Rugby is a violent, contact sport that is similar to football and is played by millions. It was created in 1823 in Rugby, England, and according to popular belief, during a soccer match, a man named William Webb Eliss picked up the ball and ran at the goal line. Rugby is an international sport but is most popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. The Rugby season for the northern hemisphere is typically August/September to May, while the Southern Hemisphere’s season usually occurs from February to November. Rugby is a mix of soccer and football, except with one major rule: you can not throw the ball forward. The only way to get the ball forward is to either kick it or run the ball into another person. This can make Rugby games fun to watch, depending on what you enjoy.
“It’s really fun ramming into like 5 different people just to get one of your teammates open for a score,” sophomore Rugby player Patricio Velasco said.
In Velasco’s opinion, watching someone get hit very hard is exciting to watch, but it can also be dangerous, especially since people don’t wear pads while playing. According to a study by the NIH, shoulder pads were found to reduce peak impact force by up to 70%. Showing proof that pads can make contact sports safer.
“In football, you wear pads and stuff, so it’s not as dangerous. With rugby, you see a bunch of injuries, concussions, cauliflower (a condition that develops after getting hit numerous times on the ear and side of head),” Velasco said.
Even though rugby is considered by some to be more dangerous than football, it can also be considered more thrilling to play. In football,certain players get the ball, compared to the other valuable players, they receive high praise with recognition, because they’re the only ones the viewer notices. Compared to rugby, where everyone passes the ball back and forth to each other much like soccer or basketball so anyone has a chance to get the ball and score.
“Everyone gets a chance to do something. No one’s overlooked because everyone’s going to get the ball at some point,” Velasco said.
Rugby isn’t that different from football though, apart from some rules, the games have the same goal. Because of this, some people play rugby to get their technique better for football. Some famous NFL players who played rugby are Jordan Mailata, Christian Wade, Nate Ebner and Hayden Smith.
“Playing without pads really got me not scared to get hit, and [it helped me] play even better at football,” Velasco said.
Rugby is becoming very popular in Texas and other parts of the US because many view it as a way to better themselves at football. Even though rugby has its differences to football on how they’re played. They both share the same premise of a fun pastime that anyone can enjoy.
“I don’t give up. Never have. Never will,” famous rugby player Jonah Lomu said.
