Rugby: OKC Crusaders

**metro** · 03-21-2008, 05:22 PM

I've noticed several local rugby groups popping up, it must be growing in local popularity.

Oklahomans are tough enough for rugby
news9.com
Posted: March 16, 2008 07:46 PM CDT

The Oklahoma City Crusaders practice for an upcoming match. There are similarities between rugby and American football. If you can run for 80 minutes straight, you can play rugby, players said.

Rugby isn't as rough as it's reputation leads people to believe.

The Oklahoma City Crusaders say they're as tough as the sport they play.

Steve Martindale, co-founded the rugby team and says Oklahomans are eager to learn the game.

"Everybody comes out," Martindale said. "You have amateurs that come out. We've got guys that have never played rugby. We've got guys that don't even know how to spell rugby. We've got everything from white collar, blue collar, it doesn't matter. Construction guys, teachers, lawyers, anybody and everybody."

According to team players, there are a lot of misconceptions associated with rugby and its rough reputation.

"You're talking bumps, bruises, maybe some cuts and scrapes. I mean you are playing on grass," Martindale said. "You're going to get scraped up. But it's not like football. I'm not going to leave my feet to try and tackle you and hurt you because, well, it's going to hurt me."

The game of rugby is similar to American football in some aspects. If you can follow football, you should be able to follow rugby, said Stephen Taylor, the Crusaders' Director of Rugby .

"It's American football in a way that's continuously moving like soccer," Taylor said. "You have the hitting of American football with the running and skills of soccer where there's continuous movement. There's no stopping and starting, so it makes for a good spectator sport."

Keith Dixon plays for the Crusaders. His job causes him to travel a lot and playing rugby helps Dixon to meet new people.

"I move to a new city. I get transferred and no friends," Dixon said. "Who do you go to? Find a rugby club I got 15 guys straight away that are willing to talk to me. We're on the same level. Instant friends, just add water, or beer."

The Oklahoma City Crusaders are always looking for new players and Taylor says anyone can play rugby.

"With the game, it's for everybody," Taylor said. "If you watch us practice, we have guys who are almost 300 pounds down to guys that are about 125 pounds. There's a position regardless of size, height, and age, so please come out. No experience necessary."

The Crusaders home field is located at NW 58th and MacArthur, just west of MacArthur. Games are free and are open to the public.

"All we ask is that you clap and cheer for us," Martindale said.

**CCOKC** · 03-21-2008, 06:07 PM

Cool,

I played rugby on the woman's team at OSU. It was a club sport and I joined because of the promised keg on the sidelines at halftime. Rugby players are without a doubt the roughest, craziest people I have ever met. And believe me the game is as rough as its reputation. Hence, the keg at halftime.

**TJSokol** · 04-05-2011, 03:22 PM

I have been playing since 2006 in Oklahoma. I am from Chicago area but didn't play there, I went to New Mexico to play for the southern New Mexico club but I didn't have time.

The sport is called Rugby Union (15s), there is also Rugby League, Rugby 7s, and Rugby 10s. It started in England in 1823, was codified in 1848, and organized Union in 1886 by the governing body of the sport, The International Rugby Board, in Dublin, Ireland. Rugby is older then football which is called Association Football, or Soccer. Acourse Rugby is older then Girdiron. There the Union is split into Territory Rugby Unions and then Local Rugby Unions in the countries. In these Unions there is college, senior, and youth levels. Also known as "clubs". The clubs are broken up into divisional play. Unlike American Football you can be a pro on any divisional level as long you are CIPP or registered as a Rugby player in the U.S.(Official Rugby Player under the USA Rugby Union). There is Division I through III, but that doesn't mean anything in terms of semi-pro or pro.
Rugby in Oklahoma was introduced by English Major Liaison Officer Gertlestone stationed in Ft. Sill. He introduced Rugby to this area and we haven't looked back even for a second. There is only 3 USA Rugby recognized clubs in Oklahoma. There is no "popping" up clubs, you are either a registered club or you just play for fun or social. The three clubs are Oklahoma City Crusaders, Tulsa (no name), and Ft. Sill Gunners. We are in the West TRU (Territorial Rugby Union) and we play in the Texas LRU (Local Rugby Union). We here in Oklahoma City play 3 Dallas teams, Ft. Worths, Eulass, Texas, Denton, Frisco, and Midland. We play in the North Division of the Texas Rugby Union.

Update: We are not one to brag but OKC is the OU of Rugby and OU college Rugby is the top dogs on the college level out here, OSU is up and coming and also has a great program. For the most part we have played Universities in tournaments like University of Tulsa, Wichita State University, and others and have beat them the majority of the time. So club play is like playing in Triple-A, we are all semi-pros, some of us are amateurs and require years of training to be a starter on A-Side. The road to Professional Clubs is called Super League, but that isn't always the case as at anytime a scout for the USA Rugby Select Teams may call out a player for try-out for the National Team, the Eagles. There you could sign for contract for a European/African/Australian/New Zealand/South American club that pays pro level pay such as 50,000 to 1 million plus bonuses, if you impress. Rugby pays lower then the NFL and the majority of sports but is the second most popular sport in the world.

That sums it up. Oh, USA Rugby is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado and Glendale, Colorado is called Rugbytown. Rugby is popular in the Western and Eastern States, mostly.

**theparkman81** · 04-06-2011, 12:07 AM

I wish that OKC can get a rugby super league franchise, rugby is starting to become a popular sport around here, the super league has teams like in Denver, Chicago, Boston and I think Dallas, so I think it will do well here.