100 Reason to Love Rugby from Major League Rugby
As MLR celebrates 100 days out from the kickoff to Season Four, fans were asked to share 100 reasons to love rugby. The outpouring of responses from fans showed the excitement for the return of rugby. Without further ado, we present 100 of the fan-submitted reasons to love rugby….
1) I love rugby because it taught me so much about life, responsibility, and leadership. It helped me find who I am and it brought so many wonderful people into my life. The sport has done so much for me, and I’m trying to give back to it and make it a better place for everyone else who plays. – @chuckdittles
2) I love rugby because of the camaraderie and sportsmanship shown on and off the field from each and every team! The sport is so much fun, and the players have my respect and support. – @katdufrene
3) I love rugby because it is a family sport, when the Seawolves rugby fans gather Starfire Sports we are one big family and the players make each and every fan feel special after the match! – @krsheart
4) I love rugby because of the strong connections held within the community and the incredible spirit where everyone leaves it all on the field and are immediate friends as soon as the whistle blows. – @WaltonRitten1
5) Rugby brings the best of camaraderie, teamwork, and creativity between players of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Gave me some of my best high school and college friendships and memories. – @MrWarbasse
6) I love rugby because the sport taught me that I could be active, I could be fit, and that I could belong on a team. Until I joined a rugby club, as a gay person, I had never had a chance to experience those things. – @declarke85
7) I love rugby because it generates an incredible community and camaraderie among both players and fans. This beautiful game is accessible to everyone, big to small, men and women, and every ethnicity and upbringing imaginable. Personally it helped me go from a shy, quiet 9th grader in to the confident, soon to be university student I am today. – @carnovale_dom
8) It gave me a community to grow into and help support. – @lukedreher7
9) I love rugby because it’s a great way for my son and I to bond and spend time together. Creating memories with him that he will remember forever. – @_meyonic
10) Because it’s the smartest game there is. Athletes have to be able to think fast, be strong and effective with physical stamina. Plus the game is quick and super entertaining – and you can find it all around the world all year long! – @mck_mea
11) I love rugby because I watched it transform my son to going from a kid trying to find his way to a mature motivated leader and young man all while also opening my own eyes to the world of comrades who care about each other on and off the field. We have learned so many lessons as a family along with learning this sport. We have made new life long freindships along the way. I hope this sport grows so much in the USA, because well, who doesn’t love a good scrum? Honest, down right, hard working athletes giving all they have as individuals so the team can get a try. So many reasons to list why I love rugby but come to a game, sit with our family, and learn to love the sport with us. I am sure you will be hooked and love rugby too! – @emd619
12) I love rugby because the players embody respect and they always have time for their supporters! – @Geaux_HR
13) I love rugby because it is often like life. You could be getting absolutely hammered from every which way, but you know that as long as you have a few good brothers, you can always get back up and fight alongside them. – @it_is_rj
14) Opponents on the pitch become friends after the game. No other sport brings players together like rugby. – @btwoodrow88
15) Rugby’s helped me through a lot of tough times in life, it’s started friendships that will never end and has given me some of the best moments in my life. It’s made my mind and body better and I never thought a sport would be able to do that. Rugby’s not just a sport to me, it’s a way of life. – @luke.lynch
16) The values and camaraderie. How the player who knocks you down offers the hand back up. – @karengasbarino.xv
17) I love rugby because of the community! – @ofliesandhope
18) I love Rugby because it gave me an opportunity to be apart of a team again after leaving football behind. Awesome memories, wouldn’t be possible without rugby. – @coachross70
19) I love rugby because it inspires selflessness and cooperation through its play. – @btwoodrow
20) I love rugby because it can bring so many different types of people together. I never would have thought as a kid growing up in Aotearoa New Zealand that I would be following a North American rugby competition, but here we are #ArrowsUp – @bennytoner
21) I love rugby because it give me something to work for and something I can put work into to. I’ve met great people and love the game. – @kmartin1856
