Rough And Tumble

A Sunday drive with the baby-scrums took us near UMass, where there was a rugby-scrum afoot.

We pulled up along a field-side gravel road, and were able to watch the game right from the comforts of the vehicle. I took pics of the game while the baby changed radio settings, emptied compartments of their contents and relocated the rear view mirror to the rear seat.

That stuff can wait. The game had captured my attention.

Admittedly, there isn't too much I know about the game of Rugby other than what I've read about on Wikipedia or seen a handful of times by chance. What I do know is it's one rough and tumble sport to play, and just about if not as exciting as American style football to watch.

This is definitely a game yet unpadded by the litigious set, or otherwise hampered by anything resembling modern health and safety scruples.

Couple that with the preeminence of our vaunted NFL, and you know there won't be a 'Monday Night Rugby' on ABC any time soon. This game is still relegated to the more curious and exotic tiers of world sports that haven't quite hit it here but are a blast to play; taking it's station somewhere between soccer and lacrosse.

Still, kudos to these hearty souls who brave this game's inherent risks, in order to make the victory or defeat that much more ...real.

For them, and for us.