Scrum This

For the uninitiated, rugby is, by definition, “a form of football played with an oval ball”. For all intents and purposes, it is organized madness, a full-contact full-speed full-force testosterone infused extravaganza in which massive and muscular yet sinewy athletic blokes attempt to infiltrate the opposition’s territory and ultimately score, intentionally and skillfully diving head first into the in goal. Indeed, not a simple achievement without skinning, maiming or breaking any one of a number of parts vulnerable to such a feat, or so it seems.

I had never seen an entire game on TV or otherwise, and this was not because I was never interested, but simply because I was not familiar with the rules, teams, or players, having been weaned on (and forced to watch) American football. Nor had I ever taken the time to seriously scrutinize the events and circumstances of a rugby game ... having learned a thing or two since coming to Oz, I suspect merely whispering the word "rugby" within earshot of of any fair dinkum fan promptly whips them into a sport-induced frenzy. One's perspective on rugby can be drastically and instantaneously changed after an introduction to the ovoid ball and first witnessing a successful try. I, for one, now know the truth.

Aussie athletes are completely insane.

Watch a rugby game and you see minimal pads, wrapped body parts, or shiny helmets (just those fabric headguard thingies which don't look so sturdy), but you quite often do see collisions of bone-breaking capabilities and various limbs flying and flopping about .... and just when you think that the game will have to be cancelled because half the team was involved in a catastrophic smash up and will be raced off in a caravan of screaming ambulances, they get up, they jump up, and continue to run, in dogged pursuit of the ovoid and he in possession of it. It is a phenomenon unlike any other, the seeming invincibility, tenacity and fearlessness of these athletes, and something for an American to just sit and watch, about as awestruck as one can be witnessing a sporting event.

I had the good fortune of witnessing such an event, my very first, with companions that included a seriously knowledgeable and devoted rugby fan, with a whistle that most certainly could be heard in the Blue Mountains (and of course I was sitting in front of him). Despite the irreparable damage to the eardrums of everyone within a 5 meter radius, he was very helpful in explaining the rules and jargon and strategy, although perhaps this information might have been more useful in a less lopsided game. As it turned out, it was a slaughter - the Waratahs defeated the Cats 50-3 ... but I was still very enthusiastic, made moreso by the contagious fervor surrounding me. So it's probably no surprise that I would strongly recommend a live game to anyone who has even a inkling of interest, with or without the accompanying fanatic. For those who like to be prepared and wish to absorb a bit of history and background on some of the organizations, teams, and players:

www.waratahs.com.au
www.rugby.com.au
www.nrl.com
wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_football

Or, for a lively and perhaps more subjective discussion, ask a rugby fan the difference between Union and League ...

Aussie Aussie Aussie, OY OY OY!!!