22) I love rugby because of the sportsmanship and genuine respect everyone has for each other on and off the pitch. – @alduncan89
23) I love rugby because of the people that I have met. – @eri_asher1
24) I love rugby because of the supporting community from fellow players, coaches and fans. – @dylanfaracirugby
25) I love rugby for the camaraderie/brotherhood exhibited while beating the hell out of the opposite 15. I love rugby for the respect shown to the sir and each other. I love it for the family I gained from just showing up. I love rugby because it keeps me connected to my time in New Zealand. – @voilisi64
26) I love rugby because it keeps me active while in college and helped me meet friends when I transferred schools. – @godblessthatrap
27) I love rugby because it has brought so many people into my life and I’ve great friends with teammates and opponents alike. When the game is over it didn’t matter who won or lost, we were just a bunch of guys playing the game we love. It gave me great confidence to go out of my comfort zone and try new things. It has taught me more than I could ever imagine and for that I am forever grateful, that is why I love rugby. – @luke_bridg
28) I’m new to rugby but instantly feel for the camaraderie in the sport. Doesn’t matter how big or strong you are, it’s about how strong the team is as a whole. Love my rugger brothers and sisters I’ve gained. – @patopham
29) I love rugby because it teaches respect and fairness, because the men’s and women’s game is identical, and because a global game that’s fun to play and watch! – @nrcSydney
30) There’s a spot for every kid who comes out! – @taftrugby
31) I love rugby because of the camaraderie and the absence of egos. Teamwork is everything and no one is more important than another. And of course…RESPECT. In these times, respect is a great value. – @manosdehacha
32) We are all one giant family. No matter the on field rivalries, we are all one unit! And that greatly confused me when I first started playing rugby. I was used to the fake handshakes after a football game, but here we were smiling, eating food, and taking pictures with a team we just blew out. Rugby doesn’t care what team you play for, how old you are, what gender you prefer, nor what size you are. Rugby is love and I am sure glad to have found it! – @4hari6
33) The physicality and class of the game. – @ahcowgill25
34) I love rugby for the teammates I’ve met along the way! – @jwindle2
35) I love rugby, because it brings you more than just a sweat, a goal, a way of life and an ethical way of carrying yourself. Teach you to be ruthless but yet be respectful. Hard work always pays and the brother you make on the field will be with you for life. – @victorsamyn.lrbx
36) Rugby gave me lifelong friends and a sense of community. Rugby is the reason I work best with a team. – @maliaminckler14
37) I love the camaraderie! – @blazergb7
38) I love rugby because it’s so much better than American football and soccer. – @tlogullo64
39 ) I love rugby because no matter where you are in the world, every rugby team is a family. No matter how large or small your club may be, there’s no other sport that can bring people from all walks of life together like rugby can. – @thundergod_thor
40) The reason I love rugby is the culture and the people I play with and against it’s the only spot I know we’re people really just leave it on the field. – @hermbigmac_
41) I love rugby because it’s more than a sport; it’s a family. – @avalon_schultz
42) I love rugby because I have never seen a more welcoming and inclusive group focused on one thing. Being in America, not many people know they game and are scared to get involved, but every time I’ve witnessed a new person learn the game they are always met with such strong support and immediate friends and I love that about the game and community. – @walton_rittenberry
43) I love rugby because it’s a sport where you push yourself, and you get back up for your brothers. – @barrett_clayton
44) I was lucky enough to play high school rugby in the late 80’s in Ft. Collins, Colorado. We were a bunch of inclusive misfits who learned the greatest game in the world and truly became a TEAM. I taught me respect, sportsmanship, and to give my all for a team (no matter what the situation). – @ballnchain22
45) I love rugby because it’s a different sport that my son and I watched(won tickets to the Seawolves match). I love the enthusiasm that the fans bring to stadiums. MLR you rock. – @jclaudio614
46) I love rugby because it isn’t just a sport and a team. It’s a family and a lifestyle. Every person I have met that plays rugby is a friend off the field. It’s an amazing sport that just gives so much more than just physical play, it has given many people life. I know people playing into their 60s and they go just as hard as I do and I play in college. I’m thankful for rugby! – @the_chris_bailey
47) I love rugby rugby for the amazing brotherhood on the team and for all the amazing guys who play it! – @sean_henrie
