Men's Training Starts Tomorrow (Tuesday)

Training kicks off for the men's team tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan 26th at 6:30 pm at the upper softball field of PSNS in Bremerton.

If you don't have base access, meet us at Burwell Place, just off and Naval Ave, across from the Pour House in Bremerton.  We'll drive on at about 6:15 pm.

Bring a picture ID so that we can get you on-base.

New Player Practice Information:

PLAYERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE WELCOME

Renegades Men's rugby practice takes place on the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS), on the base's upper softball field from fall to spring.  Summer training locations vary and will be announced.

Directions:

* If you have base access, meet us at the softball field and be ready to start training by 6:30 pm, or...
* meet us at Burwell Place, just off and Naval Ave, across from the Pour House in Bremerton.  We'll drive on at about 6:15 pm.

Rugby 101

What do I bring to practice?
The first thing that most new players bring to practice is a jock strap & cup ...leave this at home! ! The only thing that you can wear that is not 'soft' are your cleats (i.e. even the buttons on rugby jerseys are made of rubber). Specifically:

1. Boots: While there are rugby specific boots, football, softball or soccer cleats can be worn as long as the toe-cleat has been removed (cut off any toe cleat with a utility knife and make sure the remaining surface is somewhat smooth).  Don't let a lack of cleats stop you from checking out the sport -- show up even if you just have tennis shoes.
   
2. Shirt: For most practices, you will want a T-shirt for the non-contact drills and a heavy jersey for contact drills. You will not need the jersey right away, and the club will provide jerseys when we play a match.
3. Shorts: Shorts tend to take a beating in rugby so wear the stongest shorts you own (remove any metal loops or tags first).
4. Mouth-guard:  Get yourself a boil-in-water, mold-to-your-teeth kind of mouthpiece. These are available at most sporting goods stores for a few dollars each.
   
5. Water: Expect to share :)

We're lucky to have a retailer in Bremerton that carries rugby gear.  Team Sports, on Wheaton Way carries rugby shorts, mouthguards, some pads, soccer gear, and will help you with with other rugby specific gear that you might want to mail order.  There are also several on-line rugby suppliers.

What do I need for a match?
The club will provide jerseys for all club matches. In addition, you should have the following:

1. Boots: You'll need a pair of cleats, as described above, to compete in matches -- tennis shoes will not do. Toe-cleats MUST be removed prior to your first match.
2. Shorts & Socks: Before your first game, you'll need to purchase a set of rugby shorts and team socks.
3. Mouthguard: Mouthguards are required for league matches.  Paradoxically, this is not to primarily to protect your teeth... mouthguards reduce the chance of concussion by 90%. Most sports stores carry 'boil-n-bite' mouth guards for $2-5.  Custom sports mouth guards provided by your dentist can be more comfortable and will fit best. Ask your dentist if your insurance covers mouthguards.
4. Water

How much does it cost to play for your club?
Current club fees are $75 per half-season. You will also need to register with USA Rugby to obtain a CIPP number. When registering, be sure to select 'Olympic Peninsula Sports Union-Senior Men's (Club)' as your club.

Is rugby like american football?
Modern rugby and American football were both derived from an earlier form of rugby.  While today the two sports share many common elements, there are some major differences. The most obvious differences are that (i) forward-passes and (ii) blocking of any sort is not allowed in rugby. Other differences include the lack of 'hard' protective equipment such as a helmet and that rugby is a continuous game, rather than having "downs" (the clock is always running, like in soccer). Another importance difference is that on any given 'play', rugby players are concerned more about retaining ball possession than gaining yardage. Possession in rugby is not related to gaining a certain amount of yardage in a certain amount of time.

How can I play, I don't even know the rules?
The game of rugby, although technically complicated, can be played easily by beginners. Many positions do not require a vast understanding of the game, but only require a few pratcices. The fastest way to learn is to simply come out and play a few games.


Am I too old or too fat?
One very appealing aspect of rugby is that players of many shapes, sizes and fitness levels can play. Some positions require fast guys, some positions require heavy guys and other positions require a mix.

Currently, our membership ranges in age from 19 to 50 and in weight from 120 lbs to over 250 lbs.

Will I get injured?
Rugby has a 'reputation' for being excessively brutal. However, this is a common myth as described by Lyle J. Micheli, MD and past president of the American College of Sports Medicine:

"The main reason rugby players have a relatively low risk of injury (10%) compared to football players (52%) is paradoxical – rugby players don’t wear protective equipment. Thus the rugby player doesn’t have the same disregard for the safety of his or her head, neck, and shoulders when tackling or trying to break through a tackle. The other reason is that unlike football, rugby is a game of possession, not yardage. Consequently rugby players don’t tackle by “driving through the numbers,” as football players are taught to do with their heads when tackling a player. In rugby, players are taught to use their arms to wrap a player’s legs and let the momentum of that player cause him to go to ground. Furthermore, in rugby there is no blocking, and so players who don’t have the ball don’t get hit when they’re not expecting it. One of the reasons rugby has a reputation for being “dangerous” in the United States is because when the average American sees rugby being played, he or she sees a free-flowing contact sport. Because it doesn’t have the familiar stop-and-start character of football and other TV-shaped sports, to the uninitiated rugby can appear confusing and “scary.” Furthermore, while the bumps, bruises, and scrapes you see on the elbows, knees, and faces of many rugby players can appear alarming, they are of considerably less concern than the anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, finger fractures and dislocations, and chest contusions characteristic of a sport such as football in which heavy protective equipment is worn."