Since I’ll be wonderfully disconnected for the next four days, I thought I would leave up a good open discussion post.
So please leave a comment or two, three or four.
Who is your favorite rugby opponent? And why?
You can mention a specific player, or a whole team. You can even mention more than one if you wish. But you need to explain why. Think of it as a shoutout for the opponent out there that makes you elevate your game.
You can hate them, you can love them. You can even want to date them. So who is it? And why?
Photo: My team, the Wisconsin Women, about to scrum our in-state friends/rivals, the Milwaukee Scylla, in 2005.
Technorati Tags: Women’s Rugby Women’s Sports Rugby Sports Rugby Fitness Sports Fitness
9 Comments
June 21, 2007 at 1:17 pm
I like playing friendly teams, teams where you have a nice, happy, competitive but not angry, pissy, etc game. In my tenure, I’ve enjoyed teams like the Village Lions, Morris, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Chicago North Shore, and Nebraska (ok, that one goes back years). I’ll pass on naming some of the more unpleasant ones, especially as my interactions with them have been blissfully limited (and sometimes unpleasantness is a result of one player or external influences like a bizarrely angry coach)
~waiting for 15s season in the MidAtlantic
June 21, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I like playing Marine teams, like Camp Pendleton. They’re fit and they hit REALLY hard, but they can take a good hit too. Most importantly, as Marines they KNOW that they’re tough guys and they don’t feel the need to prove it. There’s rarely dirty play or bad attitudes, and any scuffles usually tend to be the result of inexperience and misunderstanding of the rules.
Also, Pendleton used to have a home bar that served $2 pints of bloody mary.
June 21, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Here’s a few that come immediately to mind for different reasons:
Favorite team to party with: University of Idaho Black Widows
Favorite food provided at drinkup: Nanaimo Hurricanes (They fed us A traditional slow-roasted Maori hangi feast. They also left us a bunch of beer in the changing room. How classy is that?)
Favorite team I played for in years past: Seattle Breakers (I still love ya.)
Favorite rival to drive me to excel: Emerald City Mudhens
Favorite team to play on a muddy sloppy pitch with: ORSU
Favorite team to feel overpowered by: Minnesota Valkyries (I felt as though I had become one with the pitch when it was all over. The beer and food tasted particularly excellent that night. I think I was happy to have survived.)
June 21, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Glad you enjoyed Morris, anon number one! |=)
June 21, 2007 at 9:09 pm
I enjoy any team that is tough, plays clean, and avoids either moping (if they’re losing) or snottiness (if they’re killing us). Unfortunately my memory is like a sieve for these sorts of things and I’m not going to name anyone for fear of forgetting someone else who deserves mention.
June 22, 2007 at 5:28 pm
For my money, if I am going to get my ass kicked, I enjoy getting my ass kicked by Berkeley.
I enjoy our scrappy games here in the Mid Atlantic, partially because I know a lot of the opposing players.
June 22, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Austria and Luxembourg. Great people on the teams, friendly games and good people off the field!
June 23, 2007 at 3:41 am
Bowdoin was pretty awesome…never played a cleaner opponent in my life. I definitely enjoy our yearly scrimmage against Berkeley. CSUMB…the best social team! Western Oregon for the sheer rivalry. And the list goes on! Sac State for being gutsy as hell in regionals. Yehhhh list goes on
June 25, 2007 at 2:24 am
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