M. B. Roberts - Rugby: The Players Handbook

STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Roberts, M. B. (Mary Beth)

Rugby : the players handbook / M.B. Roberts ; photographs by Ronald C. Modra.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-4027-5871-3 (pb-trade pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Rugby football. 2. Rugby footballPictorial works. I. Modra, Ronald C. pht. II. Title.

GV945.R615 2010

796.333--dc22

2009039062

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
Text 2010 by M.B. Roberts

Photos 2010 by Ronald C. Modra

Distributed in Canada by Sterling Publishing

c/o Canadian Manda Group, 165 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3H6
Distributed in the United Kingdom by GMC Distribution Services
Castle Place, 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England BN7 1XU
Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

P.O. Box 704, Windsor, NSW 2756, Australia

Photography by Ronald C. Modra

Printed in China

All rights reserved

Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-5871-3

For information about custom editions, special sales, premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales Department at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com.

THE PLAYERS HANDBOOK

M. B. ROBERTS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY RONALD C. MODRA

USA Rugbys mission is to Inspire America to Fall in Love with Rugby, a fast-paced sport that combines the best elements of other athletic opportunities: the grace of soccer, the speed of track, and the power of football.

Bearing that in mind, it is easy to understand just why rugby is among the fastest-growing contact sports in America from the youth to the adult level. The sport continues to evolve and grow, but one overriding principle remains constant. Rugby truly is a game for all; it provides a role for people of all shapes and sizes, young and old, be it on the pitch or along the sidelines.

Like all other rugby nations, USA Rugby is not about one team; its about the game at every level. Our membership has grown to include more than 75,000 participants from the youth through senior level, all looking to progress, to move forward and develop. Since its establishment as the sports national governing body in 1975, USA Rugby has dedicated itself to providing added value for our members, constantly working to raise the standards of safety and athleticism through services that grow the game.

Each year, we host several National Teamlevel matches as well as Mens and Womens National Championship events from the high-school to senior level that draw thousands of avid rugby supporters to stadiums and sports complexes across the country to cheer on their favorite teams. Coupled with these main events, we continually work to offer increased opportunities to develop coaches and match officials, who are integral to the quality of the game.

Now is an exciting time to be a part of USA Rugby. Our organization is in a position to raise the status of our membership with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) following the announcement of rugbys abbreviated sevens formats inclusion in the upcoming 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara. Looking ahead, this is another step closer to full Olympic recognition and possible inclusion in the 2016 Olympics.

In addition to opening doors on an international scale, our organization has turned its attention to the future generation of rugby in the United States. We have launched a new version of the game, Rookie Rugby, which is founded on the same principle young William Webb Ellis utilized when he invented the game in the Rugby School yardJust pick up the ball and run with it.

Rookie Rugby is a noncontact game that that whole family can enjoy and aims to put a rugby ball in the hands of Americas youth at an earlier age through school programs and physical education environments. The fact is that kids in America like to run with the ball, they like defending and attacking, they enjoy the fact that everyone can score, and they learn quickly. The challenge is to put a ball in as many young hands as we possibly can and let them feel the thrill of running, evading, and scoring. The passing takes a little longer, and the laws can get in the waythey just want to play rugby in its most basic form.

The more I travel and the more people I meet, the more confident I become about the future of rugby in the United States. It will take time to create a regular flow of world-class players to the National Team, but if we create a strong foundation for the game across the country, this will happen more quickly than many think.

Its never too late to get involved with rugby, be it as a player, coach, referee, or simply a fan. To learn more about our great sport, visit the USA Rugby Web site at www.usarugby.org .

Nigel Melville
CEO and President
Rugby Operations,
USA Rugby

While putting this book together, we were repeatedly impressed by the passion and generosity of the rugby community. Our sincere thanks goes to the folks at USA Rugby, especially Sara John, Becky Carlson, Kathy Flores, and Nigel Melville.

Thanks to our British team rugby, Trevor and Gill Jones, for the amazing hospitality and taxi service to youth events in England. (And for the meat pies.) Also, we greatly appreciate the efforts of the Rugby Football Unions (RFU) Mark Saltmarsh.

Thanks to our Ft. Lauderdale experts, Alex Sharland and Bill Shelley, and to the fantastic high-school players from Charlotte Catholic and their coach Brendan Keane, who demonstrated skills and drills, and Charlotte Rugby coach David Hamilton, who put it all together.

Thanks to the incredibly professional folks at Cal Rugby: Anton Malko in media relations, for permission to use photographs and arranging interviews, and coaches Jack Clark and Tom Billups, for their interviews and training tips. And thanks (again!) to Jim Thompson of the Positive Coaching Alliance for permission to quote from his terrific books.

Thanks also to Nick Stanczyk for demonstrating weight training moves and to James Cordell for supervising the session at Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, Florida. And thanks to others we met along the way including Michael Badger, who explained the game and pointed us in the right direction.

Several websites were excellent sources of background material when researching history ( www.rugbyfootballhistory.com , www.rl1908.com ) and famous ruggers ( http://wesclark.com/rrr/ , http://rugbyfootball.com/home.html ). The World Rugby Museum at Twickenham was also a fantastic resource, and our thanks to Max Dunbar for his guidance and permission to photograph artifacts. And finally, thanks to the folks at The Rugby Museum in Rugby, England, for the tour and for permission to photograph items on display there.

M.B. Roberts

Ron Modra

What is it about rugby? In the history of sport, there has hardly been a game to excite such persistent passion among players and fans. The game began humbly in Rugby, England, during the nineteenth century, sharing its roots with soccer and, later, spawning American and Australian-rules football. Today, rugby is beloved around the world. Ruggers play on hot, sandy fields in Bahrain, on muddy pitches in northern England, and in manicured stadiums in South Africa, Argentina, and rugby-mad New Zealand. Whether its a casual club game or a World Cup final, something happens to players who pick up that oval ball. Play it once and you may be hooked for life.