48) I love rugby because there is no other sport where you can feel such a bond with not just your teammates but opposing teams and other players in general. It’s one of those things where if you see someone with a rugby shirt on and then you ask if they played, even if they don’t play anymore you form an instant bond. It’s something that’s difficult to put into words but anyone whose played knows what I mean. A personal example of how strong that type of bond can be is one of my teammates from college asked me to officiate his wedding and of course I did, it’s just a different kind of bond. – @cmurphy0455
49) Started watching rugby when I was planning our trip to New Zealand. Found it to be an exhilarating sport that is so much more exciting to watch than American football! Plus I love how it also celebrates the different cultures around the world. – @ladyoftheloch92
50) I love this amazing sport because it’s not just a sport, it’s a way of life. Everything you do off the field is reflected on the field. It taught me responsibility and accountability. It brought me the greatest brotherhood known to man. A brotherhood that extends farther than just a team. It’s an international brotherhood that no other sport has. You lodge with the other team, you eat with them, share brews. I know I will always be taken care of and have a couch to sleep on and clothes on my back anywhere I go in the world because of rugby. And being able to continue playing this great sport that I’ve played since middle school at Texas A&M is what drives me forward every day. – @eliaszy
51) I love rugby because it’s my escape. Wether I’m out on the pitch or just watching a game I just feel calm, and I’ve never found a sport other than rugby that’s so team driven and has such a sense of community. – @torgersen.27
52) I love rugby because it taught me that in sports there are never enemies only opponents, on the field it’s a competition, but off the field we can all hangout as friends. Rugby also is the most inclusive sport in the world. Playing for around 8 years now has made me a better person. – @grantfisher_h
53) I love rugby because it is like me, resilient. – @woodsfan665
54) It’s a very hard hitting sport and it’s extremely entertaining to watch. – @james_meurer
55) Rugby is a game for people of all skill levels, ages, and walks of life. It is a great way to meet people and make new friends. It is not only a phenomenal outlet for athletes, but it produces caring members of society. The skills learned in rugby extend far beyond the pitch, they are incorporated in everyday life. Rugby teaches players to be the best version of themselves, on and off the field. This is why I love rugby. – @finn_mcardle
56) The brotherhood! – @tstorm_warning
57) Because it brings people together no matter where you’re from! Place to meet real family you never knew you had. On your team and opponents. – @stevegriffinofficial
58) The bond you build with the people you play with. – @cramzyr
59) I love the bonds and the way we act as a family. – @561.grinch
60) I love rugby because it has given me a chance to be part of a team where many different body types and skill sets are all out together for a common goal. – @rubles_22
61) Been in love with rugby since playing the rugby world cup 11 demo on ps3 before HAVING to buy the full version. Now, i watch it every chance i get and am grateful to have an MLR team in my city. #geauxgold – Alexander Thomas Gaddy
62) It makes me feel free. – @karlwatland
63) I love rugby because of the opportunities it has given me, I’ve met some of my closest friends all while playing a sport I could have never imagined would bring me such happiness. Everytime I step onto the pitch I know the guy to the left and right of me will be there to ruck over me and help the team to be the best we can. I’ve become a bettor communicator and overall a better person due to the mentality every player has this sport is amazing in every sense of the word! – @murph.c0313
64) It is a great game that includes everyone, of all skill levels! – @mathew.hoover
65) The camaraderie, respect, and mental toughness of the game! – @timlenzsch
66) I love rugby because of the culture and community aspect. A team isn’t just a group of players; it’s also the fans, the coaches, and the hardworking people behind the scenes. – @shane.hackett3
67) Because nothing about it makes sense and I love it. – @ben_there_won_that
68) Rugby is literally for everyone…anyone can play, that’s the beauty! – @rugbyrantpod
69) Played football through college, switched to playing rugby while at Kent State. I fell in love the first practice! It is a true team sport, and the bonds you make with your teammates and opponents is amazing! – @white_suge_knight
70) As Winston Churchill said, it’s a hooligans game played by gentlemen. – @thisisaleidasuarez
71) I love rugby because it brings people together no matter where we are from! Whether you are from America or Ireland, England or Canada, we are ALL included in this fantastic sport! – @stevegriffinofficial
