From Madden, to Fantasy Football, all the way to Sunday evenings, or as ‘they’ call it “Sunday Night Football,” America is infatuated with watching men run around in multi colored tights. But there’s another sport that’s similar. According to Diffen, “It is a game played between two teams with 15 players, with the object being to run with an oval ball across the opponent’s goal line or kick it through the upper portion of the goal posts.” Otherwise defined as the best sport ever, rugby is by far the superior sport and here is exactly why:

To start, American football is obviously only played in… America. Rugby on the other hand is most likely the most diverse sport besides soccer; it’s played all over the world. Both rugby and football are aggressive, but in football one must always wear an abundance of protective gear. In rugby, we wear mouthguards, and I’m pretty sure if we weren’t forced to wear them ,we wouldn’t.

In football, shoulderchest pads, helmets, upper leg padding and mouthguards are required. American football players do have the speed and power to make them fairly good athletes, but this is nothing compared to a rugby player’s finesse. On average a football player makes four tackles per game with the highest force recorded at 1,150 pounds, while rugby’s average tackles per player, per game is about 16 with an average hit impact of 1,600 pounds. Keep in mind this rugby hit impact was created by a single person wearing a cotton uniform. The football hit impact was created by a single person wearing about 20 pounds of extra weight.

Not only was rugby invented first, but rugby also requires a lot more skill than football. Rugby is by far faster and more spontaneous than football or any other sport. The clock will only stop for prolonged injuries. We play hard for about 70 minutes with one half time break. Football is split into four quarters with breaks in between. Our fitness is outstanding, but one can understand the need for this fitness level only after playing a 70 minute game in 90 degree weather against a team where every player is twice your size.

Football is organized into very size-oriented positions. They have specific positions just for runners, throwers, kickers, and tacklers.

In rugby, although there may be clear size differences, anyone can do anything. In high school rugby we tend to keep our players somewhat organized by position just to keep the game as clean as possible, but when it comes down to professional rugby, you never know what could happen. Rugby is honestly a sport for anyone. Any size and any shape can find a spot on the team, especially Algonquin’s very own.

Although it may seem to be a tougher and more intense sport, rugby players always have safety in mind. Yes, we do get injured at times just like any other sport, but we learn from the start that even rugby can be safe. We learn how to hit correctly because we know we can do damage, even as a 120 pound wing. Algonquin probably has the smallest girls’ rugby team in Massachusetts, yet we are five-time state champions. As a player, if that doesn’t make you feel good about your size then I don’t know what will.

High tackles (any tackle above the shoulders) are forbidden in rugby due to the lack of protection. But a hard hit is never a bad thing in rugby. In fact, a good, hard, and clean hit is probably one of the best things to accomplish during a game besides scoring a try, and definitely a way to make coach Philbin’s day. Football tackles are reckless. Don’t get me wrong, at times rugby can be pretty reckless too, but we do it in style, without restarting the whole play. As coach Laurie always says, “If you mess up, do it at 100 percent.”

No matter who or what you are, rugby has a home for you. Rugby is by far the most diverse sport, therefore truly making it the sport for everyone. Rugby changes lives and that’s something I am proud to say. We need more rugby lovers in the world, but one must have to play to understand the obsession one can have for this beautiful sport. Yes, I said beautiful. Who knew sticking your head in sweaty armpits, grabbing opposing teammates’ body parts to make sure you’re not going anywhere and staring at shaking knees while digging your shoulders into others’ and driving as hard as humanly possible while I scream “DRIVE” in your ear for a good ten seconds could be such a beautiful thing? Well it is.

We are always looking for new players that want to join the family. Rugby can teach football any day, and I bet it will learn a lesson.