The other day when we were on a walk we stopped at the rugby field by the gross dog park. Brown was playing against some other team, and so we stopped to watch for a while.
It was pretty fascinating. I've never seen a sport quite like it. Maybe everybody else already knows about this except for me, but I was really confused watching them play.
It's like a strange combination of football, soccer and cheerleading. They can kick the ball and grab the ball with their hands. They run with it and can throw it to other people. They also tackle each other, brain each other, and have no problem kicking other people's legs out from under them.
It seems pretty cut-throat and violent. And makes no sense.
It was kind of like watching old fashioned football--you know when all the guys pile on top of each other into a big pile? They did that sometimes.
And then they'd get together in a big weird linking wrestling kind of stance, and run/shuffle across the field together. That was really weird.
Like this. I mean, why? Can anybody explain this to me?
We saw several guys get hit right in the face with the ball as somebody kicked it out of a huddle. We also saw people get kicked in various parts of the body. We saw at least two live bloody noses and lots of other guys nursing injuries. We also saw somebody run off and puke in a trash can. So gross.
Here's some guy kicking another guy's legs out from under him. This is a maneuver that I think in soccer would get you kicked completely out of the game. But not rugby! After he did this everybody cheered!
And to top it all off, the weirdest thing ever was that they would stack themselves up like cheerleaders or something to try to catch the ball somebody was throwing in from out of bounds.
What?!? So weird.
11 comments:
Ginna
Great photos and narration---remember that whole convocations of polynesians come to the park across geneva road to play rugby on those fields way back from the road. That's probably why we don't see them much.
see you soon
Dad
Well yeah, and they wear NO protective gear. They're insane. It was the BYU rugby team I saw doing the Haka for the first time my freshman year. They scared the crud out of me.
Testosterone poisoning.
My brother played rugby at BYU. He broke his nose — a common occurrance. I remember him saying why they move like this. But it's been 24 years and my memory obviously has an expiration date. I think to protect them from getting (more) hurt.
They also tape their ears down so they don't get ripped off. Can you imagine saying that to your child? "Now tape your ears down so they don't get ripped off and have fun! Now and run and play!
I think rugby constitutes a Roman Empire game by the definition of violence-loving.
I had a mission companion from New Zealand who was obsessed with Rugby--every P-Day we had to play it with her. Then she would arrange to play it with less active families for FHE. I have NO idea what the rules are. She would explain things to me and still I would stare at her, "Huh?" Crazy game.
I feel like Rugby is too elitist for me.
Nobody understands rugby. You have to know what a crumpet is to understand rugby.
Rugby is awesome and tough! Being polynesian I've been to my fair share of rugby matches (had a cousin who played for BYU). It's football for the real tough guys :)
great pics!
Now, Rugby is a game I would be able to understand. The last BYU football game I was asking Brennan all sorts of questions and he was trying to answer but everything I proposed was against the rules...duh mom.....so being a rule breaker I think I could get into this game! I could beat the crud out of someone and it wouldn't be cheating! :o)
I was reading your post and thought, 'wow, this would be some entertainment,' then I saw the last picture and decided I must see one of these someday. Is that sick?
Wow, awesome post. Rugby is mystifying to me, as well.
ahahaha! I don't understand it either. I used to explain it by way of testosterone before discovering the GIRLS' rugby team at BYU. Maybe you have to try it before it makes sense.
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