What do I wear?

Rugby is a very simple game at its core, and thus is fairly low-tech when it comes to gear. We are a bit rough & tumble, so sturdy shorts and a t-shirt or sweatshirt you don’t mind getting dirty or ripped is the best bet. As for shoes, basic soccer cleats are just fine to start. There are special rugby shorts, jerseys, and cleats that you can buy when you’re ready or able; we recommend Rugby Ninja (located here in Austin). Finally, you’ll need to buy a basic mouth guard – be sure to mold it in hot water – before your first practice. Most department or drug stores carry these.

Will I get hurt?

Rugby is fairly misunderstood in the United States, and the injury factor is one area of confusion. Yes, players get hurt playing rugby, in games and in practice. But all sports have a risk factor and rugby is very much in the normal curve. We do get different injuries than some sports, like broken noses or black eyes, but we don’t get the serious knee injuries or broken bones any more frequently than your local soccer or basketball league. WE TAKE SAFETY VERY SERIOUSLY, especially for our necks and heads. When we teach tackling, rucking and scrumming, we are always careful to teach proper technique to protect these areas. After all, we don’t get to wear helmets or pads right? So everyone’s safety depends on everyone knowing the proper technique. In addition, personal liability health care is required to play on any rugby team in the US..

Should I work out in a particular way to get ready or stay healthy?

Yes. There are two important things to train for when you play rugby: speed endurance & power/strength. Speed endurance means that while you need a good endurance base (running 2 miles at a medium jog shouldn’t ruin you), you REALLY need to be able to make short to medium length sprints over and over. So once you get that decent base, start doing interval running (jog, sprint for 30 seconds, jog to recover, sprint, etc), run hills or stairs (walk back down), or anything else where you change speed and recover while still moving. You can do intervals on treadmills, around your city block, or at a track. Power & strength means beach muscles are good (biceps that pop) but core, butt & leg strength is really more important. If you are already familiar with weightlifting, try to include squats, leg press, cleans and lots of shoulder/back work into your routine. If you’ve never lifted before, that’s fine too – just ask your coach or captains for some advice first. You’ll never know how strong you can be until you play rugby.