Garryowen. Mulligrubber. Ruck. Scrum. Any of these words sound familiar to you? No, they aren’t some crazy made-up gibberish or pig-Latin. They are all words that describe a game played by an exciting group of guys on Notre Dame’s campus- the Rugby team.
For those of you who aren’t familiar the game of rugby (don’t worry, you’ll have a general idea by the time you finish reading this), it’s a game vaguely similar to American football that is extremely popular throughout the international community. It’s even going to make a return to 2016 Summer Olympics! Unlike American football, no pads or helmets are required- but the hits are just as hard. Also, unlike American football, there are no forward passes. Instead, the game is based on lateral passes and running with an oval-shaped ball in hand. There are also different types of rugby match: one in which you play with seven players (7s) and one with fifteen (15s). And although the details and strategies are a bit different than football, the overall goal is the game: keep your opponent from scoring while making forward progression as a team.
Sounds fun? Well lucky for us, Notre Dame has one of the finest Mens Rugby teams in the nation. Our club team, which was reinstated in 2007, is one of the oldest collegiate rugby teams in the Midwest and competes annually (both fall and spring seasons) in the College Premiere Division. The Club is considered an Olympic High Performance Program and comprises of both Notre Dame and Holy Cross students.
Although considered a highly competitive program, ND struggled a bit this past year as it dealt with veteran injuries. This might have been tough on the team’s success this year, but forcing younger, less-experienced players to take the lead on the field could be positive in the long run. As junior rugby player Brian Panish pointed out, “Looking forward, the playing time the younger lads got will definitely benefit us in the future in terms of experience and skill out there on the pitch.”
The team is also excited about their brand new addition to the campus landscape: Stinson Rugby Field. The new official field, which was dedicated in October, is officially the largest rugby pitch in the US and the fifth largest in the world. Not only has the new pitch fired up the team, but it has also allowed the Irish to draw more opponents to South Bend. As Panish explains, “It’s definitely a great contributor to the spreading of Notre Dame rugby.”
Although the team’s games are on a short hiatus until the spring season, the team is still hard at work. They have already begun preparing for the CRC Sevens Tournament that will take place in Philly and be nationally televised on NBC. But what the team wants more than anything is support from their fellow students! As Panish puts it, “Rugby is a great sport and is really exhilarating to watch. If you like to see big hits and all around physicality, there really is no better sport to watch.”
So once the snow clears (or maybe even before then) ND’s Men Rugby Team will be ready to kick off their season with success, but the real question is: will you be?
Be sure to check out the Team’s schedule come spring and stop by for a game or two (or three or four)!