Rugby is a contact sport like American football. American football and rugby have the same principles, strategies and tactics. Rugby is more played at a fast pace and with few stoppages and continuous possession changes. All the players in the game can run, pass, kick and catch the ball. There is no blocking of the opponents like in football and there are seven substitution, maximum. A single match is two 40-minutes halves. Rugby is considered to be a gender-neutral sport as forty percent of all players in the US are females. Rugby is not about hooliganism or violence; however that is the image of Rugby is projected in the USA. The iRB Playing Charter states: “Rugby owes much of its appeal to the fact that it is played both to the letter and within the spirit of the Laws. The responsibility of ensuring this practice lies not with one individual – it involves coaches, captains, players and referees. It is through discipline, control, and mutual respect that the spirit of the game flourishes and, in the qualities which forge the fellowship and sense of fair play so essential to the game’s ongoing success and survival.” Rugby builds teamwork, understanding, co-operation and respect for fellow athletes. Rugby also teaches life lessons; and the principle of “Honoring the Game”. That includes having respect for the rules of the game, opponents, officials, teammates, and self.

Rugby plays on a field called a pitch, which in larger and wider than a football field and is more similar to a soccer field. There are 10-22 meters of end zone, called the in-goal area behind the goalpost (the goalpost are similar to a football goalpost). The ball for rugby is similar to a football but in rugby the ball is made out of leather or other similar synthetic material. The balls comes in different sizes for different age groups. The ball’s shape is oval ,but unlike a football, the rugby the ball has rounded edges, to minimize the erratic bouncing. In football there are 11 on the field but in Rugby there are 15 players in the field. Everyone in the pitch plays offense and defense. The numbers that the players wear in their shirts signifies the player’s specific position. Then the numbers above 15 are meant to be substitute players. The numbers between 1 and 8 are the forwards, they are typically the larger, stronger players of the team whose job is to get possession of the ball. They are the linebackers and linemen in American football. The numbers between 9 and 15 are the back. The backs are smaller, faster and more agile. The backs main objective is to exploit possession of the ball won by the forwards. The backs are similar to the running backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks in American football. The game starts the same way that American football game starts. In moving the ball the same terms are using like in American football. They are four way to score a point in rugby; Try, Conversion; Penalty kick; Drop goal. A Try you can be rewarded with five points when a team touched the ball down in the other teams in-goal area (touchdown in American football). Conversion is following the Try, you can be rewarded with two points by kicking through the goal post. When a major law violation is made the kicking team, if in range, has the option of kicking for three points. The ball can be played if the kick fails. Lastly the Drop Goal you can be rewarded with three points for a successful drop kick. The ball is alive(played) if the ball kick fails.

Junction city has his own team of Rugby and it is called Junction City United. We interviewed one of the members of the Team, Eli Aiono. We asked Eli what position he was in the team and he answered with “Flyhalf” which is number 10. Eli Aiono got involved in rugby because his uncle was the coach of rugby and one day he was watching the practice and he got the flow with it. Eli’s favorite rugby team is the New Zealand All Blacks. There are about 9 teams in the state of Kansas. Coach Xentho came to junction city four in a half years ago and half years ago and recently started a Rugby team Called Junction City United Rugby coach played Rugby in high school and on the K-State Rugby team in college. He was born in Fiji and traveled to America because of his father. He later joined the Kansas City Rugby Club where he went to places like New Zealand and France. He was National rugby player and coached a team to Nationals. Coach Xentho said “Where ever Rugby was, I was” As the Coach, he wants people to join the sport and learn from it, “Basically respect the game.” said Coach Xentho. “Love and play the game, to have fun.” “I noticed that there were a lot of kids just walking around with nothing to do and I want to help the youth instead of having them stay at home all day.” “it helps me get out of trouble” said John Tez, a Rugby player on the team. Coach Xentho is trying to establish a local high school club and needs a lot of support from the community so that the team does not have to travel a two hour drive to Kansas City. The Junction City United will be playing against the St. Thomas  Aquinas at Junction City United Rugby Club at 3:00 pm May 2, 2015