The Post sports staff takes on the women's rugby team

by Blake Whitney/Assistant Sports Director

As The Post sports staff took the field to challenge the Ohio club women’s rugby team Monday, they received one piece of advice from backs captain Kim Kastner.

“(Rugby is) dangerous,” she said. “But it’s not dangerous if you know what you’re doing.”

For some reason, those words offered little encouragement to staff members. Not knowing a scrum from a slum or a ruck from duck, and armed only with the knowledge of a half-hour’s worth of Rugby 101, the players took the field Monday to learn what rugby is all about.

“I was expecting there to be a lot of contact,” staff writer Eric Pfahler said. “I didn’t know what a scrum was. I didn’t know the terms coming in.”

The game seemed simple enough at first. Carry an oval-shaped ball and try to get into the end zone, only it is called a try zone. Forward passing is not allowed. And if a player feels like punting a ball, that is allowed.

After a few confused looks, the game was underway. Bobbing and weaving through the field, with the occasional slam eliciting “oohs” and “aahs” from the nearby men’s rugby team, The Post actually scored first when forward Kyle Jepson scampered into the end zone. Err, try zone.

But then it was the women’s turn. Despite being tackled mostly by males — who became more aggressive as the game progressed — the women’s team scored to tie the game.

After a near score by sports editor Paul Shugar, and after staff writer Lindsey Elling — the only female sports writer who showed up — “got drilled,” the women’s rugby team scored its second try to cement the victory.

Despite losing, The Postearned the respect of the team.

“They were a lot better than we expected,” forwards captain Kelly Dougan said. “They were better than some teams we play.”

The team also lauded The Post for its tackling, saying it got harder as the match progressed.

Whether it is being lifted up in the air to catch a throw-in, scrumming, or just plain being tackled, rugby is definitely a rough sport, Shugar said.

Take Christine King for instance. She has broken her nose three times playing rugby. It happened against the same team twice.

“It was the same dumb broad (both times),” she said.

But beyond the physical benefits, club president Amber O’Connor said playing club rugby has other pluses.

“(There are benefits) especially if you’re younger,” she said. “You can meet a lot of people outside of the dorm atmosphere. It’s kind of an alternative to sororities. There’s the social aspect. Obviously we play hard but we’re friends off the field too. It’s exercise with a purpose.”

Dougan concurred, saying the team has athletes from every sport, ranging from cheerleading to wrestling to band. And anyone is welcome.

“This is my core. When I think back to my friends in college, these will be the girls I remember,” she said.

The women’s rugby team practices from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the South Green Intramural Fields. Interested players are encouraged to come to a practice or call O’Connor at 589-6677.