The Sport of Rugby

The Sport of Rugby

On a windy fall evening. The stadium is filled to its capacity. The players take the field as

their crowd yells in anticipation of the big game. The ball is placed for the kicker.

Suddenly the ball is kicked and even through the crowd's enormous howl, the ball is still

heard by the everyone as it is kicked into the air. The ball is caught by one of the players.

He takes the ball up the field; as he runs, his hardest he dodges supermen throwing their

bodies at the ball carrier. As he runs, he sees the endzone in front of him; the crowd yells

in excitement for the man who is fearlessly dodging the enemy. He breaks one tackle and

then another, and is about to break free and just as he thinks he has avoided all that there

is; he is abruptly side-blinded by the man that was not seen in the corner of his eye. If an

American sportsfan were to read this, then he or she would come to the conclusion that

this is the game of American football. If asked in the British Common Wealth countries

then the response would be different. For I did not describe the kick off of a American

football game but the British game of Rugby. Heart, dedication, perseverance, respect,

hard work, rewards and toughness are some of the words that would describe the two

games that are very similar but at the same time worlds different.

Rugby was said to have originated when a boy in Rugby, England, picked up and

carried the ball during a game of soccer in 1923. Previously, the rules had only allowed

the ball to be kicked. The modern game of rugby dates from the 1860s when it was

adopted and modified by other English schools and universities. In 1871 the English

Rugby Union was formed to standardiz...

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...layer.

In comparison, $500 is about how much it costs to outfit a entire rugby team. The

padding worn includes lightweight plastic padding covering the thighs, hips, shoulders,

knees and often forearms and hands. Players also wear plastic helmets with guards that

cover their face.

Externally, football players and Rugby players are very different, as well as

similar, but the outstanding similarity comes from within. The competitive spirit and the

unrelenting aggressive nature of both sports make them unlike any other and identical to

each other.

When playing or spectating either sport, one can not help but to become intensely

motivated to shout, scream and root for his or her team. Theses qualities are what make

football and rugby great pastimes in countries all over the world and will continue to be

played and loved for many years to come.