by Jennifer Katherine Jones

Created on: April 16, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

By far, Rugby is the most challenging sport ever created. It challenges an athletes body, mind, and even soul. Everything in rugby requires energy. There are no breaks, no time to stop and think, no time to even sub out when you can't run anymore. Wimping out is not an option. If one has never seen a rugby game, they wouldn't understand what I am talking about. A rugby game is basically 30 players on a field in udder chaos. To the fans, it looks like a large game of kill the carrier. However, every action is thought out. Who will take the hits? Do I have backup if I run to the outside? Should I kick now, or wait and pass? A million more questions are running through a player's head, as it should be.

Thinking is what makes a team successful, not to mention healthy. By thinking about how you tackle will prevent injury. If a player is just flailing around the field with no idea what they are doing, they are more likely to get hurt than someone who has experience and knows how to hit, how to take a hit, ruck, scrum, and line-out without injury, they will be better off.

I play rugby for SUNY Cortland's women's team. I have been a life-time athlete. I have played pretty much everything; soccer, basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, softball, a little hockey, track, and other intramurals once in college. I have never been more challenged by a sport. Rugby has pushed me to levels I wouldn't be able to achieve had I not had the team I have. Rugby is definately not for the faint of heart. A player takes a beating when they play. By the end of the game, you are physically exhaused, mentally drained, and emotionaly worn out. It is especially hard to lose a rugby game, so much energy and work goes into a 80 minute game with no breaks, it's heart-wrenching to watch the win slip away.

Rugby includes the best of every sport. From soccer, kicking. From basketball, jumping. From gymnastics, lifting. From wrestling, using the best body positions for an effective scrum. From football, tackling, line of scrimmage, field goals. Of course rugby tackling has no pads. Full speed running and hard tackling. The non-stop play causes for increased acceleration, causing for an even harder hit than football, not to mention football has pads and helmets, where in rugby only a scrum cap is allowed.

Rugby is most certainly the most physically demanding sport out there. Try running, tackling, being tackled, jumping, lifting players in the air, kicking, passing, scrumming, rucking, and just trying to keep you head in the game for 80 MINUTES. The play never stops, not for a tackle, not for the ball out-of-bounds, not for a water break, not even for a down player. This is a merciless sport, played by the best of the best. For those of you who do not agree with me on rugby being the toughest sport to play, go watch a game!

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