Rugby might not get the same viewership that soccer or American football get but it’s by far the best sport in the world. By seamlessly blending the fast pace of soccer with the aggression and teamwork of other sports, rugby stands out as a unique option, perfect for both boys and girls of all ages. Not convinced? We’ll tell you why rugby is the best sport in the world!
For many fans and players, rugby union is the best sport in the world thanks to its channeled aggressive physicality, strategic nature, fast pace, team play and diverse nature of participants. Rugby really is a game for all shapes and sizes.
In this post, we’ll take a look at what makes rugby stand out from other sports. We will dive into why it’s the true best sport in the world and how you can play it. So, if you are ready to hit the rugby pitch and start learning more about this phenomenal sport, let’s dive in!
1. Rugby is an International Sport
Unlike American football, rugby is a truly international sport that’s played throughout the British Isles, France, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, and several of the islands of Oceania. It spans the world, bringing millions of fans together as they root for their home teams and players. This sets it apart from more regional sports that only draw fans from a single country, such as American Football.
The international nature of rugby union can be seen on full display during the Rugby World Cup. Every four years, 16 of the world’s top teams come together to play for the title and the victor gets to go home with the World Cup.
World Rugby the governing body of rugby union is being very proactive in growing the game into new areas. For example, the 2019 world cup was hosted by an Asian nation for the first time, Japan.
Not only that, rugby has a 7 a-side version which has its own international professional circuit. The beauty of this is that this sport is much less technical and therefore it enables younger rugby playing nations to play against the very best and compete well.
The international nature of rugby enables teams to go on tours to the other side of the world which creates really quite unique events, such as the British and Irish Lions rugby team which tours to either Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand every four years.
In short the spread of rugby worldwide brings huge variety to the game making more exciting for spectators and players to be involved in.
2. The Greatest Team Sport
More so than any other sport, rugby union is reliant on a group fo players coming together and working as a team to win. This is really evident in the spectacular length of the pitch team tries that you often see. Here is a fine selection to peruse:
Every player has a particular role and relies on others in order to be successful. Typically, forwards are responsible for competing for and gaining possession of the ball and then the backs are responsible for putting speed onto the ball and running with it, dodging opponents in order to score a try.
Off the pitch it is similar too. Players can develop very close bonds with team mates as a result of putting their bodies on the line for them during training and matches. This develops an incredible team spirit and changing room banter which players really enjoy.
Also checkout: Why Is Rugby Popular?
3. Non-Stop Action
A lot of sports are structured around quick bursts of activity followed by short breaks. For example, baseball players stand around in the outfield, waiting for something to happen. Meanwhile, American football players go through short plays before stopping and stalling for minutes at a time. Yet, with rugby union, there is far less standing around between plays than other sports.
Games are divided into two 40-minute halves with only 10 minutes of break time between the halves. After the first half, the two teams switch sides and continue playing for another 40 minutes. While it may seem exhausting for players, it’s exhilarating to watch and free from a single dull moment.
Best of all, rugby players do it all—both the offense and the defense. Whereas many team sports have two separate teams—an offensive and a defensive team—all 15 rugby players are trained to play both sides so they never have a moment’s rest. Instead, they spend the entire 80-minutes of game time crashing into each other, running downfield, and trying to survive.
4. Player and Fan Diversity
One of rugby’s key values is diversity and that everyone is welcome and that includes, literally, all shapes and sizes.
There are professional rugby players who are 5ft 9in and 60kg wet through who specialize in speed, passing and tackle evasion all the way through to the 120kg giants that love the physical contact side of the sport.
To prove the point further, rugby is experiencing great growth in women’s rugby. 25% of all players are now women and 40% of the 400 million rugby fams worldwide are women. So, for a game that was traditionally male dominated we can see how welcoming it has been to the new interest in the women’s side of the game.
Recommended reading: How Popular Is Rugby Compared To Other Sports?
5. Rugby Goes On No Matter Rain or Shine
Rugby is a notoriously tough sport. It’s not uncommon for players to come off the pitch with bloody noses, black eyes, and missing teeth. But, even with all the physicality, the game must go on no matter the weather conditions.
Rugby is played in all types of weather, whether it be rain, snow, or shine. In fact, some of the most memorable rugby moments have come from games played in the rain, mud, and snow. These conditions can make for a spectacular game as the players slip, slide, and slog their way through the conditions.
People new to the game tend not to enjoy the games played in wet and mud as games tend to be slower with less running rugby.
However, genuine rugby players often enjoy those mud fests just as much as the fast paced sunny day running rugby games. This is because players appreciate the effort that is going into playing those games and can identify with what is going on better.
6. Family Fun
Possibly the greatest thing about rugby union is that it’s a sport for the entire family. Unlike other contact sports, rugby has very specific rules that make it safe for players of all ages, and these same rules make it an exciting spectator sport for family members of all ages. Think of the sport as a great way to get the entire family involved.
Not only can family members watch the game together, but they can also play together. Many rugby clubs have youth teams for kids as young as 5 years old. These teams allow kids to learn the basic rules and plays of the game in a safe and fun environment. As they get older, they can move up to the junior teams and eventually the senior teams.
Recommended reading: Why Play Rugby? (12 Most Popular Reasons)
7. The Rugby Community
Getting involved in rugby is like becoming part of a worldwide extended family. Rugby people are generally open, friendly and always ready for a joke and laugh, especially with people new to the game and their club.
It is not uncommon for people to remain with the same club all of their lives as much of their friendships are there and going down to the club in their older years is just as important as it was to them as a youngster.
This is a much overlooked part of rugby, you will never be short of friends once you have joined a rugby club and you will have lots of fun. Everything from drinking games and singing to player’s dinners and after dinner speakers.
8. Rugby Traditions
Whilst rugby is constantly evolving its rules and attractiveness to a new audience it never loses track of where it came from through its traditions and values.
Players make a tunnel to clap opponents off the pitch, referees are treated with utmost respect, long standing traditional fixtures and teams are honoured, such as:
The famous Barbarians, rugby singing in the club house, annual rugby tours and player’s dinners and of course the big famous international tournaments, such as: Six Nations, Rugby Championship, Premiership playoffs, Autumn internationals, and British and Irish Lions Tours.
I am going to wrap this up here, I could easily go on for pages and pages like this. After all, there’s a reason why I have been involved in rugby union for over 30 years now. My best suggestion for you would be to get down to your local rugby club and see if it appeals to you or not.
Go here for our full answer to Where Is Rugby Popular?
Image Credits
Canada take on Wales during the 2007 World Cup. Manuel from Nantes | Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
24 June 2017, Australia vs Italy at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane www.davidmolloyphotography.com from Sydney, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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