i was thinking today why the u.s. doesnt have highschool rugby teams, well atleast my area doesnt, and it really made me disappointed. i like football and all..i guess, but its not a fast enough sport for me, i dont get into the 'politics' of it, but on weekends i'll go to a friends house and watch a game with my little clic and have some food, but i'd really like it if there was more rugby in the united states, if i'm accepted into VMI i want to play rugby for them..i think that would be fun. any rugby players out there? (you brits best answer up!!)

guys got any favorite teams?
i like the aussies and the All Blacks (that was the first rugby team i saw in a match on t.v.)

Growing up in SA, as a white male one is heavily subjected to Rugby and cricket. I somehow managed to escape that and played soccer for about 12 yrs... but sorry...

Fav teams are (as a born and bred Capetonian :-) )... from lowest to highest... in this order... blah blah blah... :-) :-) Western Province... the Stormers... and first and foremost... the real world champions... the SPRINGBOKS!!!!! :-) :-) :-)

We're getting ready for a UK tour, and having just won the Tri-nations (now theres a good entry for A,AAO), we're gonna kick @$$!!! :-) :-)

Played at school and when I moved to Aussie (they live and breath it there) to old now still love to watch it though and the occassional N.F.L. game used to follow the red skins in the eightys.

There is an tournament mid-summer in Saranac Lake NY (little nowhere Adirondak town that stops selling booze and beer in glass containers a week before the tourney...)
I wasn't there to play, but worked for the state campground outside of town for a summer.

Quite a big deal for the local economy.

As for me, any sport where I have to tape my ears down to keep them from getting torn off, is not something I'm going to go looking for.

Street/playground basketball (no autopsy= no foul) can get rough enough for me, thanks..
Mike

Rugby is pretty big here in Canada although no where near as big as hockey and soccer. I have played since I was 12 yrs old. I am in my mid 30's now and still play in the local Rugby union. It helps to keep me fit and the social aspects of the Game are just great. You should check to see if your communitiy has a Rugby Union (league) its well worth it.
Cheers,
Bryan

There was a Rugby league here in Morris County for a long time..unfortunatley I have not seen it in some time..as far as High school Rugby ..I doubt it will ever be because of our great lawyers who can sue for anything...schools would be to easy a prey for money hungry law suits due to injuries

well, we play rugby in gym... but we dont have a school team.... does suck tho, to bad the english schools in quebec have a cheap budget!

Frank

In my town ( bishopbriggs) its played all the time.

H Guys
Yea used to play Rugby had to coming from wales played full back and wing i used to be pretty fast my son commented on a video that i had of a game and he said jesus dad you were fast,... i paused and said FEAR SON FEAR!!! IT MAKES YOU MOVE REAL QUICK. A LITTLE LATER HE SAW ME GET REALLY NAILED LOOKED ACROSS AS I FELT THE PAIN ALL OVER AGAIN AND SAID, "NOT FAST ENOUGH THAT TIME DAD"
Tango20 chris

We played rugby in middle school in Connecticut for gym! I never heard of high school Rugby; Probably too much competition with soccer and football. I played in college. Many of us were recruited to play football, became traitors, partaking in the shenanigans of college rugby. We were humbled after hosting a premier English rugby high shool team. We were older, bigger, stronger, and badder, and they kicked us all over the field. We even got them all wasted the night prior - didn't matter! I finally realised why drinking mass quantities of beer after rugby is part of the game - to survive the after rugby shower with your torn up elbows, knees, and raspberry hip pointers! Hats off to the brits!

man, now i really wanna play rugby, dont think our school system would allow it even as a club sport, prob. because they'd have lawsuits on them like white on rice. guess i'll have to wait till college!

Awesome sport!!!! I was the Secretary and one of the founding members for the NAS Patuxent River MD. RFC back in 89-91. Designed the club patch and helped write the Charter for the club. Played "Number 8" and loved it! I actually got injured worse playing "Gridiron Football" knees, ankles and shoulders. Worse injury in Rugby was 11 stitches above right eye. Everybody that grows up in the US should be exposed to the sport.

Tarok

The Wallabies are heading off to Europe soon so the Boks had better BEWARE.

Is Australia Rugby Union used to be seen as a "private school" sport but is becoming a more popular junior sport these days. My son plays - under 12s. It's good and social for all the Dads sitting on the sideline.

However there is a lot of competition with Rugby League, Australian Rules football, soccer and hockey - and only so many kids to go around.

I can't understand the comments from the Americans here about lawsuits - I would have thought there would be no more than what would come from Gridiron.

Brian

I went to an Enlish style college prep school here in the states and Rugby was just not popular. Opponents were very far away so there was too much traveling. I've only seen it a few times and it just doesn't seem to be anything more than just a bunch of guys running with the ball. Of course what I saw was amateurish high school kids and I've never seen it played professionally. I'm sure there must be some offensive and defensive game plan but hell if I could see it.