Animated bodies tackle one another, cleats in the air, shoulders braced for the onset of opponents. They fake to the left and to the right, their feet pivoting on a dime. And this is only a practice.

The Reapers, the men’s rugby team, gears up for its upcoming season with head coach Eric McAlvey. So far it looks promising. Although 12 senior players graduated last year, there are 16 new players who work hard and show great commitment.

“Once all of those rookies learn how to really play the game, this team is going to be very strong,” said McAlvey.

Rugby originated as a form of football in Rugby, England. The actual game was not fully invented until around 1845 when the rules of the game were written down.

“Rugby was traditionally a game of gentlemen, but recently its players have gotten a bad reputation as boorish, unintelligent thugs,” said sophomore Allan Crum. “Our team tries to break those stereotypes.”
The game is played internationally, and rugby clubs populate the majority of colleges within the United States.

“What people don’t understand about rugby is that it is the best sport in the world,” said sophomore Cameron Callaghan. “On and off of the field, you see rugby is more than a sport: it’s got its own culture and traditions.”

The team’s annual trip to Canada is a big part of the rugby season. On this trip, the Reapers usually play against the University of British Columbia law school. This year the Reapers were invited to lunch at a Canadian rugby clubhouse. Memorabilia displayed on the walls showed the club members’ immense pride in their 80 years of rugby.

“Canada has a much greater tradition of rugby that we cannot expose ourselves to here in the States,” said McAlvey.

Rugby is not like the majority of sports played within the United States. First of all, it is based upon a very tight bond that forms on and off the field, and the trip to Canada is only one way in which the team can form closer ties.

“There is no reason for Americans to play rugby,” said McAlvey. “There are no scholarships, no money, no fame. The people who play rugby, who work through the sweat, pain, mud and blood, do it because they truly love the game and their team.” 

The sport also consists of non-stop action throughout the game: everyone has a job to do. Every player needs to know how to tackle, pass and kick for the team to succeed.

Rugby games tend to vary in terms of the different types of people who go out to play. Many of the Whitman players previously participated in other contact sports, but found rugby to be intriguing.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I first started rugby, and I’m still surprised by things,” said Crum.