What is the purpose of this huddle?
I’m a sports fan. Always have been. I grew up playing baseball, soccer, and basketball. I know all the American sports, love looking at stats, and always dreamed of being a baseball player.
I was always so surprised when I met somebody that did not understand sports. Even people from overseas, I expected them to comprehend our sports completely.
Last week, when my wife and I were in Australia, we went to a rugby match in Melbourne. Suddenly, I was the foreigner who did not understand the sport at all.
Here are the top twelve things I learned about rugby:
1) You can never pass the rugby ball (not sure of the name of it) forwards. Only backwards and to the side.
2) Like downs in football, after six tackles of the same team, the ball is turned over…I think.
3) The Gold Coast Titans stay at the Holiday Inn in Melbourne. We know, because we were staying there too.
4) A touchdown is worth four points.
5) An extra point kick is kicked from an angle, and worth two points.
6) The players wear short shorts.
7) It’s a rough game, but the tackles are much safer, so even though the players aren’t wearing padding, there are fewer injuries than football.
8) Melbourne citizens aren’t fans of rugby. The stadium was pretty empty, as the city was anticipating the start of the Aussie Rules Football season.
9) Beers are cheaper at the stadium than anywhere else in the city.
10) The defense lines up in a straight line on every play.
11) Every now and then, both teams get together in a big huddle. Once everybody is in, the game awkwardly resumes.
12) At the end of the game, the home team does a lap around the stadium high-fiving all of the fans.
* If I’m wrong about any of these, please feel free to correct me, my Aussie friends…
In the end, the Melbourne Storm dominated the Gold Coast Titans, 42-6, and we had a great time.
Now, it’s back to America, and opening day in baseball is this week!