Rugby: That Other Very Violent Sport People Watch Religiously

By: Joel Brennan

To the unknowledgeable viewer, the sport of rugby looks like an extremely violent car crash. The game is contested by two 15-player teams squaring off on a field, called a pitch, which measures a maximum 70 meters by 100 meters, in two 40-minute halves. Scoring in each match can be like baseball, either feast or famine, where teams can score at will or fight to score once.

A try, the equivalent of a touchdown in football, is equaled to five points, with the conversion kick worth two. To score a try, a player must successfully cross the in-goal line and place the ball on the ground. If the ball does not touch the ground, a try cannot be score. Unlike an extra point attempt, the conversion kick does not occur in the center of the pitch, but rather 15 meters from the in-goal line and the point on the pitch where the try was scored. For example, if a try was scored in the corner of the in-goal, the player will attempt the conversion kick 15 meters back and next to the sideline.

The third way of scoring is off of a penalty kick. This can be an uncontested drop kick or a kick off of a tee, but it either case, a successful kick results in three points.

The last way of scoring is a drop kick which is worth three points, similarly to a field goal. To successfully score a drop kick, a player must be running with the ball, drop it in front of them, and then kick it through the narrow up-rights. The up-rights are 5.6 meters wide, with the crossbar three meters high, and are positioned at the front of the in-goal.

With members of my family who have played the sport, I felt that this project gave me the opportunity to witness physicality of the game firsthand and learn about the sport that they each chose to play.

Joe and Bill Hughes are members of the Valley Forge Rugby Club (VFRC), which combines students from Spring-Ford, Phoenixville, and Owen J. Roberts High Schools. Joe is a senior at Spring-Ford, and is also a senior leader on the team. He plays a position known as outside center, which is the football equivalent of a wide receiver. The outside center is usually the fastest player on the team, has good hands, and can make plays in the open field. He waits along the outer perimeter, of the action, looking for a pass and a chance to break a long run. Bill, the shorter of the brothers, but larger in stature, is among the pack of players that fight for the ball in the center of the pitch. He plays flanker, primarily, which is like a mid-fielder in soccer. They attack when necessary, but are responsible for preventing the other team crossing the half-way line (midfield).

In a recent match between the VFRC and Bishop Shanahan, the two sides opened the match with some sloppy play, but the boys from Valley Forge would gather their composure to pull out a closely fought 10-5 win.

With more than 10 minutes gone, Valley Forge strung together a dozen passes and marched down the pitch. Flanker Eric Perry dove from five meters out to score the try and the first points. The subsequent conversion kick sailed wide left and the score remained 5-0. VFRC Head Coach Michael Badger said, “I was impressed by the team’s cohesiveness and ability to score on that drive.”

Later in the first half, Valley Forge was trying to start another long drive when a bad pass led to a Shanahan try. Chris Pettine scooped up the ball and ran in from 13 meters out. Another failed conversion kick, this one off of the upright, led to the tied score, 5-5.

With the teams trading possession, the remaining ten minutes passed with little ball movements by both squads. At the end of the first half, the teams parted the field with the score still tied. An exhausted Joe Hughes said at the end of the half, “We should be winning right now, but they’ve played some great defense.”

The second half started off the same way the first ended, as a defensive struggle. Long runs by Hughes, Brennan Conway, and Quintus Smith led to possible scoring chances, but the Bishop Shanahan defense tighten up and stopped the long drives. However, the drives did lead to poor field position for Shanahan.

After one such drive, Shanahan was putting together a nice drive when Pettine was the recipient of a hard hit by Bill Hughes. The hit caused a loose ball that was quickly recovered by Michael Kelly of Valley Forge. “I think that was the hardest I’ve ever hit anyone,” said Hughes. On the ensuing possession, the other Hughes brother broke a long run down the left sideline for the second try, with 2:17 remaining in the match. The location of the conversion kick made it nearly impossible for a right-footed kicker to make, thus it was no surprise when the kick was missed.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Shanahan attempted one last drive, but came up short as Conway intercepted a pass. The change of possession ended regulation time and the boys from Valley Forge prevailed with the final score 10-5.

The Man of the Match award went to Brennan Conway for his defensive leadership. “This was a tough match and I’m just happy we pull it out,” Conway said after the match. Badger said he was happy with his team’s second half performance. “The front line guys helped make things happen. Bill came through with the game changing play. Overall it was a solid performance,” said Badger.

The win elevates Valley Forge to 5-2 and into a three way tie with Bishop Shanahan and Unionville. All three are a game back of Downingtown, who sit at 6-1.