What to Look for in Rugby Clothes

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word ‘rugby’. Arrrggghhh!

Okay, what is the next thing? Rugby shirts! These are one of the first things that is noticed when a team is playing. Whether you are a rugby player, a die heart fan or just someone who prefers a ‘sporty’ look, rugby shirts are a must buy!

Rugby shirts are usually short sleeved, although long sleeves are also common. Traditional shirts are designed with five or six horizontal stripes called hoops in alternating colors. The two most common materials used in rugby shirts for supporters are cotton and polyester, whereas pure polyester shirts are generally used for players. The reason for this is that polyester shirts are slippery, and cannot easily be gripped for tackling purposes. Also, this type of fiber absorbs less moisture and mud, something that is desirable when playing in the rain, as a soaked and muddy rugby kit is rather heavy! This way, players do not have to carry extra weight when playing. Modern rugby shirts also have a small collar, so that potential tacklers have less material to grab.

If you are a player looking to purchase training wear, make sure that any rugby clothing that you choose is of high quality, and is specifically designed to withstand the strains of rugby. You will want to purchase a shirt that will last the wears and tears of rugby training. Buying the cheapest available may not be a good idea in the long run.

Even if you aren’t a rugby fan, you can enjoy the perks of a rugby shirt. Rugby shirts are now a popular fashion item, with its distinctive collar and hooped design. They come in various eye-catching colors, shapes, styles and sizes for anyone who wants a different look from wearing regular shirts, including women and children.

Rugby Training Equipment

Types of Rugby Training Equipment

Rugby players will tell you that proper training sessions are essential to prepare a team for a game. Whether you play professionally, for a club or school or as a hobby, the importance of training cannot be undervalued. For this reason, it is advisable that your team uses proper training equipment to enhance their training sessions.

There is plenty of rugby training equipment in the market designed specifically to help players hone in their skills as well as to make training sessions as productive as possible. Whether you are a coach or trainer working with a school team or a professional rugby team, you will need the essential rugby training equipment for you team’s practice sessions.

To help practice games run a lot smoother it is worth investing in training bibs for your team. Team practice bibs are an easy way of dividing the group into teams for practice games as well as to identify players and positions. Bibs come in a range of colors and usually come in a one size fits all sizing. These bibs are a practical solution when training since the team does not have to wear their formal jerseys which can then saved and worn for the proper games. The training bibs should be loose fitting and should be made from material that is durable and comfortable at the same time.

When playing practice games or a friendly game of rugby, tag belts come in handy. Tag rugby is a great way to train without having to physically tackle your opponent. Tag rugby games require the player to wear a tag belt that can be used to indicate a tackle instead of the player having not be physically tackled.  This type of rugby game is great for younger children who want to train or play rugby. Evasion belts are also a great type of rugby training equipment that hones a players evasion, mirroring and marking skills during practice.

For agility training and conditioning, there a quite a few types of equipment that can be used on the field. Rugby training equipment such as boundary poles, cones and ladder sets help improve and increase players speed and agility. These sets of rugby training equipment are ideal to use in training sessions on the field and as warm up exercises before practice and formal games. Proper training is essential for any player and team and with the right sets of rugby training equipment you and your team are well underway in enhancing your performance and improving your games.

Why Rugby’s My Favorite Sport

Why Rugby is My Favorite Sport?

The crowds chant and sing. The teams race back and forth sometimes nowhere near the goal for much of the game. The referees chase after the players for rule infractions. Why is rugby my favorite sport?  Because it can be very, very exciting whether that is reflected in the scoreboard or not.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is the fact that it does not matter who is playing, young, old, male or female- the fan support for the game that they are watching is the same. Rugby moms will shout their lungs out for a group of youngsters just as ardently as she would for the pros.

The action is fast paced, and when there is a goal, it is almost a magical moment. If you are lucky enough to go to a game where there is an announcer, pay close attention to his emotion. That level of heart is not found in many other sports,( with the possible exception of hockey), and there knowledge of the intricacies of the game is nearly unmatched.

I love the crowd best of all though. It is the swelling throng of the fans that gets you. The bigger the crowd the more electrical energy crackles through it. You feel it at the start of the game and it builds right to the final whistle. They gasp, they sigh, they moan. You can feel them moving simultaneously to the edge of their seat when a team is close to the goal, and feel them sink back as one big bunch when the goal is missed. I get carried away, not even knowing exactly what I was looking at, but loving it all the same. It is the crowd that makes me happiest, it is them that makes rugby my favorite sport.

