When I got my first glimpses of rugby while on my mission in England, I had the exact same thought, to be honest. I would only catch snatches of the game when we were visiting members, and they had it on TV.
When I first watched the game in earnest, it seemed a mass of confusion. Scrums, rucks, mauls, and lineouts really have no counterpart in any other game I'm aware of, which makes them all seemed weird because I had nothing to compare them with.
Now that I understand the game better, however, I can see the logic behind it all. As a result, I absolutely love them.
Rugby is a great game where the action is continuous. The focus is on getting in as much play-action as possible.
Can you imagine an American football game where as soon as you tackle someone, you have to release them, they have to release the ball, and THE BALL IS STILL LIVE! That is an essential part of rugby, and it leads to non-stop action.