European rugby enthusiasts undoubtedly have an appreciation for American football. The feeling should be mutual, given the similarities in the rugged gridiron games.
But if there’s one thing that drives European “ruggers” mad, it’s the American huddle.
In rugby, the only thing that resembles a break in the action is the swift establishment of a scrum, when both teams lock horns at the line of scrimmage to restart play.
“Rugby has all the elements of what Americans watch in football every week — the carrying of the ball, the hits and contact, and the technical elements of the game,” said English-born Nigel Melville, president and CEO of USA Rugby. “Perhaps some football fans don’t understand the flow of our game. When we make contact (and produce a tackle), the game doesn’t stop, similar to lacrosse or soccer. It is football played in continuous, nonstop plays, and the decision making comes very much from the players on the field, not the coaches. It’s not as controlled, not a clinical play-by-play (format). We have a flow to our game.”
Football fans have the ability to get hooked on rugby, and an upcoming international rugby event in Glendale will provide an ideal opportunity.
The preliminary round of the Churchill Cup is June 5, June 9 and June 13 at Infinity Park, one of the few rugby-specific stadiums in North America. The U.S. Eagles, England Saxons, France A, Russia, Uruguay and Canada will compete in pool play in advance of the Churchill Cup finals June 19 in New York.
There will be no pads, plenty of bruises and blood, and a lot of socializing. Unlike football, helmets and torso padding are forbidden, and socializing with opposing teams and fans is required.
“In my opinion, it’s one of the world’s best team sports. Everyone relies on everybody else, and you’ve got to be very skillful, very strong and very quick,” Melville said. “And it’s very much a social game. The spirit of the game is important. You have respect for each other, respect for the fans. You go out there, smash each other and do as much damage as you can to the other team, and you come off the field and spend time with the other team and the fans. There is great camaraderie whether you’re playing or spectating. It’s a special atmosphere after games, but very, very serious and physical during them.”
Rugby “union” is the most popular brand of the game, featuring 15 players on each side and two 40-minute halves. Substitutions are rare, so players must be effective on offense and defense. Linemen are called forwards, and skilled players are referred to as backs. There is no forward passing, but punts can be recovered by the punting team as a method of advancing the ball.
A touchdown is called a “try,” worth five points, and there are two types of field goals — a penalty kick and a drop goal (drop kick), both worth three points.
“Players have to defend and they have to attack. They have to take hits and give hits,” Melville said. “And so aerobically, you have to be really fit and incredibly strong as well. It takes quite an athlete to play the game, and we’ve found that guys who come from football to rugby, they find it so challenging. You can’t be a one-trick pony in rugby.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Rugby 101
The following terminology and slang are widespread in international rugby circles:
Binding: Method the forwards grip one another to form a scrum
Charge down: Blocking an opponent’s kick
Drop goal: Drop kick that carries through the goalposts, worth three points
Dummy: Fake pass
Fixture: Rugby match
Grubber: Kick that rolls along the ground
Hooker: Forward responsible for gaining possession of the ball in a scrum
Jumper: Rugby jersey (also the player responsible for jumping to catch or intercept a throw)
Lock: One of a team’s biggest forwards
Rugger: Rugby player
Scrum: Binding formation at the line of scrimmage to restart play
Scrummage: Process of establishing and completing a scrum
Send-off: Disqualification of a player from the match, leaving that player’s team short-handed
Take: Good catch
Test: Match between two national teams
Try: A score (touchdown), worth five points when the ball is touched down across the opponent’s try line (goal line)
Union: 15- vs. 15-player match, the most common form of rugby
Up and under: Short, high kick that allows the kicking side a chance to recover it and regain possession
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
