Roux, sending him cartwheeling, which would have not looked out of picture at the circus which is in town.
There was little option for referee O'Keefe but to give Emery an early shower.
The Sharks did their best to keep up in the indiscipline stakes with two yellow cards of their own and were lucky to not get more.
They pushed the offside line and attempted to slow the game down on many occasions.
Neither team showed much polish on attack and line breaks were few and far between.
Best for the Highlanders were Sopoaga and halfback Aaron Smith while loose forwards Elliot Dixon and Liam Squire emptied the tank.
As has become a worrying trend of late the Highlanders had a slow beginning to the game.
Sopoaga opened the scoring with a penalty within the first minute but was then lucky to not get a yellow card for a shoulder charge on opposing halfback Conus Reinach.
Reinach suffered a blow to the leg and left the field, not to return.
Sharks first five-eighth Garth April nailed the penalty on the five-minute mark and added another five minutes later as the Highlanders pulled down a maul.
Two minutes later and Emery's total misjudgment put his side up the creek without the paddles.
Down a man, the Highlanders tried to run the ball and look for the gaps.
But with a man short and hands like feet at times, the side could not find many gaps in the Sharks defence.
The Highlanders were full of endeavour and after Sopoaga missed a couple of tough penalties he turned down an easier option and kicked for the corner.
The home team camped on the line and Sharks lock Stephan Lewies was yellow-carded for offside play.
Centre JP Pietersen also got 10 minutes rest for a similar offence later in the second half.
Lock Tom Franklin went very, very close to scoring right on the halftime hooter, but referee O'Keefe, who was having a torrid time, ruled he did not get across the whitewash.
Highlanders v Sharks
The scores
Sharks 15
Garth April 5 pen
Highlanders 14
Matt Faddes try; Lima Sopoaga 3 pen
Halftime: 6-3 Sharks
Crowd: 14,500
