I don’t get it when people say they don’t like a sport when they’ve never even tried, or watched, it before. It really gets on my nerves, “What do you want to play a sport like that for, its crap!” or “Oh my god you’re playing a right gay sport!” One of these gay sports and my biggest inspiration is a game of strategy, knowledge and brute strength. It could only be rugby… The amount of people that say they don’t like rugby but have never played or watched it is insane. It’s often the same people who say it’s a sport for girls, which is a bit strange considering it’s almost 100% certain to contain cuts and bruises and are serious injuries. Yeah…a really girly sport. In my opinion rugby is the best sport going. A sport played by real men. I first got into rugby at 14 when my mum and dad split up. I was full of anger so to get out of the house for a bit I went to go and watch my cousin play for his team (Rotherham Clifton RUFC under 15s) at Herringhorpe playing field, where they were playing Doncaster, the best in our league. Watching both teams tackle and score and the shear power in the rooks and mauls showed me that the aggression and anger I had built up inside me could all be focused through playing rugby. After the match their winger, Smithy, walked up to me and said “How old are you?” I said “14” and he said “you’re playing next week” sarcastically. And I did. After one training session I became their new No.8 forward powerhouse. My first match was against Mosborough. I loved it, I was on fire, and I scored 2 tries. It was the best day ever. But it’s not just all aggression like some people might think. No, rugby is a game of great sportsmanship and conduct and the emotional rewards you feel after you play are phenomenal. Rugby requires strength, endurance, tactics, and the skill to read the game successfully. I recently interviewed Joe Bedford, captain of the championship league Rotherham Earth Titans, and he also said one of the most important things is team work. Few sports have as many players in a team as rugby so cooperation and the ability to understand the game is very important. Personally I think rugby players such as former Ireland captain Keith Wood, all time all black centres Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu, former England captain Martin Johnson and the worlds best fly half Johnny Wilkinson, prove, that when played properly, rugby is a very demanding and physical sport that requires a great deal of physical and emotional strength as well as precise timing. Rugby got me hooked so quickly because it’s such a physical and team orientated game. The thing that really does it for me though is when I get the ball, running full pelt and side step a forward that’s coming to tackle. Then the adrenalin rush pulses though me as I shake off another 2 or 3 players desperate to stop me. It ain’t gonna happen. I dive straight over the try line and all my team mates jump on me, celebrating and praising me. And it’s exactly the same when I stop the opposition scoring on my own, with a bone-crunching tackle that sends them crashing to the ground. Once you do that you’re hooked, it’s as simple as that.
|
The magic of how other sports came about lacks the creativity that was involved in the invention of rugby. Other sports such as hockey and football were first discovered by someone kicking a stone and people hitting pebbles with rocks. Wow, how exciting! Rugby, however started with a kid named William Webb Ellis who was full of imagination and spirit. While playing football at school and with a fine disregard for the rules, he decided to jump on the ball. He stood up and started running with it in his arms. Soon after all the other kids at the school wanted to play. A burst of energy, a creative spirit and a spark of genius are to me, what made William Webb Ellis one of the most important people of all time in the history of sport.  Rotherham Clifton RUFC under 15s Most people don’t like rugby because they don’t understand the rules and what the game is about; therefore it makes it harder to fully appreciate unlike the simpler rules of say, basketball and football, but I guarantee, if you were to go to a game, within minutes you would pick it up. If you know absolutely nothing about rugby you might think it’s very similar to American football because of what players wear. Although it does originate from rugby it’s quite a bit different. For example in rugby, you have to connect with the ball and the ground when you are over the try line to score a try. In American football you can drop the ball in the end zone and it counts as a touchdown. If you’re getting curious about rugby now, why not get a kit on and have a go yourself? And that’s another thing, what’s with the kit? - I hear you ask. The body armour and scrum helmet are necessary for protection as the game is so physical and can be very dangerous. I like the way it also helps me intimidate to my opposition and take more chances. Before I wore the scrum helmet I got studded in the head a lot which really hurts. Also if you don’t wear it there’s a chance you’ll end up with ears like Martin Johnson’s. O.k. so Rugby might never be in your heart and soul as it is for me, but I hope by reading this you’ll be more appreciative of what a great sport it really is. I will always love rugby. It’s my dream to lead England RUFC out to the world cup in Twickenham stadium, hold the ‘William Webb Ellis’ trophy high above my head, with rugby fans worldwide screaming my name and showing the world that the best ever rugby player is finally here! Listen to my interview with Joe Bedford, captain of the championship league Rotherham Earth Titans, on the Cube station at www.radiowaves.co.uk |
|
|
||