So I got curious about rugby in America, especially compared to soccer. I mean, we see soccer everywhere now – kids’ leagues, MLS games on TV, even pickleball courts popping up. But rugby? Is it catching on or what?
Started by talking to folks at the park where people play flag football. Asked this dude tossing a football: “Ever switch to rugby instead?” He laughed. “Bro, rugby’s where football players go when they flunk math class. We don’t even have proper teams here.” Noted that down.
Next Saturday, drove to three different sports bars downtown. Scanned all the screens:
- Soccer game? Yep, Premier League with 30+ people watching
- Baseball? Two screens full
- Rugby? Bartender shrugged: “Only show Six Nations if someone bribes us with pizza”
Decided to check local participation. Googled youth leagues in my county:
- Soccer clubs: 27 listings
- Rugby clubs: One single club practicing Tuesdays behind the community college
Called that rugby coach – nice Aussie guy named Derek. Showed up to their practice. These guys were tackling without pads! My knees hurt just watching. Derek explained: “We get about 50 folks total across all age groups here. Meanwhile, the soccer complex down the road? They’ve got eight fields running simultaneously every Saturday.”
Got curious about why. Attended a high school football game Friday night – packed stands, band playing, cheerleaders. Next day, drove an hour to watch Derek’s team play a tournament. Six teams total, no bleachers, parents sitting on fold-out chairs. Counted maybe 80 spectators tops.
Real kicker? One rugby dad told me: “My boy plays both. Soccer gets him college scouts. Rugby gets him concussions and laundry stains.”
Tried playing myself. Joined a beginner’s clinic. Three things became obvious fast:
- The rules feel like someone tried explaining cricket while drunk
- Everybody runs constantly like soccer – but with way more collisions
- My shoulders still ache three days later
Final nail in the coffin? Walked into Dick’s Sporting Goods afterward. Found:
- Soccer section: Two full aisles of gear
- Rugby section: Exactly one ball buried under yoga mats
Verdict from all this? Rugby’s got about as much chance of catching soccer here as I have of becoming an astronaut. Soccer’s become mainstream; rugby’s still that weird foreign cousin who shows up uninvited to barbecues. Cool sport? Absolutely. Popular? Nah. Not in this lifetime.