The only thing that I can say with certainty about Rugby is that I certainly know nothing about it. Rugby is as foreign to me as those bugs in the Chinese pharmacy that I wrote about in the previous blog. With that being said, here is what I have learned so far.
The Coach, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
From what I can tell the coach's job is very similar to the football coach. They keep the players on their toes and tell the referees when they are being idiots.
The Fans, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The fans cheer for their team and freeze their bums off in the process, particularly when the game is held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The Ball originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
Now here I have done a little research. It used to be that the Rugby balls oval shape was dictated by the pig's bladder that was inserted into a hand stitched leather casing which was used as the ball. It was only much later that rubber gained popularity and replaced the pigs bladder. In those early days it was necessary to ask for "volunteers" to inflate the ball for it was not a job that was sought after. The rugby ball was originally much rounder and larger that it is today. It is not as pointy as an American football so it is easier to kick but harder to throw.
The Opposition, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
What I have noticed about the opposition is that they always seem to be very big. Not to say that our guys aren't big...its just that these guys are really really big. And mean looking.
The Scrum, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The scrum is a way of restarting the game after someone screwed up or when the ball has gone out of play. The teams 'engage' with one another and the ball is placed in-between the two teams and they try to get possession of the ball by hooking the ball backwards with their feet. It seems like the team that puts the ball into the 'center' of the scrum always gets the ball... so I am not really sure of the point of the scrum. I suppose it is a guy thing.
The Run, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The Hit, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
So in rugby, I suppose you have three choices. You can kick the ball, you can pass the ball, or you can run with the ball. Of all the choices, if I were a Rugby player I would be passing that ball so quickly you would not even know I ever had it. Did you see the opposition?
The Hit, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The hits in Rugby are HUGE. These guys are not afraid to give them or take them. And the craziest part is that they wear no protective padding or helmets like in football. At most they wear a lightly padded shirt and scrum cap. And on top of it, there is no stopping these fellas. After a tackle the game does not stop.
The Lineout, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
When the ball goes out (I think) the players from both sides line up and the hooker throws the ball in. The throw normally goes to a player who has been lifted into the air.
The Kick, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
I am pretty sure the ball can be kicked at anytime during the game either to gain yards or to score field goals. That is pretty much all I know about kicking other than the fact that it makes an interesting photo.
The Team, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
The team is made up of a bunch of really big guys that like to run into one another.
The Talk, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
After the game, both sides get into groups and the coaches talk to them. I haven't gotten close enough to hear what is said, but it is probably something lie 'Good job guys, don't forget to ice all of your war wounds.'
The South Africans, originally uploaded by sara.atkins.
This particular team has a strong South African contingent. Crazy buggas. You can see a slideshow of all of the images from this game here.
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