72) I love rugby because it brought a lot of folks in my life that I’ll forever cherish on this journey I have met many guys over the years and became part of their family just like I’ve accepted them in mine without rugby I literally would’ve been a loner I’m forever grateful to chase an egg day in and day out. – @no_bands_d
73) Played in college with no contact sport experience and I learned I was tougher than I thought! – @wolf_jp
74) American football: 18 minutes of action in a 3 hour game. Rugby? 80 minutes of action. – @mrblack.sd
75) The culture is unlike any other sport. – @stacypaetz
76) Because it embodies the best of humanity and it’s exciting. – @abpaterson1823
77) I love rugby because it connects people. Even now, while in lockdown, we can still connect and support each other through this sport. And once COVID-19 is behind us, we can keep connecting in the build-up, the stadiums, and the post-game social. Rugby. For all. For ever. – @H4rdMan
78) Because it taught me to fight through the tough times, have my team’s back and not give up. – @papajrm16
79) The environment in the stands! – @kevin_huheey
80) I love rugby because it’s one of the few sports where you truly need all of your teammates working together to succeed; from the biggest, burliest prop to the smallest, speediest winger. I also kind of love how most of my friends and family have no idea how rugby works. – @sciencebarnett
81) A rugby game is how life should be: you’re there for your mates, they’re there for you; competition brings out out best qualities; and at the end of the day, everyone, regardless of the team, takes joy in the time spent together. And there’s room for anyone who wants to join in. – @PetCobra
82) Even in its simplicity, it’s an art form. – @dech.lan 83) Love rugby because it is a sport anyone of varying degrees of fitness can start to play. It motivates you to become faster, stronger and team oriented. You cannot play without a team and people “propping” you up. Love the Toronto Arrows That is my team and cannot wait for next season! – Ryan Blackwood 84) The reason I love rugby is because the feelings on the field are so incredibly intense, and at the end of the game, they all sort of melt away, for players and fans. The sportsmanship this takes doesn’t exist in any other sport. – @powerful_gingersnap
82) I love rugby because it has the power to unite a nation! #ProudlySouthAfrican – @lynton_mare7
83) Hands down the community and camaraderie! The games are exciting but at the end of the day people are GOOD to each other for the most part. #goCats #HoustonSaberCats – Jen Cole 84) It’s truly the first sport where I’ve fit in, and felt motivated to put in the work. – @aaveryobrien
85) A rugby club is welcoming no matter where in the world you go. – @burgess.tom
86) I love rugby because the family bond and connections. – @USARugbyFan
87) It’s inclusive: tall, short, fast, slow, it doesn’t matter. There’s a position for everyone. – James Herbst
88) The club is like family. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive, awesome group to be around. – @blakebracht
89) It’s so raw! – @markstrauss1961
90) Regardless of size or gender EVERYONE has the same opportunity to play and score. – @treacherous_rhodes
91) I love rugby because the foundation of high standards and elite performance under pressure is found in every corned of rugby. From its players, coaches, and trainers, to the fans; Rugby has an expectation of excellence that all endure to meet. – @andre_bosier
92) Played by gentlemen. – @wayian2010 93) Friendship, community, openness. – @ravenslide
94) I love rugby because it is a global sport. Before I moved to the US and I was traveling back and forth, I’d always reach out to a local rugby club and see when practices were. It gave me a great way to stay in shape on my travels, but also gave me the opportunity to meet new people. After moving to the US I was then able to train more with a club I already knew! – @_jamie_mcf
95) I love rugby because everyone on the team plays an important role. It is a sport that needs people of all different sizes and anyone can score! – @pope.sa
96) One of the things that I love about rugby is that with so many players, there’s a position for everyone and many skills are needed. – @h_lm_03
97) The ability of this spectacular sport to bring so many people together and accept them all has always astounded me. It saved my life. – @mohawksally
98) I love rugby because it has opened the whole world to me. It has brought many friends from around the states and more. It also had showed me that even though you have to fight a team you can still enjoy each other’s company right after. – @ezrasanderson
99) Nonstop, hard-hitting action. Sportsmanship. Cold beer and warm fans. – @exsabercatprez
100) Why not? The list is too long! – @billkorbs Photo by Palms Perspectives
