maul
n.a large, heavy club used in the game of rugby. It is used to move the ball forward when the team is in a crowd of players.
n.a heavy club used in rugby to move the ball forward during a scrum or a maul. Often used to describe the collective group of players involved in the action.
“The team used the maul to win back possession.”
“After the ball was knocked out of the hands, the forwards formed a maul to protect the ball and advance.”
“The coach emphasized that maintaining a strong maul is essential for securing the ball in the tightest of defensive lines during the final minutes of the match.”
From Middle English malle (“mace, maul”), from Anglo-Norman mail, from Old French mail, from Latin malleus (“hammer”). Doublet of malleus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.