It was about an hour long. Other than my Cardio not being in top condition, here are the main themes that I learned.
1: Spacing – on offense and defense – The beautiful about Rugby so far is that, even as a novice, when the spacing is correct on offense; it FEELS correct. And conversely, when the spacing is incorrect; you immediately feel out of place. In a sense, the flow of the game, over time, allows you to learn where you should and shouldn’t be.
2. Throttle – mostly on offense – It became obvious fairly quickly that there is a time to run full speed, a time to dial it back to about 75% and also a time to slowly jog. Knowing when to do each of them at the correct time can help create offense and get a good offensive flow going.
3. Quickness/Quick Feet – Even after years of playing American Football, which requires a quick first step; the repetitive quickness required in Rugby is nothing I’ve experienced. A quick step in Rugby can create enough space and room to break a tackle, make an offload (pass) or even buy enough time for the rest of the team to catch up to you after a long breakaway. Every Rugby player, in my opinion, could benefit greatly from ladder drills.
4. Fun and Inexpensive – A $50 pair of boots (cleats), shorts, shirt & Rugby ball is all that is required. I had a lot of fun and I only experienced the touch aspect of the game. We did not scrum, line-out or tackle.
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