How to Pick a Rubgy Team

Put Me in Coach: How to Pick a Rugby Team

Rugby is the sport for you. You have posters of rugby players on your wall. You have to be reminded to leave your cleats on the back porch or you wear them through the house. You have eyed the neighbor’s cat longingly when he stands next to that oddly hung little gate- in  your mind it looks just like a miniature rugby goal, and that fat, black and white cat, well you get the picture. Yep, you have rugby fever for sure, and the best treatment for that is to get you onto a team. But, how do you pick the best team for you? How do you find the team that will match your competitive spirit and yet not be so uptight over every loss that no one ever has any fun?

Finding a team with the right balance of fire and fun can be tricky, but the best place to start is the coach. In most cases, the coach will be a good indicator to the temperament of the team- if he is uptight and high strung, his players will likely be tense and edgy as well. On the other hand, if he is too laid back the players may be even more tense because they do not have the confidence in his coaching abilities. A good coach needs to be a good leader, and you cannot lead anybody, anywhere without a backbone, can you?

Talk to the coaches and find out what kind of style they have. Are the accessible, could you actually talk to them, or did they talk at, through or over you? What are their practice schedules like? Will  you be able to keep up? If you are involved in other activities will a busy rugby routine keep you from doing anything else? What is the policy if you have to miss a practice? Will you automatically be benched for the next game, or is there something that can be arranged before hand? A coach that is completely inflexible may not be the right fit, so consider the responses he gives you as a basic indicator to coaching style and personality.

Finally, if you are the one that gets to pick the basic team, consider what the goal is for this league. Do you want to win, or are you just out to have fun? If you want to win, then you might have to choose people you do not really like- but a good scorer that you loathe is better than a friend that falls off the bench when tying her shoes. If you are just out there for the fresh air and the fun, then by all means grab the clutz and giggle your way through the game. Just stock up on band-aids and bactine before you start.

How To Referee Rugby

How to Referee Rugby

Being a referee is a little like being a parent, a cop and a judge at the same time. The flow of the game is decided by the referee. Make a good call and the fans in the stand will love you, make one that they do not agree with and they will hail curses on you that would make a sailor blush. You have to have physical stamina, a quick eye and the ability to recognize and defuse tense situations on the field. There are times where you will feel like you have signed on to be a kindergarten teachers, and times when you want to trot off the field and never strap on that whistle again.

Just wanting to be a referee is not enough. You have to know the game forward and backward, inside and out. Every rule and regulation has to be adhered to without bias. You have to set aside any prior loyalty and make yourself as neutral as possible. There can be no rooting for your own team or can there be any hint of impropriety. The referee keeps the game honest, fair and safe for the players and the fans in the stands.

Simply knowing the game is not enough, however. There are other things to know about how to referee rugby- things that are not just picked up in a game or two. A good referee will have studied not only the game and the rules, but will know a little bit about psychology, and will have the calm, cool head to keep things on the level. There are training courses to learn how to be a referee, including online reference guides and other resources. Checking out one of these should be the first step to whoever has decided to become a referee. Just desire alone will not cut it, there has to be far more.

Of course, being a referee for a team of youngsters will be different from being the official on the field for a major league rugby game, but the basic needs are about the same. Each player must know the rules, and adhere to them. Each player must show respect for their teammates and their opponents as well as the game itself. The rules and regulations must be adhered to. To be a good referee, you must love the game and want to ignite that love among others.

What’s a Rugby Uniform Look Like?

What Does a Rugby Uniform Look Like?

Big or small, old or young, pro or amateur, rugby uniforms are almost all identical. The only major difference will be the flags sewn on the chest or the sleeves, the logos, and the sleeves. They really do not change that much, the way the uniform looks makes the team an actual team.

Rugby players do not wear anything on their heads. Player collisions are not as common as in other sports, and the helmet has so far not been ruled as necessary for the safety of the players on the field.

The rugby jerseys that they wear are long sleeved and fairly form fitted to cut down on wind drag. I have seen some jerseys with collars, and some without, so that might be an individual team preference. The jersey is where the logo and country affiliation is usually found, and this is also where the team color is prominently displayed. The sleeve stops at the wrist, and there are occasionally gloves, but not always.

The rugby shorts that they wear are usually black or white, and not as tight as the jersey top for comfort. They are long, hitting most players just above the knee in most cases. Socks are work almost to the knee as well. Footwear is cleats except for the most amateur clubs. The pros wear the cleats to keep them from falling on the turf as they make their quick, tight turns and nearly inhuman direction changes.

What a rugby uniform looks like in motion is more spectacular than what the definition would allow. That uniform in motion is poetry, a blurry piece of majestic art, the jersey standing out in stark relief to the field around it. The player moves, lithe and cat like, stalking the ball like a wound wildebeest, the crowd hushes- he pulls back his cleat clad foot, he shoots, he scores. Goal!