“I go up to people and I’m like, hey you wanna try rugby?  They’re just like ‘rugby? I don’t want to die!‘” lamented senior Max Pellinger. Rugby is a game not often heard of or mentioned at South High School, or in the United States. According to The Guardian, its popularity has increased in recent years, but when it is mentioned students often react just as Pellinger stated, with fear and distaste.

South rugby players set out to change this on a daily basis, correcting misconceptions as they appear as well as trying to drum up new players. “It’s basically us running around the school begging people to come play,” said senior Jacob Peterson.

“[Rugby] is really similar to football, but it’s also kind of a mix between football and soccer,” explained Pellinger.

Its similarity to soccer rather than the constant pauses of football is what many players find so exhilarating about the game.

“There’s never a dull moment. It’s just go go all the time. You get a second to catch your breath and then you’re back at it,” said Peterson.

Another important aspect of the game is teamwork. “The big dudes, they gotta communicate with the little dudes that run. It’s all about communication because if you don’t communicate, then you’ll lose the ball,” stated sophomore Danny Senaphanph. Pellinger added, “We had one guy last year who would run around by himself and never pass it and we would never get anything done.”

South’s rugby team, which enjoys the participation of students from Roosevelt but is made up of predominantly South students, is quite small, with sometimes not even a complete team. Players can trace this problem to rugby’s bad public image. “Injuries aren’t as common as they seem. Maybe as common as in football, maybe less,” stated Peterson.

“People say rugby’s diehard and you gotta kill each other. But rugby’s not even like that. After the game we feast with the other team. It’s actually safer than football because people know their fundamentals,” insisted Senaphanph.

Feasting is another tradition that makes that makes rugby special.  “Basically, the home team brings the food, usually hot dogs or other cheap stuff, and we all sit and share the meal,” explained Pellinger.

“Rugby is extremely social,” asserted Coach John Eichten. “The camaraderie is unparalleled in any other sport…and after the game we want the players to socialize, meet new people, and maybe get some new perspectives not only on rugby, but on life.”

With five coaches, the rugby team has plenty of role models, and although the nature of the game makes teamwork more valuable than individual ability, there’s one player everyone looks to for guidance.

“Zed [Glawe-Strom],” said Senaphanaph. “He’s super smart and he’s the nicest dude I’ve ever met. I thought he’d be super mean because he was big and tall and super smart but one day he pushed me on accident and he was like ‘oh my god, are you okay Danny, I didn’t mean to push you like that,’” praised Senaphanaph. Both Peterson and Pellinger agreed that Glawe-Strom was someone they look up to.

While emphasizing the importance of teamwork, Eichten agreed with this assessment. He also added another powerful team leader, senior Luke Dugan. “[Dugan] is just as good a leader but in a more silent way. The two of them are the principal leaders and will be for the rest of their lives. I’m very proud to have coached them.”

Eichten enjoys his relationships with the players. “We don’t believe in negative reinforcement, we’re all about positivity,” he said. “We look at ourselves as mentors for life. I’ve had kids who I’ve known since they were 14 who are now 25 and I still get phone calls for advice.”

“The relationship [with the coaches] is very good,” stated Peterson. Senaphanaph added emphatically that the coaches are just like them. “They played in high school and in professional  rugby leagues. They talk about girls with us, they’re clowns. They’re like high schoolers in grown man bodies.”

Despite a love for the game, camaraderie with fellow players, and a talented coaching squad, the rugby team is in danger as the team’s numbers dwindle. With many players graduating this year, the fate of the team seems uncertain. Hope for the team lies in the dispelling of misconceptions and better public relations to recruit the next generation of South rugby.