So, you are probably aware that there is a sport called rugby, and that those nice striped long-sleeve shirts are in fact called “rugby shirts” after the sport, and maybe you even know enough to say that rugby is vaguely comparable to American football. But have you ever considered watching a game to learn more?
Yeah, me neither. But then I left America. I left my comfort zone and I expanded my horizons. I couldn’t have come at a better time, apparently, because right now Ireland is immersed and enchanted by the phenomenon that is the rugby world cup – a sporting spectacle celebrated all around the world – that is, except for in the United States. Funny, too, because the U.S. has a team playing in the cup (not anymore unfortunately), though the support has been noticeably M.I.A., especially when compared to the fans of my current home, Ireland, where seeing face paint and jerseys on the streets is a norm on game days.
In America, people are wearing cheese heads and complaining about Tom Brady when they could be cheering on big burly men tackling each other with zero padding instead. No offense to football players because I do love and respect that sport, but rugby is a step above; it’s raw manpower, grit and determination.
The sport requires dedication and trust in the most physically demanding way. As the ball is only passed backwards, teammates need to rely on one another to always have each other’s back, literally, or else the push forward falls apart, and the “try” (think touchdown) attempt is stopped before it’s even had a chance to begin. Then, when they are tackled to the ground, they need someone to be there to take the ball out from underneath them (it gets real intimate) and continue on in their place. It’s almost like one ginormous game of “keep away” except with lots of body-on-body contact, an end point, and no more Mr. nice guy.
Then there’s the scrum, which you honestly just have to see to believe (and you’re in luck, because it is pictured above!) where eight massive people (called forwards) link together in formation directly huddled opposite the other team and one person from the team with the ball “feeds” the scrum and places the ball on the ground in between the teams. The players then use their feet to try to kick the ball back so that their scrum half or the person closest to the back can pick up the ball and start play all over again. Possibly the weirdest and most confusing sporting event you will ever watch (unless you have seen hurling, that is), the scrum is an integral part of the game and happens any time a “penalty” or infringement has been called and play has been stopped.
Still not convinced? Think about the World Cup for soccer in 2014. Does anyone ever really watch soccer? Honestly, in America … not really. But we rally around our country and our team in their moment of need and we cheer them on because few things feel better than one united spirit and any excuse for banter or trash-talking is always well received in the United States. Though America has been eliminated from tournament play due to lack of wins this year (they had 4 losses), that doesn’t mean the cup won’t be fun to watch anyway. Get a handle of the sport and the way it’s played, and that way the next time the Rugby World Cup rolls around in 2019 and the good old United States of America sends a team over, we’ll be ready to cheer them on and give the world hell.
