North Greenville University students join local rugby team
Posted by The Skyliner on February 10th, 2010Jamey Williams
Staff Writer
“Just the energy of the players and the feel of getting lifted up and blasted to the earth creates such a rush. Even though sometimes I might get an elbow to the eye or knee to the spine, the pain is temporary and soon you can jump back up and hit people again,” says Trevor MacPherson, junior outdoor leadership.
The intense sport he refers to is rugby. This hard-nosed game has become a passion for a group of students at North Greenville University.
During the summer of 2009, St. Andrews Rugby was formed when a group of young men who had been playing together for several years decided to start a team. More than 30 players have been on the roster and currently there are 17 members, including seven from NGU. The team, called a “side” in rugby, is based out of Greer and hosts home matches at Furman Stadium. St. Andrews is currently recognized as a semi-professional social rugby side.
The game of rugby finds its origins in soccer in the early 1900’s. Many of its rules of play are similar to soccer and American football. But, unlike football, the ball cannot be passed forward, only laterally and backwards. Forward progress is made when a player either runs or kicks the ball. A try, similar to a touchdown in football, is worth five points and a conversation afterwards is worth two points and is similar to a point after attempt in football. Another interesting scoring option is the chance for a player to kick the ball through the uprights at any time, from anywhere on the field. It is worth three points.
A signature play in rugby is called a scrum. A scrum is a match of strength between the two teams where each side packs together and the referee drops the ball in the “tunnel” created by the teams. The goal is to work the ball to the back of your pack so that a player can gain possession and begin forward progress. This play is used in rugby similarly to how a faceoff is used in hockey.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of rugby is the use of tackling without the players wearing any protective pads. Players of this game earn respect by giving their all in two 40-minute halves, constantly sprinting, pushing, tackling and receiving harsh blows from members of the opposing team. Grit and heart are essential ingredients in the makeup of a contestant in this thrilling sport.
Harrison Swadley, junior Christian studies, said, “I like the idea of the game. Rugby is a sequence of free-flowing events that involve one’s creative, physical, and intellectual ability, while maintaining a quick and high-pressured atmosphere. My interactions with the people I play with also afford me many opportunities to spread the Gospel.”
Players from NGU find not only an exciting sport in the St. Andrews side, but also a fresh platform to fulfill an important calling.
For more about the St. Andrews Rugby Side, go to its website at www.standrewsrugby.org or on Facebook.
Schedule for upcoming games:
2/13: at Sumter RFC
2/20: vs Gastonia RFC
3/13: vs Sumter RFC
3/20: at Gastonia RFC
4/10: vs Asheville RFC
Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 3