Rugby, the perfect alternative to football in Texas!

Imagine, you're a high school boy who wants to play high school football, but the program is so big, you'll never play, or play much, you're to slow, or not big enough, what do you do?  With the success of rugby across the country, rugby has become a huge success in Texas.  There are plenty of club teams across the state. If you are so inclined, you can find a club anywhere.  Allen, and Plano have club teams where kids from McKinney and the surrounding area go to play.  Jesuit, Woodlands, St. Thomas, are just some schools that have club teams. Girls have the opportunity to play a collision sport as well with rugby.  This sport is an excellent sport for anyone who played soccer, lacrosse, football, and even for those who never have played a team sport. 

As someone who played high school and college rugby, because we didn't have football, I understand the pleasure of having an outlet for my passion for a collision sport.  Some areas or specific high schools offer lacrosse as well, but that is just another contact sport.  For those of us who want to really "hit" someone, in Texas the best alternative to football is rugby!

Rugby, specifically union rugby, is played with 15 players per team on the field, with a ball that is shaped similar to a watermelon.  All passes must go backward.  Rugby was formed when soccer players picked the ball up one day and just ran with it.  Without getting into a history lesson rugby is played on a soccer size field, with goal posts in front of the end zone, just like American football was in the beginning.  By the way American football started from rugby.  The term "touchdown" is from rugby, as you must "touch the ball down on the ground" for a player to score in rugby.  This would be called a "try" and it worth 5 points.  The conversion is worth 2 points, and you can also place kick or drop kick the ball, and these are worth 3 points. 

Once out of high school you can continue this play in college.  Most institutions don't offer scholarships, but some do like A&M and OU to name a couple, but you also don't need to tryout usually.  If you want to play, just show up, and begin to learn.  University of Texas at Dallas, http://utdallasrugby.weebly.com is a perfect example of a highly successful rugby program.  After just two years, and two Lone Star Conference titles (www.texasrugbyunion.com/lonestar/), Coach Wagner has the Comets thinking a national championship.  The Comets are undefeated in their conference, and just missed the national playoffs this past season when the they lost to the University of Denver in the Cowboy Cup held at UTD.  Coach Wagner knows football may come to UTD in the future, but for now "we are the only collision sport on campus".  Comet rugby continues grow in popularity.  Coach Wagner has built his team with mostly kids who never have played a sport, much less a team sport.  UTD is an institution that offers both a men's & women's team.  UTD is part of the growing National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) www.eteamz.com/nscro/

Texas has also two other rugby conferences for college, both are D-1, the Southwest Conference, www.texasrugbyunion.com/competitions/mens-collegiate/swc/ whose members are UNT, Rice, TSU, TCU, and the University of Houston.  The other, Allied Rugby Conference which includes, OU, UT TxTech, Baylor, & A&M, www.alliedrugby.com The Texas Rugby Union, www.texasrugbyunion.com is the governing body over all rugby in Texas, is sanctioned under USA Rugby, www.usarugby.org  Once out of college, there are still opportunities for men/women to continue to play.  The are three divisions in Texas for men, with many clubs having multiple teams, in the three divisions, and two divisions for women.  There are some 18 clubs across Texas with opportunities.  If you are good enough and lucky enough, you may play for the national team, The Eagles.  Maybe, if you are really good, you can go play in Europe or Australia.  The US is possibly going to have a pro league.  There currently is a push to start the league within the next two years, #USAwantsprorugby on twitter, We Want a Pro Rugby Comp in the USA on Facebook to follow and join the movement.

In Texas football is the game, but rugby is fast becoming a serious alternative.  This fall or next spring, take the time to watch a match. Decide for yourself if rugby is truly a great sport.  I already know it is, give it a chance.  I hope to see you at the pitch!