Why I Love Rugby

First, I broke a girl’s shin, gave another girl a concussion, displaced another’s hip and broke a friend’s nose. Am I a psychopath? No, I’m a rugby player.

How many other socially-accepted ways are there to spend an afternoon pummeling girls into the ground, punching, kicking and screaming, and then enjoying a draft pint in a red plastic cup from a keg, singing inappropriate songs in a cramped apartment with said girls?

Ah, rugby.

It wasn’t until after my unfortunate attempt to walk on to my college’s soccer team that we found each other — rugby and I. The soccer team and I both agreed that it wasn’t going to work out: they didn’t need a third goalie and I remembered how much running there was in soccer. And how much I hated running.

College Was A Long Time Ago

Those crazy college days are behind me. And when I left those days I did so with the assumption that I would leave rugby behind to be recalled as fond memories as something dumb I did in college. Fast forward five years or so, and here we are again. Guess I couldn’t stay away; guess I wasn’t done with doing “something dumb.”

For those reading this who are unfamiliar with rugby or know it only be an excessively aggressive sport (also referencing this blog’s intro), it may not make a whole lotta sense as to why people elect to play this game. So, let me get right down to it and tell you why I love this game.

The Purpose of this Entry: Why Do I Love Rugby

• People’s reactions when I tell them I play/played rugby. Especially my co-workers.
• The camaraderie of the team. As a unit we’re stronger and we want everyone to improve.
• An acceptable outlet to beat the shit out of people who will then share drinks with you and congratulate you on the whooping.
• Sharing black and blues and “battle scars” after games. Bruises are pretty.
• The game itself. It’s unique, fast-paced and way fun.

Definition of a Rugby Player

In closing, I look to Urban Dictionary to sum up what it is to be a rugby player.
A person with an incredible superiority complex who assumes that there is no other sport than rugby. The typical rugby player considers its sport more elaborate than american football and more sportive than soccer.

Yea, that’s about right.